Glass half full

[FriethBlade]

Ive decided to break the habit of too much of my Blades supporting lifetime and try and list reasons to be more positive. Difficult with a potential points deduction overhanging us and a disappointing transfer window but here goes
1) the spine of the team is potentially very good for this division. Cooper, Kitching, Phillips and Bamford look like a strong and experienced group
2) the best goalkeeper in the division has returned after his 'disappearance' last season
3) It looks like Campbell may be rediscovering his form and that will be like signing a new striker
4) Donovan looks some player and will hopefully give us many more magic moments
5) as a club we typically thrive when our backs are against the wall and they are certainly that
6) with expectations so low we have a chance of surpassing them
7) despite some ropey performances we've picked up 6 points from 4 games and thats whilst trying to integrate new players and combinations of through this upheaval

We need to put the ownership issues behind us and get behind the team to help make sure we dont adversely affect the onfield performances. At home we can be the extra man or the millstone round the players necks, it's our choice

 

[Aston max]

 

[Berkshire Blade]

We are significantly better than 12 months ago. Imagine how good we will be in a further 12. That's how it works right?!

 

[coolasanidiot]

The massive positive is Donovan - the kid is giving it 100% from minute 1 to 94. Trying like that makes him so likeable, and he'll just keep getting better and better. I'm so used to standing on them steps at the back of the kop in extra time and having misery pie slapped in my face, but for once that lad gave us all a bounce in our step with a wunderwang - what determination and a strike!!

 

[Aston max]

We honestly should be bringing some of the good young lads through this season. If they look as though they're coping well bang them on long term contracts to protect the investment.

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

Not even enough for a bar of Cadburys. Wah!

 

[Macfarlane21]

I really want to be positive. We have plenty of good CM's / CDM's. Cooper is probably in top 3 of Championship goalkeepers. Our defence is fairly decent. We have 4 decent strikers on paper. However, expecting 3 wide / creative players to perform week in week out, manage multiple games per week and remain injury free is going to kill us this season. Especially when you consider one of those 3 (Chong) is currently injured. Hoping we can bring in a free agent just to bolster the options and have an option from the bench

 

[Chazzer]

At last in Donovan we seem to have a player who can provide some excitement, like Ndiaye used to. Let's nurture Donovan; he could be very important for us this season.

 

[Chezzy Blades]

Unbeaten in six in all competitions.

 

[CPB]

The positive signs are that the squad seems to currently be together and got a better attitude of sticking in there under the cosh.

It took till 18th of October or 10 games in to reach 10 PTS last season.

There is more to come from some players and a few players to come back.

Hopefully we can be good enough to stay clear of the bottom 3. It's still hard to really judge how we will be as it's still early doors.

The negatives are that we rode our luck that 2nd half and looked far too open at times. We can't afford to do that.
Similar with Cardiff. And there are much better sides we are gonna come up against.

We have limited depth in attacking areas. Especially when we start BBD, Bamford and Campbell. But Chong, One and Burrows will help a bit with this. And Seriki actually.

Choudhury was most definitely our weak link in defence last night. Amazed Doherty didn't come on.

It remains to be seen how good or bad a season we will have. Top 8 for me just looks really unlikely though. Unless we aren't far off somehow come Jan and we don't keep on selling everyone.

 

[CPB]

At last in Donovan we seem to have a player who can provide some excitement, like Ndiaye used to. Let's nurture Donovan; he could be very important for us this season.

Shame he isn't out player. Looks a promising one though! Dare I say it more consistent threat than Brookes. But much rawer.

 

[Uganda Blade]

Unbeaten in six in all competitions.

And there's only one other team in the Championship can say that.

 

[Lord Eddard Muir]

Always good to come from behind to win - something we only managed twice in the 92 points season, and only 4 times last season.

 

[LS16Blade]

Unbeaten in six in all competitions.

Indeed.

Of course there have been features of the last couple of performances that have been concerning, but there are also some factors that are seemingly being overlooked by some.

In particular, we really haven’t been dealt a particularly kind hand in terms of the opening fixtures - including cup draws - that have had us travelling 4 times in the first 6 games.

After Birmingham, we were handed a complete and utter turd of a week - down to Swansea, back home for one day of preparation for Blackburn, and then back for a day’s preparation before having to traipse back down to Cardiff. 2 of the worst trips of the season lumped together in the space of a week, with a cup game dropped in the middle.

It is notable that only 3 other clubs in the division were handed ‘back-to-back’ away fixtures for that week - although Portsmouth got a win at Lincoln before losing at Bristol City, Stoke were bounced at Southampton and Wolves (and got knocked out of the cup) and Burnley were hammered at WBA and Norwich as well as going out of the cup at Bradford. The 20 other clubs were given a more forgiving ‘1 at home, 1 away’ week.

In spite of that, we remain unbeaten. And, that is despite having to travel to the early pace-setters in Swansea and having to deal with 2 promoted sides who, despite being underrated, actually tend to be a more difficult proposition at the start of the season before the glow and momentum of winning lots of games and promotion, has worn off.

Fans worry about ‘what will happen when we play the ‘stronger teams’ but, frankly, the likes of Middlesbrough, West Ham and Wolves have shown already that the pressure of expectations can make those sides vulnerable.