Nightmare return continues: Ramsay’s West Brom crushed 3–0 by Portsmouth
Eric Ramsay’s difficult start to life in the EFL Championship hit a new low on Saturday afternoon as his West Bromwich Albion side were swept aside 3–0 by relegation rivals Portsmouth at Fratton Park.
In a match billed as a crucial “six-pointer” for survival, the former Minnesota United head coach saw his team capitulate inside the opening 25 minutes, extending a miserable run that has left the Baggies perilously close to the drop zone.
Match recap
Portsmouth, managed by John Mousinho, started with an intensity that West Brom failed to match. The hosts took the lead in the 20th minute when Conor Chaplin fired home a low shot after West Brom failed to clear their lines.
Things went from bad to worse just five minutes later. In the 25th minute, Portsmouth doubled their advantage through Millenic Alli, who finished off a swift counter-attack that exposed the visitors’ fragile defensive shape.
Ramsay attempted to shuffle his pack at halftime, abandoning his starting back-three formation for a back-four, but the tactical shift offered no respite. Just four minutes after the restart, Ebou Adams added a third for Portsmouth in the 49th minute, effectively ending the contest and turning the away end toxic.
Ramsay’s rough start
Since leaving Minnesota United earlier this month to take the job at The Hawthorns, Ramsay has found points hard to come by.
- The result: This was West Brom’s third defeat in four matches under Ramsay.
- The table: The loss sees Portsmouth leapfrog West Brom in the table, pushing Ramsay’s side down to 20th place, just one spot above the relegation zone.
- Fan reaction: The 2,200 traveling Baggies fans made their feelings known at the final whistle, with jeers directed at the players and the new management team after what the local press described as a “pitiful display.”
Ramsay, who was the youngest head coach in MLS history during his successful tenure with the Loons, now faces a massive challenge to turn around a historic English club that is sleepwalking toward relegation.
Stats (via Fotmob)
- Possession: Portsmouth 41% – 59% West Brom
- Shots (on target): Portsmouth 14 (6) – 8 (2) West Brom
- Match result: Portsmouth 3–0 West Bromwich Albion
Up next
West Bromwich Albion will look to stop the bleeding when they host Sheffield United next weekend. For Eric Ramsay, the honeymoon period is decidedly over, and the pressure is already mounting to show the tactical acumen that made him a star in Major League Soccer.
