A big conversation at the moment, as Tromsø faced Cluj tonight in another 2-1 victory, sealing a 7-1 aggregate scoreline. 

Albion will be facing the Norwegian side. 

These sides will not be easy to face, though, and that is certainly worth remembering. Tromsø have already dispatched their opponents with relative ease before the second leg has even kicked off, and it won’t be easy to travel to their place and get a result.

Not only this, but the travelling to the northernmost club in the world will certainly be an interesting experience. They play on a 3G pitch, meaning training sessions, boots, and even injury risks will have to adapt leading up to the game.

The next part is the squad depth: Are Albion ready? A lot of their experienced players have already left the club. Players like Solly March, Jan Paul Van Hecke, Joel Veltman, Danny Welbeck, Adam Webster, and James Milner!

Welbeck has become the latest casualty to the Albion squad. The Seagulls’ top scorer of last season (with 13 Premier League goals) has left for a reported £5 million.

He will be the hardest to replace, without a doubt. Georginio Rutter has been the main replacement during pre-season, rotating with players like Diego Gomez and Jack Hinshelwood in midfield. He could work as a 9, but is most definitely more of a 10.

Albion fans will be hoping for a replacement up front, but with the time ticking to next Thursday, it’s looking increasingly likely that they’ll be starting the season without a main-man striker.

In the meantime, Albion's defence has improved a lot. The introductions of Luka Vuskovic, Pascal Struijk, and Michael Svoboda add a lot of strength in depth to their defensive options.

The record-breaking arrival of the £50 million Croatian centre back has added a lot to Albion’s box defending, which was a big issue last season.

Albion tended to make a mess within their own box last season, especially when it came to the ball bouncing across the box!

Jan Paul Van Hecke and Lewis Dunk both had great seasons, but both are incapable of playing in high lines. Pace remains an issue for this style of player. With that said, in terms of options, Albion are stronger. Albion also added Costinha for an extra option at right-back, with Veltman leaving the club. Ferdi Kadioglu won Albion’s fans’ player of the season last season.

Midfield options could be up for debate. If Carlos Baleba is to leave, the Seagulls would be very light for defensive options. Baleba will not be available for the start of the season due to injury and could still leave the club this summer window.

Yasin Ayari and Pascal Groß are brilliant options for creativity and leadership, but are defensively and physically weaker compared to a current player like Baleba or a past player like Moises Caicedo and Yves Bissouma.

Overall, Albion need quite a few new faces before the season starts. The Conference League's added games will be difficult to keep up with, and competing in all competitions without sufficient depth, as we’ve seen with many sides over the years!