West Brom have ended the season in 10th place under the stewardship of Roy Hodgson. The new England boss had rescued them from relegation in the second half of last season and his experience ensured a smoother ride this time round for a club that had developed the habit of being too good for the Championship but not good enough for the Premier League. Hodgson was busy in the transfer market over the summer, bringing in Ben Foster in goal and Shane Long in the attack. Gareth McAuley and Billy Jones also proved to be useful additions in defence over the season. However, Zoltan Gera, who came on from Hodgson's former club Fulham, saw his season ended by serious injury. The Baggies didn't get off to the best of starts, with three defeats on the trot until their first win away at Norwich on September 11. Hodgson couldn't get his balance right in the attack initially, with both Shane Long and Peter Odemwingie struggling with injuries in the early stages of the campaign. Both strikers finally settled in the side ahead of Christmas which corresponded to a good run of results for the Baggies, particularly away from home, which took them to midtable. They actually won more points on their travels this season than at the Hawthorns. Roy Hodgson had to reshuffle his side many times due to injuries. Right back Steven Reid went down with a severe injury in November, with Billy Jones promoted to the first team. James Morrison was a strong candidate for player of the season until an injury in February sidelined him tilll the end of the campaign. Chris Brunt rermained the architect of the game, with Yussuf Mulumbu, Paul Scharner and Jerome Thomas his usual accomplices in midfield. In defence, Gareth McAuley kept Gabriel Tamas on the bench for most of the season, imposing himself alongside Jonas Olsson in central defence. Liam Ridgewell took over from Nicky Shorey at left back after joining in the transfer window in January. The Baggies had a rough patch in March but never went below 15th place, with a good finish of the season ensuring a smooth landing for Roy Hodgson's side.
