Albion have new Chinese ownership so just about everything we thought we knew about the club is up in the air until we have a better sense of how much money is to be invested and who the power brokers at the club will be going forward.  For now, Tony Pulis is still the man pulling the strings in the Midlands and that generally means a take-no-prisoners approach to defending and a take-few-chances approach to attacking.  It is generally good enough to keep Pulis’ clubs up but it also usually comes at the expense of anything resembling attractive football.  Will that be enough for new ownership? We shall see.

Last Season in Brief

Last season wasn’t a lot of fun at the Hawthorns.  Between significant injuries to Chris Brunt, James Morrison, Ben Foster and Victor Anichebe and Tony Pulis’ insistence on keeping Saido Berahino in the doghouse, the team underperformed the talent on the roster to start the year.  Missing Brunt, Morrison and Berahino for large chunks of the season meant that the Albion attack bordered on unwatchable for long stretches.  Salomon Rondon wasn’t as good as hoped for despite showing flashes.  It’s hard to judge him too harshly given the lack of creativity around him.  Still, it wasn’t a total loss as Albion stayed up to fight another day and perhaps change things up with a bigger budget.

The Summer So Far

Not much of note has happened and we’re less than a week from the start of a new season. Matt Phillips has arrived from QPR to add a versatile and creative piece to the midfield picture.  The departures have been equally unimpressive as Stephane Sessegnon, who is talented but inconsistent, Victor Anichebe, who is talented but oft-injured, and Anders Lindegaard who used to play at Manchester United so is at least sort of famous were the only three departures of note. 

Remaining Summer Business

Perhaps the two biggest items so far are the ones that haven’t materialized.  The first is the long-awaited departure of Berahino who has been the subject of bids from Crystal Palace and Stoke City if the rumor mill is to be believed.  So far, there has been no deal so expect this one to go down to the last minute.  The reason that no deal has been consummated is likely because mooted replacement Diafra Sakho failed his medical due to a back condition leaving the Baggies without an obvious replacement for the want-away Berahino.  Hopefully, news of the takeover will mean enough money to sign someone quickly and free up Berahino to be productive elsewhere. 

Pulis could also do with some additional reinforcements for just about every position group.  An actual left back wouldn’t be a terrible idea nor would an upgrade to whatever part of the attacking midfield isn’t being played by Morrison and Phillips.  Finally, a secondary forward, the role that Sessegnon and Berahino should have filled out, would be a great change of pace when West Brom need a goal.

Salary Cap Superstars

• Ben Foster – There isn’t much to love about the Albion attack so when you can choose from everyone in the Premier League for your team, the defense is usually the best way to go.  A shortened season last season should have Foster’s price at a reasonable level which could make him a solid bargain.  
• Gareth McAuley – Last season, Craig Dawson was the darling of fantasy leagues as an under-drafted player who produced big.  Presumably Dawson’s price will reflect that fact this season leaving McAuley next in line as a potential bargain – especially if Pulis can get Albion back to racking up clean sheets.
• Chris Brunt – This is especially true if Brunt is listed as a defender – which he should be after playing in that spot regularly since Tony Pulis arrived at the Hawthorns.  The promise of clean sheets in addition to his attacking contributions and a healthy dose of set pieces makes for an attractive package.

Draft Details

• Saido Berahino – We’ll discuss Berahino here because he is still technically a West Brom player.  It seems highly likely that he will ply his trade elsewhere but regardless of whether it is at the Hawthorns or elsewhere, it’s hard to envision a scenario where Berahino doesn’t start regularly this season.  If that happens he’ll be a bargain in the 6^th or 7^th round range where he’s currently being drafted in the drafts I’ve been part of.
• Craig Dawson – He won’t be the bargain he was last season but his combination of strong defending stats along with more than the usual portion of goals for a center back mean he’s more than worthy of being the second best defender on your squad and maybe an 8^th round pick or somewhere in that neighborhood.
• Jon Leko – Tony Pulis isn’t known as a guy who promotes youth up through the ranks very often so the fact that Leko got playing time last season in his teens means that he must be quite a talent.   If you’re looking for an option with upside in the last round of your draft then he should be in the mix.  Picking an attacking player from West Brom is hard to swallow and more likely you leave him undrafted and just monitor his playing time and performances but it seemed wrong to go the entire preview without mentioning him as one to at least watch.