West Brom debrief: A Hawthorns humiliation

Here is the latest debrief.

Worst ever

No Albion fans of a certain vintage need telling about bad days at The Hawthorns but Tuesday night tops the lot.

It is officially the club's worst ever home defeat outside of the top flight.

More unwanted club records. In the great shrine's 125th year. Embarrassing.

Crewe 1999. Swindon 1995. Plymouth 1993. Newcastle 1989. There have been some shockers a generation or two ago, but nothing tops this.

Diehard Albion regulars for many decades labelled it the worst they had ever seen.

The second-half capitulation - in which Norwich struck four unanswered goals - was a total and upper collapse. It looked as if the players had thrown the towel in.

That, too, after a first half that Ramsay claimed to have "shocked" him. Enough for the head coach to make a triple half-time substitution and send his players back out after some short shrift.

All fatigued and hopeless fans now have is to look to Friday night at Derby and fear the worst generally. Pride Park, where Albion have not won since 2003. Ten straight away league defeats. It could get worse.

Penny for Shilen's thoughts as he watched on

Ahead of Tuesday night's clash Ashish Patel, cousin of Albion owner Shilen and Bilkul chief marketing officer, posted snaps of Shilen embracing Albion's club mascots Baggie Bird and Boiler Man.

The chairman told us at Ramsay's media unveiling just seven days ago that, even from thousands of miles away at their Tampa home, he feels every gut punch delivered against his club.

He and his fellow Bilkul team certainly would have felt every ounce of that pain against the Canaries.

Patel will have heard every boo and every syllable of "you're not fit to wear the shirt" - a damning and perfectly fair jibe aimed at the blue and white stripes from the home fans.

The Hawthorns was nervous all night. Even before a ball was kicked and at 0-0. It was a huge night. A six-pointer. It was understandably empty at full-time, but the jeers were still piercing.

Half-time mood 

It was only 1-0 at half-time but Ramsay's bold triple change, taking off the ineffective Josh Maja, Isaac Price and Nat Phillips though in truth it could have been any of them, spoke volumes. As did Ramsay sending his team out the best part of five minutes before the visitors.

Ramsay said afterwards he was "shocked" by the first 15 minutes, after which Norwich took an early lead.

There was no bright start like the opening of the Middlesbrough clash. Instead there was pure fear which transferred into the lack of putting a shift in. There did not appear an ounce of effort in that second half.

Many believe they do not have the stomach for the relegation fight ahead.

The manner of most of the goals were beyond a joke and comical. All they missed was the Benny Hill music. The miserable, humiliating fifth was the worst of the lot.

Square pegs?

Ramsay's 3-4-3 wing-back has been debated and scrutinised after two games.

The phrase square pegs in round holes has been used. That is a stretch to a point because the new head coach has yet to have any midfielders available to start a game and it shows.

But Mikey Johnston and Isaac Price, Albion's best attackers, have now started at right wing-back. Both have gone disastrously.

Charlie Taylor, the veteran loan left-back, is not working in a back three. But the natural centre-backs have fared just as badly.

Against Norwich Karlan Grant led the line as the most advanced with Josh Maja - in for Aune Heggebo - in support to the right. It worked for neither.

The only player it has suited so far is Samuel Iling-Junior at left wing-back.

It may be Ramsay's way, and if that is the case then he may not look to change it, but it does not appear Albion have the players to fit it.