'The Ladder Match'.

There appeared to be one wheel left on the Mason Wagon and the season was rolling along.

2-0 down at home to Swansea.

A generous scoreline for the Baggies, who put the A in the word abject with a first half performance that may hopefully be the nadir of Mason’s stint at The Albion.

Cometh the moment, cometh the man, and in any situation there is always a semblance of that key, defining word.

Opportunity.

That actual word knocked, starting with and possibly will be ultimately be seen as a defining and crucial half time team talk..

Ryan Mason is an introspective character and he may have looked back to his earliest experience of management, as a caretaker role at Spurs.

The half time scenario was similar.

Losing this time to Southampton and encountering a situation beyond any previous Spurs bosses for over 24 months.

Overcoming a half time deficit and winning the game.

Mason entered the dressing room and faced his Spurs charges.

Some were ex-teammates.

Some were close friends.

Some were older than him.

In Mason’s mind this was to be his first true test.

Had he got what it takes?

Words were delivered, messages given.

Spurs duly won 2-1, the losing at half time voodoo over.

Respect earned.

Respect gained.

Fast forward four years.

The backdrop this time was perhaps the understandably, vitriolic fans, singing the ‘time immemorial’ football chant of a doomed manager's future.

Gaining a P.45.

Not planning a 4-3-3.

‘You’re being sacked in the morning’ echoed around some parts of The Hawthorns..

When it’s actually being sung by a section of your own fans, the urgency for change is absolute.

This is a crisis point.

And so the normally calm manner of this caring and considered coach became impassioned, his words and ultimate message smartly and passionately levied.

Some would say, in an aggressive tone that was overdue.

For players to take ownership.

Play for the shirt.

Play for the fans.

Perhaps in this case, most tellingly.

Play for him.

A simple message.

‘YOU OWE ME ONE’.

Mason’s debt of loyalty to some of his charges became one game too far.

Two key players, the minute men, accruing the most time on a Mason field this season were replaced, after just 45 Minutes.

In reality, the best form of Nat Phillips and Isaac Price has not been seen for some time.

Add in a woeful performance from Alfie Gilchrist and an equally woeful managerial decision by Mason to limit your most effective weapon again, playing Mikey Johnston on the left wing, this time to accommodate the mercurial but ultimately ineffective Iling Junior, as a manager, you ALSO need to take ownership.

Mason did.

Four changes at half time from a manager who rarely makes changes before the 70th Minute.

But it was equally the change in the players mindset that dictated a fightback that seemed unlikely but became utterly irresistible…

With goals, you always have a chance and Aune Heggebo has been a revelation, the timing of his fourth goal in four games, opening the possibility of a fightback, exactly when it was needed, just two minutes into the second half, vindicating Mason’s words and breathing hope and life into the team and the fan base..

Intriguingly it was a reality step for the Swansea faithful who like us v Coventry a week before, feared the worst, conceding in that crucial five minutes before or after half time, that drains the sense of optimism.

On that 47th Minute goal many of the ‘Jacks’ predicted defeat, as many of us did on the 41st Minute when Josh Eccles breathed life into Coventry, halving their deficit last week. 

Our mutual pessimism or maybe realism came true.

Losing 3-2 stings when taken from a position of earlier advantage.

Heggebo from his first Albion impression back in August has exuded positivity that eternal optimists always seem to have.

Every challenge, regardless of the odds, is there to be won.

Maybe it’s the Scandinavian way?

A work ethic you can utterly rely on, a team before self mentality that ingrains you to team mates and fans alike.

But was Aune a finisher, or a hard working, intelligent player, looking to bring others into the game from deep positions, [the assist for Iling Junior’s lone Baggies goal v Leicester City, a clear case in point?]

With Josh Maja struggling physically, post injury, in the role of point striker, Isaac Price flirting with a few cameo roles in this position and Daryl Dike seemingly not deemed an option, it came time to move Aune further forward.

Five goals in his last four games is certainly above anything I expected Aune to produce, and I’m more than happy to eat humble pie over that.

The winning goal of course came from Jayson Molumby, set up very well by Josh Maja, whose forty five minute impact playing as a number 10, was by far his best performance since his injury, eleven months ago.

Molumby seemingly has that sense of timing for sure that can be great or can equally grate.

The winning goal v Sheffield Wednesday, was perhaps Tony Mowbrey’s best moment as the returning Baggies boss, scored of course by the exuberant Irishman, heart as ever adorned to his sleeve, as he sprinted away in ecstasy of scoring a late match winner.

Lightning struck twice with his 87th Minute winner v Swansea and his beeline to Ryan Mason said a lot about loyalty shown, the pay off being the goal.

With Jayson there is always an edge, the finest of lines.

To play ‘on the edge’ is for him the only way, as to nullify his natural aggression is to dull the blade and the overall impact of his game.

This can never seemingly be compromised, the yin and yang of dealing with your emotions is something Molumby now hopefully takes ownership for.

The penance of letting his side down for his ludicrous second yellow card against Coventry, led directly to The Baggies defeat, and maybe the prospect of letting his main rival for his Albion shirt, Toby Collyer thrive.

Collyer is the type of loan player we’ve been waiting a few years for to add something in central midfield but seemingly is unable to stay fit apart from a few tempting minutes here and there, a signing Mason had such hopes for, now a question mark over his future, not likely to play in the stripes again until early 2026.

Ousmane Diakite perhaps had his best game in an Albion shirt in his 65 Minute cameo against Birmingham City against a quality midfield,  asking Mason serious questions about breaking the 'M and M' fulcrum in midfield, but Ryan Mason’s loyalties stayed to the tried and trusted and that late goal paid off in spades.

