Here we go again, ladies and gentlemen; the beginning of the next nine months that will have us on the edge of our seats. Or behind the sofa.
Following on from the highs of last season will be the most pressing matter in Steve Clarke's mind right now. The Scot's debut season in The Hawthorns hot-seat saw him commandeer the Baggies to a record eighth placed finish, following some shrewd acquisitions in the transfer market.
While Albion finished 'best of the rest', there is still work to do in preparation for the coming season. Who will replace Romelu Lukaku's emphatic performances that yielded a record 17 goals in the process? What about the width, following the release of Jerome Thomas and the uncertain futures surrounding Zoltan Gera and Peter Odemwingie?
Baggies fans, as I write, are getting more and more agitated. The apparent lack of business is of a concern with the start of the season only round the corner. Where's Salomon Kalou and Scott Sinclair, I hear you cry? The aforementioned Lukaku and Thomas, as well as Marc-Antoine Fortune, have all departed, leaving a threadbare squad remaining. Former Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka has been added, as has Uruguay captain Diego Lugano. Both free agents, and between them more experience (at the highest level, it must be noted) than most. Goran Popov has returned for another loan spell, while Steven Reid completed the full back positions by signing for one more year. Youssouf Mulumbu's future looks set to be at The Hawthorns too, thankfully, after he penned a contract extension.
While Albion's inconsistency was not too costly in the latter half of last season, it may come back to haunt them this. Swansea and West Ham, as well as Norwich and Southampton have all added quality to their squads, while the success of foreign influxes at Sunderland and Aston Villa remain to be seen. As usual, the Christmas period saw our downfall last season, losing to Manchester United, Fulham and Reading, while exiting the FA cup at the hands of QPR. The depth of the squad, therefore, must be improved, while maintaining the quality.
As for the fixture list, I can't remember it being as kind. The first five matches offer an opportunity to build a platform as strong as the one we created for ourselves last season. Even a straightforward home tie with Stoke has been selected as our final match of the season! It's not normal for us to avoid a member of the top four on the opening day – Albion have visiting Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City in recent years while entertaining Liverpool and Man United. We must take advantage.
By the beginning of September, we'll either be content or dissatisfied with the squad assembled. More incoming transfers are expected to arrive, with the Albion hierarchy assuring fans work behind the scenes is ongoing. While the 'hardball' master Jeremy Peace is in charge, patience certainly is a virtue. There have been many calls for the cash to be splashed, myself included, but at least our minds can be at rest regarding the long-term future of the club. Peace has done nothing but improve Albion during his at tenure at the top.
Another question that must be answered is how Albion will line up in terms of formation? 4-2-3-1 was extremely successful in the opening stages in the last campaign, the duo of Mulumbu and new recruit Claudio Yacob vital cogs in the machine. Soon we saw 4-3-3, with Lukaku and Shane Long being joined by Fortune or Markus Rosenberg. The Swede has had an excellent pre-season, netting four goals, but his future isn't any clearer after a disastrous debut campaign.
However, the traditional 4-4-2 has been Clarke's choice in recent pre-season friendlies with Long and Anelka partnering one another. It has been an incredible pre-season for the decorated Frenchman, who has scored six times, including a hat-trick against Cork. Graham Dorrans, another with something to prove, has also enjoyed the friendlies, finding the net four times. Clarke now must choose a formation that is successful, while not upsetting the balance of the team.
Bologna await before the final week of waiting and preparation. Come Saturday week, we will be congregating to our collective home, or as our season tickets aptly point out, the 'Shrine'.
A rollercoaster ride of a season that provides twists and turns aplenty? We're used to it. We're Albion fans.
How will Albion do in 2013/14? Have your say here at Baggies Banter.