Albion are due to begin their preseason next week with training camp in Southern California and three friendlies against American opposition: MLS sides San Jose Earthquakes and Portland Timbers and USL team Ventura County Fusion. After returning to England, West Brom have three more friendlies against Rochdale, Bristol City and Serie A side Parma before we begin our 2011-12 Premier League campaign against Manchester United in mid-August. As a Northern California expat in Japan, it really hurts not to be home to see the Albion. Sadly work commitments are keeping me from going home this summer. It will be interesting to see how some of our new players fit into the team. Our main concern at the moment is our lack of a new keeper, and with only Boaz Myhill and Luke Daniels available. I don't know if I'll be able to see any of the matches, but I will definitely keep track of results.
I think we wanted to sign Vela from Arsenal after his loan, but the Gunners weren't interested in giving him up. So he's back with them, unfortunately.
San Jose 2, West Brom 1 I didn't get to watch the match, but I followed updates and tweets. If not for Boaz Myhill's blunder allowing Quakes keeper David Bingham to score from a flukey goal kick, it sounds as though a draw would've been a fair result. San Jose's Khari Stephenson shot the match-winning goal from 30 yards out, exposing what has been a lingering problem for our defence. I would've love to have had the chance to "Boing boing" at Buck Shaw Stadium after Jerome Thomas pulled a goal back for us. It's really a shame we couldn't get another goal. I know we are probably looking for a decent keeper with experience playing at a level above MLS, though by all reports Bingham didn't do too badly against us. A few more days of training back in Southern California for the Albion, and two more American friendlies. In other news, a random tweet I got during the game mentioned that WBA have arranged another friendly against Greek champions Olympiakos.
Thomas scored a great goal. Here is the video link for the goal Bingham scored. To be fair, your keeper had the sun in his eyes as well. YouTube video of the goal can be seen [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05VhDBSQ8JQ&feature=share"]here[/ame] It was a good match though most in the crowd were aware that your boys have only had a few days training since returning from their break. Best of luck to you all in the coming season.
Ventura County Fusion 2, Albion 4 Much thanks and credit to YouTube user "bennotham" for shooting and posting this video... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfBTiEXQv6E"]VCF 2-4 WBA[/ame] A lot of credit to the Fusion, they seem to be a hard-working scrappy side. They earned both of their goals, though their second off the free kick was partially Myhill's fault. Apart from Brunt's penalty, some decent goals for the Baggies, especially Dorrans' free kick from the angle. Made it look quite easy. A few more days in SoCal before finishing up the USA part of the preseason Wednesday night in Portland.
Portland Timbers 2, West Bromwich Albion 3 Didn't get to watch this match as I was at work and could not watch the Timbers' live steam I did check updates, however, and by all accounts this was the classic "game of two halves" with Timbers fairly dominant in the first half. Their crisp passing caused problems for the Albion defence and led to two well taken goals by Portland's Johnson and Lowry. Both sides made multiple changes at the half, and Albion controlled the play from that point onward. James Morrison made up for his PK miss with a goal just minutes afterward, and Somen Tchoyi levelled soon after that. It appeared the match would go to PKs (in a friendly??) but a thunderbolt from Gabriel Tamas in the final seconds of added time gave Albion a happy end to their time in the States. From a Baggies perspective, we still have a lot of work to do to get ready for the season. We gave up two goals in each of our friendlies, which shows we still have a lot of problems in defence. Fortunately we still have three more friendlies in England and a trip to Greece to play Olympiakos to work out the details. That match a few hundred miles to the north of Portland featuring Timbers' Northwest rivals versus the team Albion will host in just three weeks at the start of the Premier League season certainly didn't escape my notice... Seattle Sounders 0, Manchester United 7. Still a lot of work before August 13th for the Baggies...
Re: Portland Timbers 2, West Bromwich Albion 3 Thanks to YouTube user "jellyfishpwn" for putting up Gabriel Tamas' last-second goal... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYeuCpMGwFY"]TAMAS!!![/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyQZP_L5YL0"]Postgame: Timbers vs. West Bromwich Albion[/ame]
Rochdale AFC 3, Albion 0 / Southampton 2, Albion 2 A mostly reserve Baggies side were simply not good enough at Rochdale Tuesday night. Wednesday, Championship new boys Saints kept fighting back after Albion took one-goal lead, both Baggies goals by Simon Cox. In other news it appears to be a keeper swap between Albion and relegated Birmingham. We are close to a loan deal for Blues' Ben Foster, while Boaz Myhill might be on the way out and joining Blues in the Championship... and the Europa Cup. Good luck in Europe if you go, Boaz... and watch out for those long goal kicks.
Had a lot of fun catching West Brom play San Jose. Will keep an eye on their EPL season, hope Odemwingie and co can light it up!
Bristol City 0, Albion 1 / Olimpiakos Piraeus 2, Albion 2 Albion played a mostly first team side against Bristol City and got a late goal from Craig Dawson for the late winner. A Baggies side with quite a few second-string first team players earned a 2-2 draw at Greek champions Olimpiakos Thursday. By some reports, Olimpiakos did dominate much of the play, but Albion created and took quite a few decent chances, with Graham Dorrans scoring from a free kick and Jerome Thomas with the equaliser. One more friendly at home Saturday against Parma before Manchester United comes calling next week in the PL opener.
Dorrans often came off the bench last season but he may have earned a place in the first 11 this season. Thomas often began in the first eleven or was often one of the first subs called off the bench.