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Hands up … I’m not very organised. By this time, I usually have a rota organised for the season’s match previews. Usually. Not so for 2026/27 …. yet. I’ll get there, I promise. I always do… eventually. So, for now, for today, you’re stuck with me and what, for me, constitutes a match preview. Others may contest that view 🙂 But, anyway, here we go again. Unto the breach and all that… And it’s West Brom (h). The same West Brom that finished 21st last season and who we beat 5-0 at the Hawthorns as Clement-ball reached its zenith. We also beat them 3-1 at home in the FA Cup (remember that?), which collectively made up for the miserable 1-0 defeat at Carrow Road in October around the time it dawned on us that Manning-ball was really shit. But, overall, our respective trajectories were in opposite directions. They started the season with Ryan Mason in charge but ended it with ex-player, James Morrison at the helm, and who is still at the helm. If what follows sounds suspiciously like the words of Google Gemini, you most probably be correct: West Brom have spent the summer completely reshaping their squad under a disciplined financial strategy: 📥 Summer Arrivals (Ins) - Jimmy-Jay Morgan (ST — Permanent from Chelsea) - Felix Horn Myhre (CM — Permanent from SK Brann) - Rabby Nzingoula (DM — Permanent from Strasbourg) - Barney Stewart (FW — Permanent from Falkirk) - Nolan Galves (RB — Permanent from Rodez) - Conor Townsend (LB — Free transfer from Ipswich Town) - Matt Ingram (GK — Permanent from Oxford United) - Carter Pinnington (CB — Permanent from Liverpool) 📤 Summer Departures (Outs) - Alex Mowatt (CM — Sold to Derby County) - Karlan Grant (CF — Free transfer to Charlton Athletic) - Josh Maja (ST — Free transfer to Le Havre) - Jed Wallace (FW — Released / Free agent) - Daryl Dike (FW — Released / Free agent) - Joe Wildsmith (GK — Released / Free agent) - Akeel Higgins (ST — Sold to Wigan Athletic) - Alfie Gilchrist (RB — Loaned to Leyton Orient) - Charlie Taylor (LB — End of loan from Southampton) Relatively painless, right? Good … so I’ll allow Gem to help me with taking you through their pre-season… | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers / Notes | |---|---|---|---|---| | 11 July 2026 | | Away | W 3–0 | Clean sheet victory to start the summer. | | 17 July 2026 | | Home / Neutral | W 4–1 | Morgan, Heggebø, Bray, Stewart (Played in Portugal). | | 25 July 2026 | | Away | W 4–1 | Strong away showing with four goals. | | 1 August 2026 | | Away | W 2–0 | Barney Stewart amongst the goals. | | 4 August 2026 | | Home | D 1–1 | Final domestic friendly at The Hawthorns. | | 8 August 2026 | | Away | W 4–1 | Carabao Cup 1st Round (Morgan x2, Whitwell, Myhre). | All of which means not very much, and I really hope the club’s analytics boys and girls have a better handle on what to expect from the Baggies than I do. All I can offer you are the odds on offer for promotion for ourselves and WBA, with City averaging out at 11/2 and the Baggies at 12/1. That’s literally all I have. If City play as well as they did against MK Dons, West Brom will have to play well to beat us, and I’m pretty sure they will play well, or at least a lot better than Paul Warne’s men did. What I certainly don’t expect is Pelle Mattsson and Kenny McLean to be given the time and space they were last Saturday, and for Mo to be given a free shot at goal inside 40 seconds. And another thing … I can’t wait. I didn’t make it to the MK Dons game, so tomorrow is my New Year’s Day for 2026-27; a chance to catch up with friends and also those I consider friends without even knowing their names. This evening will have Christmas Eve vibes… for sure. So, apologies for the ropey old preview, but no apologies for being barely able to contain my excitement. I’ll see you lovely lot tomorrow. On the Ball City!