Ryan Mason must take gamble on £6.5k-a-week West Brom star - His job may depend on it | OneFootball

West Brom boss Ryan Mason must give Tammer Bany a start against Oxford United as he desperately looks to add creativity to his team.

West Brom’s poor form continued in the week as they were beaten by a stoppage-time goal at Charlton Athletic.

That made it four without a win for Ryan Mason’s side, and whilst the ex-Spurs coach has only been in charge a matter of months, some Baggies fans are already questioning whether he is the right appointment.

It had been hoped that Mason could inspire a promotion push, but Albion are languishing in the bottom half at the moment, and their performances are concerning, with the lack of goal threat the obvious issue.

West Brom are struggling in the final third under Ryan Mason

Albion have found the net just 12 times in 14 games, which ranks among the worst in the Championship.

Perhaps the biggest worry for West Brom is that this is backed up by the data as well, as Albion are in the bottom three in the league when it comes to expected goals.

So, it’s not a case of the team creating opportunities and missing chances, or the opposition goalkeepers are in inspired form. Instead, it’s simply that Albion are lacking quality and creativity where it matters.

Even though it’s early days in Mason’s time as a head coach, the reality is that 14 games have allowed some patterns to emerge - and his team look clueless going forward.

Quite often, Albion rely on individual brilliance in attack, with Isaac Price the man who often steps up for the Baggies, and Mikey Johnston is another who has shown an ability to create something out of nothing.

Aune Heggebo has been a major disappointment since his £5m arrival from Brann, and it’s hard to defend a striker who has just one league goal to his name.

However, any number nine at this level would struggle in this Albion XI, as chances are hard to come by, and there have been many examples when the Norwegian has made runs that simply weren’t found by his teammates.

Ryan Mason under increasing pressure at West Brom

As a result, the pressure is building on Mason, and some fans are calling for owner Shilen Patel to make a managerial change.

A concern for Mason is that the November international break is looming, and that would be the ideal moment to bring a new head coach in, as they have a two-week period to implement their ideas to the majority of the switch.

There’s nothing to suggest that Mason will be sacked, but the rookie boss will know that he needs results, and it makes Saturday’s game at home to Oxford a massive one.

On paper, it represents a great opportunity to get three points, but unless Albion improve in attack, they will struggle to break down a resolute U’s outfit.

Tammer Bany can provide West Brom with a creative outlet against Oxford

Given their recent form, Mason must be considering changes for the game at The Hawthorns, and Tammer Bany is a player who should be given a rare start.

The attacking midfielder, who is estimated to be on £6,500 a week, has had a difficult time in the West Midlands since his arrival back in February, with injuries restricting him to just four league appearances.

Those fitness issues are why he hasn’t played yet in the current campaign, but Bany is now available, having, somewhat surprisingly, been an unused substitute in the past two games - and now is the time to put him in the XI.

The fact he has only played four times for Albion means it’s hard to judge whether he is good enough. But, even in that small sample size, you could see that Bany offers something a bit different to the rest of the squad.

He is capable of beating his man, he has an eye for a pass, and he is willing to take a risk. That is particularly important in this methodical, dull West Brom team, even if Bany is unproven.

There was a lot of excitement when Albion spent over £3m to bring the 22-year-old to English football, but he hasn’t yet had a chance to justify that price tag.

That needs to change on Saturday, as Mason looks for a much-needed victory to quieten any talk about his future. It may seem a bold move, but Bany’s technique and unpredictability could be just what this West Brom side require to address their woes in front of goal.