Alex Mowatt has however been wonderfully consistent as the outball from deep in central midfield, a role that suits his strengths, as long as he’s not over exposed by game time, when physically he can struggle, certainly to recover from an advancing runner on a counter attack situation.

Mason’s post game diagnosis of the Molumby impact and what he brings to the club are seen in his,

‘Investment to the club, in his training and playing methods’, and the mutual bond was shown clearly in those emotive and rare embraces between player and boss, post goal and final whistle.

Maybe that will be the pivotal and evocative visual for the turning point of this Bilkul regime, and The Baggies can now build from here?

Like Molumby’s approach to the game, The Championship is also a double edged sword.

Defeat on Saturday we would have been 17th, five points off a relegation spot.

The win puts us four points off a play off place, with the ‘might’ of the likes of Millwall, Stoke, Preston and Bristol City in the playoff positions, such are the potential rewards and pitfalls of The Championship..

Pitfalls are something that seems to afflict Josh Griffiths when it comes to dealing with long distance shots.

Replacing a keeper as consistent as Alex Palmer was always an uphill task and certainly Griffiths, a keeper with the ideal background of four successful loan spells in the lower echelons of the Football League, would ordinarily have sorted out such basic foibles, but the mistakes are adding up.

When you look back at the goals conceded, are they due to a lack of solid footwork in getting into the correct position, or simple misjudgement of the flight and pace of the shot? 

Seeing mistakes emboldens opponents and it’s hopefully a temporary blip rather than a trend, but for sure gives Boaz Myhill food for thought.

On the credit side, Griffiths has made several instinctive saves from closer range this season that are top drawer, hopefully progress can be made to eradicate his perceived weakness?

After earlier decrying the performance of Alfie Gilchrist, it looks like after another marauding display on Saturday, his half time replacement, George Campbell may again be the best option at right back. 

Certainly when we signed Campbell, the conjecture from several MLS commentators and analysts I spoke to in August out here in the US, reflected on Campbell’s excellent character traits, solid and dependable work ethic balanced by a common theme, he’d make mistakes in The Championship, but learn from them and be an ultimately good signing.

Those early predictions seem to be not too far off the mark.

Nat Phillips, signed for his leadership qualities and strong defensive nous, seems to be going through a recent crisis of confidence, certainly in his weak distribution from the back, such a fundamental part of the overall Mason game plan.

Oddly enough Phillips had a similar dip in form at Derby, was dropped for several weeks by Paul Warne, but returned mentally attuned and rejuvenated under John Eustace and was a massive factor in The Rams staying up last season.

And in the recent vacuum of leadership in central defence, it was the long overdue impact of Krystian Bielik that is hopefully his springboard for the rest of the season, conveying calmness in possession, and much more reliable in his range of passing.

Of course with Bielik, the handling of his workload in terms of games is going to be key in a career, at times, blighted by injury.

Amazingly, Bielik is still only 27 years old, his playing manner and experience seems to suggest he's older.

Mikey Johnston is by far our most creative and threatening player, the obvious key to his best form is to play wide on the right.

For Ryan Mason, not overthinking players' roles to accommodate others may help.

Replacing Tom Fellows, now warming into his role as a Saint, [three goals, two assists] and who we are due to cross swords with against a week from writing this, [Styles or Taylor v Fellows may be a difficult watch], was never going to be an easy task.

It seems the answer was always going to be Mikey as he’s increasingly proving.

Johnston’s penchant for dribbling inside and shooting, attempting to recreate the impossible, [his EPL Championship Player of the Month form for March 2024], was a very high bar, but without a viable target to aim for, with Heggebo playing relatively deep, and few runners from midfield creating options, may have been the DNA for this self regarding approach..

But in recent games, playing Heggebo higher, getting the ball forward earlier and having options from the left, in the industrious but overdue impact in front of goal, Karlan Grant and either Price or Maja at No.10, has given Mikey the licence to create again and he’s taken that option so well.

Confidence breeds confidence, and it’s great to welcome dangerous intent on the right wing again.

We are The Albion, after all…

Traditions count.

December through to New Years Day is always undeniably tough, and no doubt the Albion squad will be tested in what will in all probability be our toughest physical test of the season.

Seven games in twenty six days.

Three home, four away with the nearest away fixture a mere 122 Miles from The Hawthorns, this Saturday, v QPR.

Questions of squad depth will surely be answered in this run of games, and hopefully Daryl Dike may get the chance to increase on his fifteen minutes of football this season or will January see us wave goodbye to our good hearted American import perhaps back to the MLS, where the season starts in its earliest ever incarnate?

February 21st 2026.

As with Tammer Bany, there are way more questions than answers, but hopefully the Bilkul Group, like with the Aune Heggebo transfer, will prove the initial doubters, [yes that includes me], wrong.

Managerial appointments like Ryan Mason are built on faith and potential.

The players have hopefully set their stall a higher, more consistent bar of loyalty and commitment, for a manager they from all accounts clearly like, and seen from that now famous half time rallying cry, with that second half fightback giving the Albion faithful new hope and optimism for the season ahead..

Football is nothing if not a fickle mistress, a sport of wildly opposite emotions, none more on show than on Saturday..

The Championship this season is a footballing equivalent of a game of 'Snakes and Ladders' and this concept on Saturday was fully on display.

Let’s hope there’s a lot more ladders in Mason’s stocking for this incoming festive season…

[As a postscript, an early Seasons Greetings to one and all who take time out to read my articles on Baggiebard.com, it means an awful lot and I appreciate your support and time taken, hugely. COYB!!].