Saturday 8 August 2015 10:29, UK
All the transfer news, statistics, pundit views and odds ahead of West Brom's 2015/16 season.
Position last season: 13th
Sky Bet title odds: 5000/1
Ins: James McClean (Wigan), James Chester (Hull City), Rickie Lambert (Liverpool)
Outs: Graham Dorrans (Norwich City), Alex Jones (Birmingham City), Kemar Roofe (Oxford City), Youssouf Mulumbu (Norwich City), Chris Baird (Derby County), Jason Davidson (released), Alex Palmer (Kidderminster, loan), Wesley Atkinson (Notts County), Donervon Daniels (Wigan), Bradley Garmston (Gillingham).
Overview
In their sixth consecutive season in the Premier League, West Brom will be hoping to avoid another relegation scrap. Tony Pulis seems like the right man to keep them clear of the drop given his record of never having been relegated, but can he achieve a top-half finish?
So far, they've bolstered their squad with James McClean, James Chester and Rickie Lambert. Pulis says the Baggies are “working hard behind the scenes” to add more new faces, and that need will be heightened if they fail to keep hold of Saido Berahino.
West Brom face a tough start to the campaign, with Manchester City and Chelsea visiting the Hawthorns in August, but their record of 10 clean sheets in 18 games at the end of last season shows how they have improved since Pulis' appointment in January.
Ray Parlour's view: "I’m sure they’ll be very fit after pre-season. He kicks every ball from the sidelines and they will be well prepared. You always want a good start. I expect them to do OK. They will probably be mid-table and that would be good enough for West Brom. I don’t expect them to be in a relegation battle, I think they’ll be fine."
Ray Parlour's one to watch: "What an opportunity for Rickie Lambert. The move to Liverpool didn’t really work out for him, he didn’t play enough football, but he’s a good goalscorer. They’ve got good players from wide areas and if he can get on the end of their service he will be a good signing. He knows the Premier League and he’s done it for Southampton on a regular basis."
Opta stats
- West Brom kept 10 clean sheets in 18 games under Tony Pulis, more than any other Premier League club in that period (Jan 10 onwards).
- In fact, only champions Chelsea (17) kept more clean sheets in the Premier League last term than the Baggies (16).
- Saido Berahino scored 20 goals in all competitions last season, 13 more than any other West Brom player.
