There may be two weeks left until the Championship season begins, but West Bromwich Albion looked anything but ready as they were punished 4-2 by a ruthless Lincoln City side on Saturday afternoon.
The Imps started like a side already in full swing, with Jovon Makama scoring inside the first 45 seconds before following up with a long-range effort that caught Josh Griffiths cold just two minutes later. By the time most travelling fans had taken their seats, Albion were chasing a game they never looked capable of retrieving. There were brief spells of positivity, particularly when Karlan Grant pulled one back with a thunderous strike and Devante Cole found the net late on, but make no mistake: this was a poor performance from a team still searching for structure and identity.
Lincoln, sharper in thought and deed, overwhelmed a static West Brom midfield that offered neither presence nor creativity. Ryley Towler and Jack Moylan added further goals for the hosts, and although George Campbell and Josh Maja were given minutes from the bench, Ryan Mason’s experimental selection and in-game tweaks never bore fruit. The Baggies were second-best all over the pitch.
Pre-Season or Not, There Are Concerns
It is easy to fall into the trap of dismissing pre-season results as meaningless, but this performance felt more damaging than most. The opening 15 minutes were nothing short of shambolic, with Albion looking tactically confused and physically off the pace. This was not just a case of rusty legs or unfamiliar partnerships; it was a team with no clear direction.
The midfield pairing of Jayson Molumby and Alex Mowatt once again failed to impose themselves. Both are neat enough in possession, but neither offer the bite or progressive spark required to control games. The hope had been that Isaac Price or Ousmane Diakité would bring a new dimension, yet neither featured meaningfully in their preferred roles. Price, in particular, continues to be shuffled into various positions without ever being given a chance to establish rhythm in central midfield.
Tactically, the side was all over the place. Without the ball, Albion dropped into a flat 4-4-1-1, yet in possession there was a vague shift toward a 3-3-3-1. These are ideas that might work in theory, but without players who trust one another in possession and are willing to run into dangerous spaces, they fall apart quickly. There were no visible patterns of play, no structure in build-up and no evident identity, just fragmented movements and hesitant passing.
Defensively, it was a horror show. Griffiths looked nervy and failed to command his area, while Nat Phillips had a moment of carelessness that should have gifted Lincoln a third before half-time. Furlong offered little leadership, and the fullbacks struggled to contain direct runners. Without Kyle Bartley marshalling the back line, the unit looked disorganised and vulnerable.
Callum Styles, deployed in various roles again, was guilty of surrendering possession too cheaply, while Jed Wallace and Daryl Dike were missing from the squad entirely. Without them, Albion lacked both attacking thrust and physical presence in the final third. Aune Heggebo, handed his first start, barely had a touch, and Grant, despite his fine goal, remained isolated for much of the match.
The deeper concern, though, lies in the coaching. Ryan Mason spoke previously about pre-season being more than just a fitness exercise, that these games were about developing style and tactical implementation. But if this display is the blueprint, then the blueprint is flawed. Mason may have a plan, but either he lacks the players to execute it or the experience to convey it.
Not Just a Case of Teething Problems
There’s a valid argument that pre-season should not be judged too harshly. Managers experiment, players rotate, and results are secondary to fitness. But performances can still provide insight. What Saturday showed is that West Brom are still a long way from functioning as a cohesive unit.
Even by pre-season standards, this was toothless. Lincoln were first to everything. They looked fitter, more drilled, and carried more attacking intent. Their press unnerved Albion’s defenders, their midfield dictated the tempo, and their wide players caused havoc. It is not just about losing, it’s about how you lose, and this was worryingly meek.
There’s also the glaring issue at left-back. It has been an area of concern for some time, and once again, it proved a weakness. The lack of recruitment in that area is baffling. Meanwhile, George Campbell’s debut brought some promise, but he is clearly not the solution out wide. Without strengthening defensively, the side will continue to leak goals regardless of formation.
It might be unfair to pin everything on Mason at this stage, but with just one more friendly to go, the signs are troubling. This doesn’t look like a team on the cusp of clicking into gear. It looks like one stuck in transition, caught between the methods of old and the inexperience of new leadership.
There’s still time to correct the course before Blackburn arrive at The Hawthorns on opening day. But the clock is ticking. And right now, the alarms are ringing.
