WORN OUT James Morrison admits he's lacking sharpness because he feels he's been overworked by Albion's new fitness guru.

There's less than two weeks to go before the Baggies' Premier League opener at the Emirates and Morrison admitted at Friday's kit launch that it has been a tough summer.

As well as a two-match tour to the Dutch-German border, Albion star's have been put through paces with a gruelling regime by former Blues fitness coach Dan Harris.

The schedule was so draining that skipper Jonathan Greening fell asleep at the dinner table prior to their 4-1 friendly defeat to FC Koln in Euskirchen.

IT was not just the sponsors' logos that were absent from Albion's new look away shirts - Tony Mowbray's brand of exciting, attacking football also went missing in a scoreless stalemate at Swansea.

As their summer-long search for a sponsor rumbles on, West Brom's emblem-less yellow and blue change strip was paraded for the first time during a dour bore draw at the Liberty Stadium.

And the new kit was the brightest thing about the Baggies, whose first-choice strike trio all failed to travel for Swans stalwart Kris O'Leary's testimonial after being injured in training yesterday.

"I think from a coach's perspective it was a good exercise for us, it was a tactical game," said Mowbray. "Both teams cancelled each other out, both teams played the same formation and there wasn't a lot of space out there.

"We tried to play, you can give the players credit for trying to pass it and move it around in the right manner but there wasn't a lot of goalscoring opportunities at either end.

"From my perspective with the options up front we had today it was always a big ask to come and be as cavalier as we might do.

"But it was ok, it was a good exercise. It was hard work for the players.

"The reasons we came here was, one, for Kris because it was his testimonial and, two, because we knew Swansea were a good passing football team who would give us a good test."

With Mowbray's three key strikers - Ishmael Miller, Luke Moore and Roman Bednar - all sidelined by knocks, Sherjill MacDonald was Albion's makeshift spearhead as Mowbray again experimented with a 4-5-1 formation.

Although the friendly was arranged to celebrate O'Leary's 13 years playing service for the South Wales club, the Swansea star's big day was marred when he traipsed off after just quarter of an hour with flu.

O'Leary wasn't the only one who seemed to be under the weather with the Baggies lacking sharpness following a gruelling pre-season training programme under fitness coach Dan Harris.

Swansea set the tempo with winger Tommy Butler the first to threaten on 20 minutes when he cut in from the left on and hit a low right-foot shot which Dean Kiely scrambled around his near post.

Jordi Gomez was also causing problems for Albion and had a half-hearted appeal for a penalty turned down after a challenge by Jonathan Greening before stinging Kieley's hands with a fierce 30-yard drive.

But Neil Clement nullified the threat of the Spaniard, on loan from Espanyol, on the stroke of half-time when the Baggies defender's solid shoulder barge near the centre circle forced concussed Gomez out of the game.

With MacDonald cutting a frustrated figure up front and Albion's five-man midfield failing to either find or support him, Mowbray's men exerted little pressure on the Championship newcomers.

All Albion could muster were a series of ambitious shots with Chris Brunt twice dragging efforts wide from 25 yards after James Morrison's firm strike from similar range was easily gathered by Swans stopper Dorus De Vries.

West Brom keeper Kiely seemed agitated as he left the pitch at the interval and half-time replacement Scott Carson edging ahead of him in the battle for the No1 jersey can hardly have helped improve his mood.

Carson's first involvement was to produce the save of the match on 49 minutes, denying Guillem Bauza from point blank range after the striker had expertly pulled down a sweeping cross from former Blues youngster Marcos Painter.

The Baggies were brighter after the break - but not much.

Brunt had clearly forgotten to pack his shooting boots, scuffing one shot so badly it was more like a backpass before fluffing another finish after Morrison's winding run.

Albion's best chance came midway through the second period when Brunt's right wing corner found Paul Robinson who glanced a close range header wide when he should have scored.

MacDonald went close with a rising drive and Marek Cech's curling free-kick was just too high before the Slovakian's stoppage-time strike was spilled by De Vries.

Swansea looked the most likely to break the deadlock with Ferrie Boddie smashing over after fancy footwork from Joe Allen while it took a desperate defensive header from Hoefkens to clear the ball off the boot of Butler as he shaped to shoot.

Close control from Febian Brandy then cut through the heart of the Baggies backline only for Darren Pratley to waste his team-mate's mazy dribbling with a sloppy shot.

The Swans' songs of 'Premier League you're having a laugh' were very much tongue-in-cheek but the chants hinted at the serious work West Brom still have to do ahead of their daunting top flight opener at Arsenal on Saturday week.

ALBION are set to make a bid for Charlton Athletic midfielder Zheng Zhi.

Baggies boss Tony Mowbray is keen to bring the China capta in to The Hawthorns, just days after missing out on his team-mate Madjid Bougherra.

Zheng, who has a work permit until 2010, is a versatile and technical player, who can play in defence, midfield and has even played up front.

But Zheng is more likely to be earmarked for the holding role in Albion's engine room.

I HAVE suddenly realised that I really don't envy my colleague Bill Howell.

For the last few months our esteemed Villa reporter has had the tedious task of reporting every on Gareth Barry's on-off-on-off-on-off-doesanyonecareanymore transfer saga.

Albion are now involved in their own.

Abdoulaye Meite is an Ivory Coast defender who has fallen out with his Bolton manager Gary Megson.

As a result he has as much of future at the Reebok as Gordon Brown would have at No10 if it was left to some of his backbenchers.

Albion wouldn't mind signing Meite but Bolton don't want to let him go cheap.

And then there's the small matter of Megson and his less-than-cordial relationship with Albion chairman Jeremy Peace.

THERE must be better things to do on a Tuesday night.

Watch EastEnders, for instance, update Facebook or even change the cat's litter tray.

TGI Friday's, next to the Sixfields, was looking particularly tempting. Mind you, so was KFC at one point!

So, for that reason only, we must raise a glass or two Do-Heon Kim, who rescued the night to give Albion their first pre-season victory of the summer.