James Morrison told to drop West Brom player who looked "a bit shaken" against Wolves | OneFootball

FLW's West Brom fan pundit has given his verdict on whether defender Nat Phillips should be dropped after his costly mistake in the defeat to Wolves.

It was a disappointing afternoon for West Bromwich Albion as they were beaten by Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Black County derby on Sunday.

West Brom have been among the early front-runners in the Championship after a strong start to the season, but it was a day to forget for James Morrison's men as they fell to a 1-0 defeat to Wolves at Molineux.

Horror Nat Phillips error gifts Wolves victory over West Brom

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Despite only narrowly avoiding relegation last season, it has been an excellent start to the season for West Brom, who had won four and drawn two of their opening seven games prior to Sunday's trip across the Midlands.

However, Wolves had also made an impressive start to the campaign following their relegation from the Premier League, and Cesar Peixoto's men created plenty of chances in the first half against the Baggies, with Max O'Leary making a number of stunning saves to keep the scores level.

For all of their dominance, it was a mistake that eventually handed Wolves the lead in the 50th minute, with Fer Lopez latching on to Nat Phillips' stray backpass to slot past O'Leary, and while there was tension in the air at Molineux in the closing stages, the hosts held on for all three points.

As well as claiming the local bragging rights, Wolves leapfrogged West Brom in the table with their derby day victory, but Albion do head into the extended international break sitting fifth, just one point behind second-placed West Ham United and three points behind leaders Swansea City.

Potential Nat Phillips, Chris Mepham swap mooted amid West Brom selection debate

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West Brom's next game is not until 10th October when they face another Midlands derby against Birmingham City at The Hawthorns, but Morrison has a number of selection headaches to mull over the next few weeks, including in his defence.

When asked if Phillips should be dropped following his error against Wolves, FLW's West Brom fan pundit Callum Burgess admitted that the ex-Liverpool man has struggled when asked to play out from the back, and he questioned whether Morrison should give Chris Mepham a run in the team.

"I do think that, if you're going to ask defenders to play out from the back, then that's not really Nat Phillips' game," Callum told FLW.

"He's someone who is very much defence first.

"In the moments after his mistake, he did seem a bit shaken by it, so I do wonder if that might open the door for Chris Mepham to start more in the future.

"He's not really had a look in because of how good the partnership of Campbell and Phillips has been since Morrison took over, but if that is what Morrison is going to be asking of his defenders, that may suit Mepham more."

James Morrison facing big Nat Phillips, Chris Mepham dilemma at West Brom after Wolves defeat

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West Brom have the joint-third best defence in the Championship this season having conceded just eight goals so far, with only Swansea and QPR boasting a better record than Morrison's men.

As Phillips has started seven of the Baggies' eight league games, he has been an important part of their defensive solidity, so it would arguably be harsh to drop the 29-year-old after one mistake, albeit it did prove to be an incredibly costly one.

However, if Morrison is keen to implement a possession-based brand of football, he must carefully consider which of his defenders are most comfortable with the ball at their feet, and should he decide Phillips does not fit that style, Mepham would be a more than capable replacement.