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What is it based on? Of course the new season is before us and if you cannot look ahead with optimism no one would be a football fan. I also agree the club is in the best hands (owners, manager, off field staff) with the best players it has had for years. I'm loving it.
BUT I keep reading on here that we are going to be a mid-table team this season. The general assumption seems to be that within a few years we might even be competing for a place in Europe.
Yet I think it is worth countering that with a few points of realism. We avoided relegation by the skin of our teeth last season. SO FAR in the transfer window we have objectively improved in the goal-keeping department significantly with the arrival of Green, who most would agree is better than Kenny. There are certainly other very useful arrivals. Nelson is a good experienced pro, but assuming he replaces Clint Hill is that a game-changing improvement? If Fabio replaces Taiwo, is he a massive step up? Is Andy Johnston coming off the bench going to get us the goals that Helguson or DJ couldnt? Yes we have signed Diakite on a permanent move, but he was with us for a significant number of games in the second half of the season anyway. And to counter that good news we have lost Barton for the first three months already.
My view is these could all look like very solid squad additions if a couple of really good players now come in (priority a top centre half, and ideally another midfield player). Then I fully accept we will have stepped up a significant level. But did you notice how Fernandez described Diakite's arrival as a seminal moment? That suggests to me that he might be our biggest signing this summer. The fan assumption is the board have got the bread and butter players in but will now splash some serious cash, yet in truth no one knows. Its possible that the board think they have already spent significant funds in the last two transfer windows and now it is down to Hughes to do something with what he has got. I couldnt really blame them because football is a bottomless pit. Maybe Fernandes isnt the head of a Malaysian consortiumbut instead a very charismatic guy with £300m who has already shot his bolt? Im not saying he is BTW, just saying it is possible.
If we are to be guaranteed survival - let alone make mid-table - my personal opinion is that we still need significant improvement. Southampton and West Ham will spend. Reading and Norwich may struggle but I don't see any really obvious whipping boys, and certainly not ten odd teams that we are significantly better than.
I say all this not to be negative and my optimism index would shoot up with two more really good signings. But I just think until then we should keep our feet on the ground because otherwise it is just building up false expectation which is going to lead to a lot of posters throwing their toys out of the pram when we lose a few games and we are reminded that this Premier League lark is far from easy...
BUT I keep reading on here that we are going to be a mid-table team this season. The general assumption seems to be that within a few years we might even be competing for a place in Europe.
Yet I think it is worth countering that with a few points of realism. We avoided relegation by the skin of our teeth last season. SO FAR in the transfer window we have objectively improved in the goal-keeping department significantly with the arrival of Green, who most would agree is better than Kenny. There are certainly other very useful arrivals. Nelson is a good experienced pro, but assuming he replaces Clint Hill is that a game-changing improvement? If Fabio replaces Taiwo, is he a massive step up? Is Andy Johnston coming off the bench going to get us the goals that Helguson or DJ couldnt? Yes we have signed Diakite on a permanent move, but he was with us for a significant number of games in the second half of the season anyway. And to counter that good news we have lost Barton for the first three months already.
My view is these could all look like very solid squad additions if a couple of really good players now come in (priority a top centre half, and ideally another midfield player). Then I fully accept we will have stepped up a significant level. But did you notice how Fernandez described Diakite's arrival as a seminal moment? That suggests to me that he might be our biggest signing this summer. The fan assumption is the board have got the bread and butter players in but will now splash some serious cash, yet in truth no one knows. Its possible that the board think they have already spent significant funds in the last two transfer windows and now it is down to Hughes to do something with what he has got. I couldnt really blame them because football is a bottomless pit. Maybe Fernandes isnt the head of a Malaysian consortiumbut instead a very charismatic guy with £300m who has already shot his bolt? Im not saying he is BTW, just saying it is possible.
If we are to be guaranteed survival - let alone make mid-table - my personal opinion is that we still need significant improvement. Southampton and West Ham will spend. Reading and Norwich may struggle but I don't see any really obvious whipping boys, and certainly not ten odd teams that we are significantly better than.
I say all this not to be negative and my optimism index would shoot up with two more really good signings. But I just think until then we should keep our feet on the ground because otherwise it is just building up false expectation which is going to lead to a lot of posters throwing their toys out of the pram when we lose a few games and we are reminded that this Premier League lark is far from easy...
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