West Brom: Shilen Patel urged to make tough Tony Mowbray decision if play-off hopes end | OneFootball

Mowbray's second coming at The Hawthorns isn't quite going to plan...

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

With just five games left of the Championship season, West Brom's play-off chances are fading - something that looked improbably following their January transfer business.

Losing manager Carlos Corberan to Valencia halfway through the 2024-25 campaign was not written in the script whatsoever, but it's something that owner Shilen Patel had to deal with, and after failing to land Raphael Wicky, the American turned to a familiar face in the form of Tony Mowbray, who was ready to jump in with two feet after a battle with cancer.

Frustratingly for Mowbray though, results have not gone the way that anyone would have wanted or expected, and with just a handful of matches remaining, the Baggies are five points adrift of Coventry City in sixth position, and recent performances do not suggest they're going to go on a winning run of form.

West Brom: Shilen Patel told to make Tony Mowbray decision if Championship play-offs are not reached

Since his return to The Hawthorns, Mowbray has only been able to pick up four wins for Albion from his 14 matches in charge, which is a wholly unspectacular record.

Naturally, questions are starting to be asked despite his likeability as to whether the 61-year-old was the right fit for the job, especially after four matches without a win, and FLW's Baggies fan pundit Callum Burgess believes that should the club miss out on the play-offs, a change of direction will be needed in the summer, which would regrettably see Mowbray exit the club.

"Although there's nothing more Albion fans would've wanted than Tony Mowbray to be a success in his second spell at the club, I think it's difficult to have come to the impression that during his time here so far that there's been anyone that has progressed during that time since," Callum told FLW.

"Players have come in and done well - Tammer Bany has showed flashes in his substitute appearances and Isaac Price looks a great signing.

"But some of the decisions lately, such as the set-up on Tuesday night (against Bristol City), having Price play as a false nine, Adam Armstrong playing on the right wing and practically hugging the touchline...there's a lot of decisions going on that Albion fans will have been scratching their heads about.

"Armstrong has previously played for Tony Mowbray, yet every single week we seem to be trying a new system to try and get the best out of him in the team.

"Also, Tom Fellows has not been utilised as much as he previously has been under Corberan for example, where he was pretty much a guaranteed starter every week, showing his quality, while quite often he's been on the bench under Mowbray, even though when he has come on, like on Tuesday, he did show his quality and created a few chances.

"So, should Albion's season follow the trajectory it appears to be heading in, I'd probably be inclined to shake hands and move on in the summer and look for a new manager."

West Brom's emotional Tony Mowbray decision isn't working out - he needs to turn things around ASAP

When Mowbray returned to Albion, they were sitting in sixth position in the table, and when adding Adam Armstrong, Will Lankshear and Isaac Price to their squad around that time, it was the perfect catalyst on paper to strengthen their position.

For whatever reason though, things aren't clicking under the veteran boss, and more importantly Armstrong isn't scoring goals like he was for Southampton last year - just two goals in 11 appearances isn't what the doctor ordered.

Four of West Brom's last five fixtures are against teams that do or may have something to play for at both ends of the table, with their next match - at home to Watford - perhaps being the one where the opposition aren't playing for anything, so Mowbray needs to guide his side to three points desperately.