It was a patchy 2020-21 season for Perth Glory in the A-League Men and they'll be hoping to avoid a repeat of that inconsistency this campaign.
Glory won four straight games in May before failing to win any of their final four matches as they missed out on finals football.
The Western Australia club have faced more hurdles than most due to COVID-19 and must once again overcome them if they hope to make the top six.
Sporting News looks at the burning questions surrounding the club ahead of the 2021-22 season...
Will Daniel Sturridge sink or swim in Australia?
After a quiet few years on the marquee player front, Glory made an almighty splash by signing former Chelsea and Liverpool player Daniel Sturridge over the off-season.
The 32-year-old didn't exactly enjoy his required time in hotel quarantine but he will get fans back in the stands across the A-League Men competition this campaign.
Sturridge, however, hasn't played professionally since early 2020 and has failed to play more than 30 games in a single season since 2013-14.
The former England international is adamant his body is as good as it's been for a long time having recently trained with La Liga side Real Mallorca.
If that's the case, the goals should flow relatively freely for Sturridge in Australia. He struck seven times across 16 appearances for Trabzonspor in Turkey - a much more hostile place to perform.
Having starred alongside Luis Suarez at Liverpool, Sturridge will also link up with another Uruguayan at Glory with Bruno Fornaroli determined to form a deadly partnership in front of goal.
English forwards have previously adapted pretty quickly to life in the A-League Men with the likes of Adam Le Fondre and David Ball finding ways to fire frequently in the competition.
If Sturridge does fail to deliver on the pitch, it's safe to say he'll still entertain off it if his hilarious barber request is anything to go by.
He's excited!
— Perth Glory FC (@PerthGloryFC) November 12, 2021
We're excited!
Don't miss the one and only @DanielSturridge donning the famous purple for the first time at @hbfpark on Saturday 20 November (7.05pm).
Tickets are selling fast - book here: https://t.co/Dkbk8oIsT7@aleaguemen @InceptionVideo
#FillThePark #OneGlory pic.twitter.com/xaprgTUslS
How will Perth Glory cope with long away run?
Western Australia premier Mark McGowan confirmed in early November that the state won't open up its borders until 90 per cent of the population over 12 is fully vaccinated.
That likely won't be achieved until late January 2022 at the earliest, leaving the Glory facing a long stint away from home.
While they will kick off the new season at HBF Park on November 20 against Adelaide United, Richard Garcia's side are then scheduled to play eight straight games away.
They are expected to return to Perth to host Wellington Phoenix on January 15 next year but WA is a doubt to hit their vaccination target by then.
A long and now open-ended away trip is incredibly daunting and Glory must find a way to deal with it from the outset of the season with any struggles on the road set to leave them struggling to catch up when they do finally get home-ground advantage again.
In their last campaign, Perth claimed victory in just two of their away games with seven wins in turn coming at HBF Park. If that form is repeated, the club's season could be over before it even really begins.
Can they cope with the loss of Diego Castro?
The arrival of Sturridge officially marked the end of Diego Castro's time in Perth after six special seasons.
Despite his advancing age, the Spaniard was regularly a class above everyone else on the pitch and gave Glory a vital edge in the final third.
Castro's creativity from midfield will take some serious replacing this season, and on paper, there is no obvious successor.
While Perth are flushed with talent in the final third, they need to find someone to pull the strings just behind them.
Midfielder Brandon O'Neill has returned to the club but will likely play more of a holding role alongside Callum Timmins.
Coach Garcia will therefore need to find a way to make sure his talented attackers aren't starved of service and the loss of Castro to such a cause can't be underestimated.
Perth Glory 2021-22 quick facts
New signings: Aaron Calver, Jack Clisby, Brandon O'Neill, Brad Jones, Adrian Sardinero, Pacifique Niyongabire, Antonee Burke-Gilroy, Daniel Sturridge, Mitch Oxborrow
Last season: 9th
Predicted finish this season: 6th
Key player: Daniel Sturridge