Filed under: West Brom, Premier League, Football, Team Previews
A year
on from his Anfield nightmare, Roy Hodgson appears to have found a perfect fit in West Brom.The veteran manager worked wonders in his short time at The Hawthorns last season, transforming them from relegation favourites to a side who, on their day, could hold their own with the cream of the Premier League.
In typical fashion, Hodgson has quietly gone about his work this summer, making some shrewd acquisitions in the shape of Zoltan Gera, Ben Foster, Gareth McAuley and Billy Jones for next to nothing.
Never have the Baggies entered a Premier League season in such optimistic mood and that is reflected by the bookmakers, who have six clubs ahead of them in their odds to beat the drop.
Hodgson's team could not have been handed a more daunting start with their first two fixtures against Manchester United and Chelsea, yet there will be a clearer picture of where they sit in this season's food chain after the fixtures which follow against Stoke, Norwich, Swansea, Fulham, Sunderland, Wolverhampton and Aston Villa.
THE NEW (AND OLD) MEN:
Ins: Zoltan Gera (Fulham), free; Ben Foster (Birmingham City), loan; Gareth McAuley (Ipswich), free; Billy Jones (Preston), free;
Outs: Borja Valero (Villarreal), undisclosed; Boaz Myhill (Birmingham), loan; Marcus Haber (St Johnstone), undisclosed; Gianni Zuiverloon (Real Mallorca), undisclosed; Scott Carson (Bursaspor), undisclosed; Abdoulaye Meite (Dijon), free;
West Brom 2010-11 Season Match Log: Previews, Live Commentaries and Reports
Summary: A good summer's business. First and foremost, the Baggies have managed to bring in proven Premier League quality in Gera and Foster, a far superior goalkeeper to the departed Scott Carson, for virtually nothing.
Perhaps even more significant, however, is the fact they have been able to keep hold of star performers Peter Odemwingie, Youssouf Mulumbu and Chris Brunt, who were so influential in last season's success.
THE MAIN MEN:
Goalkeepers: Clearly, Hodgson was unconvinced by last season's custodians having moved on both Myhill and Carson, with the arrival of Foster, one of the best goalkeepers in the division last season, on loan from Birmingham a shrewd piece of business. A-
Defence: An area that still leaves question marks. Northern Ireland skipper McAuley has been signed in a bid to shore things up but they will rely heavily on Hodgson's renowned training ground defensive drills. C
Midfield: This is where the Baggies'strengths really lie. In Brunt, Mulumbu, Paul Scharner, James Morrison, Graham Dorrans and now Gera they have a midfield among the best outside the top six. B+
Attack: Hodgson has made no secret of his desire to strengthen his striking options and it easy to see why - should anything happen to Odemwingie they look desperately short of a goal threat. B-
The Boss: Hodgson has done no wrong since his arrival at The Hawthorns, however the challenge now is for him to repeat the feat and keep the Baggies in the Premier League for a third successive season - something they have never managed before. A-
THE GAMES:
Start With: Manchester United, home, August 14: The ultimate test. The Baggies will hope they can catch the champions cold on the opening weekend of the campaign and, with the pressure off and home advantage, they are capable of at least salvaging a point.
End With: Arsenal, home, May 13: Another glamour game for The Hawthorns faithful to look forward to. Hodgson will hope his Baggies team are not still in need of points by the time the Gunners visit the Midlands.
The Big One In Between: Wolverhampton, away, Feb 12: Along with the reverse fixture, the first date in the diary. They don't come any bigger than the Black Country derby for West Brom fans and, by February, the race to reach the magic 40-point barrier is sure to be hotting up.
THE FANS:
Most Likely to Say: "Roy Hodgson's blue and white army."
Least Likely to Say: "Hodgson for England."
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