[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

A spot of ballet at the Hawthorns as Cyrille Regis makes his league debut against Middlesbrough, 3rd September 1977

The temptation to simply repost my first match thread of the season is overwhelming.  A fortnight down the line, after persisting with the same tactics as last season and failing to add new faces (with the exception of loanee Brendan Galloway), we remain a weaker side than we were in May, a fact underlined by yet another home defeat and a League Cup exit that we all saw coming light years away.

Perversely, it would be typical Albion to snatch a win this weekend, but I wouldn't put a penny of my money on it; Middlesbrough are a confident side following their promotion and derby win, have added wisely to their squad - Negredo in particular is a stupendous signing - and are a good attacking outfit.  Quite simply, we are not going to outplay them.  We might get the better of them if we can grab a goal and defend it to the death, but that's pretty much all we can hope for, as ever.  And if we lose, the calls for change are only going to get louder and louder.  And rightly so.

Deadline day looms, and once again, there are some big, big decisions to be made at the Hawthorns.