West Brom debrief: Flipping the narrative, QUADRUPLE half-time subs and bravo Bielik

Narrative flipped

So much of the talk this season has rightly been on second-half struggles.

The record under Mason after the break has been among the worst in the Championship while in first halves Albion have been up there with the strongest.

That could not have been more wrong on Saturday where a disastrous start, with individual errors at the heart of it, saw the Baggies unravel.

It looked bleak given the way Mason's side have wilted to surrender points in second periods so far this season. The head coach's in-game management and substitutions have been heavily scrutinised given how Albion have fallen apart late on regularly.

Not here though. The way the Baggies roared back so quickly after the interval to set up the grandstand finish was totally different to anything else seen this season and has to provide confidence that Albion under Mason can change the narrative in their favour.

For redemption man Jayson Molumby to cap the day as the hero was the cherry on the cake.

Turning toxic

That first half, and the first 12 minutes in particular, were not pretty.

The last thing Albion and Mason needed was to concede the second-fasted Championship goal on record after 11 seconds. Nat Phillips was culpable with Josh Griffiths caught stranded.

Griffiths was then beaten very poorly from range.

Cries of "you're not fit to wear the shirt" and some "sacked in the morning" shouts emerged from the home stands. It takes some going for supporters to go that strong and takes a lot to fight back from. The boos for half-time were the loudest yet at a Hawthorns with several thousand empty seats.

But the afternoon ended with cheer and full credit the home boss and his squad for that. It showed the fight is very much still there.

Subs' impact

A big part of the turnaround was Mason's quadruple half-time substitution. As many as four changes at the break is very rare and told you everything about that first half.

"It was about creating a different energy," Mason told the Express & Star. "To be fair, there were maybe a couple of others that could have come off. The energy was obviously very negative, I completely understand it."

Most of Albion's starters could have been hooked but those introduced at the break - Karlan Grant, Josh Maja, George Campbell and Krystian Bielik - all played really big parts in the turnaround.

Attackers Grant and Maja were involved in the winning goal, the latter looked as interested and sharp as he has all season.

Defenders Campbell - unlucky to be dropped - and Bielik gave a totally improved feeling of sturdiness to Albion's rearguard.

Bielik's time

For summer signing Bielik, the £1.5million-£2million capture from Blues where he was captain, it was just a sixth appearance - he has just one start to his name.

That will increase at QPR on Saturday - one because Phillips is now suspended for five yellow cards and two because the 27-year-old Pole deserves it.

He was good in his sole start at Charlton and should not have come off, though Mason cited fitness, and he was excellent here.

Bielik was physically imposing, vocal and committed. He made a real difference with the assuredness so lacking for months now.

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