[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

During the Age of Sail, the office of the First Lord of the Admiralty in Whitehall had mounted on its wall a large dial geared to a weathervane on the building's roof, which allowed the First Lord to see at a glance, without leaving his desk, which way the wind was currently blowing (a device which, though rendered obsolete for naval purposes by steam power, continues to prove useful to this day in most other Whitehall offices). I only mention this because in my more fanciful moments, I like to imagine the oak-panelled walls of Lancaster Gate - if not the headquarters of Ladbrokes or Paddy Power - festooned with rows of barometers, ninety-two in total, which display the managerial pressure at every club from Brunton Park to the Amex. Thus, any employee walking the halls en route to file away the VAR footage of the Kennedy assassination (on-field verdict upheld) or pay the last installment of the bribe to Tofik Bakhramov, can instantly see the few needles riding as high as HANDS OFF! HE'S OURS, the larger number holding steady at KEEP THE FAITH, the multitudes hovering around QUESTIONS TO ANSWER, and the luckless few sinking inexorably down to IN THE NAME OF GOD, GO.

And Albion's barometer? Well, it's not going in the direction Ryan Mason would like it to, as our winless run extends to four and a goalless point at home to Wednesday is the best result of the bunch. The needle might not be in freefall yet, but frankly, it's only ninety minutes away.

Oxford are Saturday's visitors, and while last weekend demonstrated all too vividly why we can't simply expect to put relegation-battling teams to the sword even on home soil, winning is simply a necessity this time round, as narrowly or unconvincingly as it may come. With local derbies coming hot on the heels of the international break, there may not be many more chances for Mason to turn the ship around if this one goes begging.

[drewks]

Hmmmm.... as you're hinting, Ska'd, if we don't win this, I can definitely see the end for RM..... and I'm not altogether sure if this wouldn't be for the best if he continues to dish up this luke warm, bland kind of "football" which seems to be the only offering on his menu.
(I actually hate myself for saying that)

[4evaabaggie]

Another great write up …. And the nail has been hit squarely on the head.

We have a chill wind blowing from the North and like our season it is going south rapidly, I fear for Ryan and I can not see our points total column being troubled much this side of December. Oxford maybe a draw before defeats to Coventry, Birmingham and Swansea.

We need a massive tactical resetting and to put some oomph in our engine.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Hmmmm.... as you're hinting, Ska'd, if we don't win this, I can definitely see the end for RM.....

To be clear, I don't think that failing to win this would warrant immediate dismissal of Mason, but defeat would certainly be the beginning of the end - he might see out the month, but not much longer barring a miracle - and a draw would probably mean the worst-case scenario of continuing to sleepwalk into the relegation fight for a few more weeks. He really does need to come up with the goods and stop the slide.

[Salopbaggie]

As people might know I am usually the one defending the manager, but for me this could well be RM's last chance, I previously posted, I can't remember if it was here or somewhere else, (old age) that quote, 'the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result', whether tactically or even in his press conferences, that is what RM keeps doing. I think he has the talent, I just think he is scared to take a chance and trust in what I suspect he knows needs to be done. He is IMO scared of failing and he does not see that being scared, is what is causing him to fail, he has players capable of far more than he is letting them do, perhaps what he needs is 5 minutes in the locker room with James Morrison, Berahino style.

[talkSAFT]

FFS!!!!!!!!! 0-1 54'

---

FFS!!!!!!!!! 0-1 54'

Phew 1-1 57' (og)

[Salopbaggie]

Well the Will Lankshear goal was always going to come so at least that is out of the way.

[talkSAFT]

Heggebo makes it 2-1 (71')