Baggies in need of a turning point at Ashton Gate

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·8. April 2025

Baggies in need of a turning point at Ashton Gate

Bristol City v West Bromwich Albion; Ashton Gate, Tuesday 8th April 2025, 7.45pm

Albion head to Bristol on Tuesday evening in need of a change in fortune if they are to maintain their play-off challenge. It would be tempting to say that Albion’s form has fallen apart in recent weeks but, in reality, the Baggies haven’t been in great form since September and have only held onto a top six spot because none of the teams below them had been able to put together a run of form either.

Finally, however, one or two sides have started to find some semblance of form and Albion have mis-timed a particularly bad run of four games without a victory and find themselves three points outside of the play-offs for the first time this season. Bristol City (15), Coventry City (15) and Middlesbrough (16) have all amassed good points tallies from their last eight games while the Baggies have only earned ten points in the same period putting them 15th in the 8-game form table.

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Regular readers will know that I have been calling for a change of approach up front and, while we saw some of that late on against Sunderland with limited impact, I still think it needs some radical thinking to try find the spark that is needed. Mowbray has validly pointed out the difficulties in implementing the change in style that he is trying to establish, but we have seen very little of the fast-paced football we enjoyed in his first spell. Albion did have some good chances against Sunderland, but it is interesting that not one of them fell to Adam Armstrong, he had only one attempt in the entire game, suggesting that something is not working with him leading the attack.

Mowbray has defended the style of play and, given the domination that the team has had in recent games, it is understandable. I certainly don’t think we should be hitting the ball long into the box, but I do feel that something needs to change to create more good opportunities and convert them. That could be changes in formation, personnel or approach to either maximise Armstrong’s skills, or those of someone else who may suit the style better.

Joe Wildsmith has inevitably come in for criticism after he failed to keep out Hume’s free kick and, while it was an error and I wouldn’t be averse to see Josh Griffiths given a chance, he is not the main reason we lost the game – with the amount of domination Albion had, you would expect the attacking players to have scored a couple of goals and that, as has pretty much been the case all season, is why the Baggies lost.

Tuesday’s match at Bristol City could be huge. Victory for the hosts would put them six points ahead of Albion with only five games remaining – ordinarily, that would be too many points to make up but, with the inconsistencies shown by teams chasing the top six this season, it may not be the case. However, if the Robins, along with Coventry and Middlesbrough, continue their recent good form, the Baggies will need a dramatic change in fortune if they are to keep up.

Immediately after the game, Mowbray seemed to defend Wildsmith but, perhaps, he may have reached a point where he needs to make a change – maybe Griffiths will be given the nod, but I would not be surprised to see Wildsmith named once again. He has other concerns with Isaac Price potentially out for the season and Holgate and Heggem also doubts for Tuesday’s match. That could mean Ousmane Diakité back in central defence where he has acquitted himself well when asked to do so.

Mowbray has many options in attack, which may be part of the problem as he rarely keeps the same starting eleven with Armstrong his only consistent pick in the front line. I couldn’t begin to predict who he will go for at Ashton Gate, other than to say I would still be surprised to see Armstrong left out even if it is what I would do.

This is a real six-pointer and, while not decisive, it will have a massive impact on the run in. Can Albion surprise everyone and finally win away?

History

Tuesday evening will be the 61st meeting between Albion and Bristol City and the 30th at Ashton Gate. All but one of the Baggies’ visits to Bristol City have been at their current stadium, the only exception being their very first visit in February 1902 that was played at St John’s Lane. The Robins moved to Ashton Gate in the summer of 1904.

The Baggies have been unbeaten on their last four league visits to Ashton Gate, although they did lose 3-0 in the FA Cup two years ago. The game finished 0-0 last season, but Brandon Thomas-Asante’s long range effort helped Corberán’s team to a 2-0 victory on Boxing Day 2022, Adam Reach’s 93rd minute goal earned Steve Bruce’s team a 2-2 draw in March 2022 while Slaven Bilić’s team romped to a 3-0 win in Feburary 2020. The Robins’ last home league win against Albion was in April 2019 when the hosts took a 3-0 lead inside 20 minutes, only for Gayle and Rodriquez to bring it back to 3-2; Jimmy Shan’s team were unable to find the equaliser, however, and Lee Johnson’s team held on for all three points.

All of the league games between the sides have been in the second tier, other than the four seasons between 1976 and 1980 when both sides were in the top flight. Both team were promoted from Division Two in April 1976 with the Robins finishing above Albion on goal difference, with both clubs three points behind champions, Sunderland. In those four top flight seasons, the Baggies only once won at Ashton Gate, in April 1977 thanks to an own goal from former Leeds legend, Norman Hunter, and a David Cross goal that earned Giles’ team a 2-1 victory.

The Robins’ only other period of top flight football was between 1906 and 1911 when Albion were in Division Two – the clubs swapped divisions in the summer of 1911. The closest City have come to the top flight since 1980 was in 2008 – Albion, of course, won the Championship title that season and Gary Johnson’s Robins finished fourth. They beat Crystal Palace in the play-off semi final but were beaten 1-0 by Phil Brown’s Hull City in the final at Wembley. Their highest league finish since then was 8th in the Championship in 2019 and this season is their best chance of promotion since then.