By Peter Brackley, broadcaster and Albion fan

Water retention problems mean I am currently being treated for tree trunk lower limbs that make Liverpool midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri’s thunder thighs resemble Twiggy’s pins from her sixties modelling days.

So, sadly, I had to miss the Fulham game – but even the highlights confirmed again this season is going to be no easier than the last.

Every point gained – home or away – ‘is a step towards safety’ became the philosophy, and I think this campaign will be the same.

While, of course, we need to win at home as often as possible, a draw chiselled out from a 2-0 deficit definitely has its positive side.

I’m sure German philosopher Georg Hegel, whose work Jose Moaninho was so keen to quote to startled reporters more used to reading ‘ARRY Redknapp than ARI-stotle, might have conjured up something more profound: but let’s continue the fabled Wayne Rooney masterplan from his five-page autobiography (including pictures) of “taking each game as it comes.”

Why should I take notice of Herr Hegel anyway? Has he ever read my column?

(editor’s note........he died in 1831. Peter...probably just the early ones then...)

Nursing my aching “restless legs” on the sofa, (“why don’t you hang them in the wardrobe and then just take them out when you need them?” chuckled unsympathetic former Albion favourite Chris Cattlin when I revealed my latest medical setback), I followed events last weekend on Sky Soccer Saturday.

Ex-Aston Villa front man Alan McInally supplied regular updates and considered the draw a fair result. I enjoyed his comments even if bafflingly he did occasionally refer to Albion keeper “Ryan Matty”.

How would he have coped with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s name, I wondered, in the Leicester v Liverpool match?

Perhaps he would have followed Eric Morecambe’s lead from the celebrated Andre Previn piano sketch and told us - “I’m saying all the right names, but not necessarily in the right order.”

And what, for that matter, would former striker Alan have made of new Reds keeper Alisson’s goalline dribbling antics?

Not that Jurgen Klopp seemed too bothered. But then many managers nowadays probably prefer their man between the posts to be on the scoresheet and bossing midfield rather than saving shots.

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Back on Sky, a contrite McInally admitted he’d “had some stick from the other panellists” and no doubt was expecting more on social media. They don’t miss a trick on there but sometimes do come a cropper themselves for being over keen.

I recall the time a regular on a fans commentators forum I used to answer questions on decided to chip in after someone made a light-hearted (but true, unsurprisingly!) reference to John McEnroe being several places above me in a daily newspaper poll of favourite sports commentators.

“John McEnroe?” I jokily responded, “who’s he?”

Within seconds the keyboard anorak replied in deadly earnest: “He’s a famous American ex-tennis player and BBC commentator, Peter, a three-time Wimbledon winner with seven grand slams.”

I stared at the screen numb with disbelief - powerless to respond but others were less reluctant to point out that after my 40-odd years in sports broadcasting (including covering Wimbledon), McEnroe’s name might just have rung the faintest of bells.