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Our next 9 games are

2 Sat 8/23/25 Burnley
3 Sat 8/30/25 Brentford
4 Sat 9/13/25 Crystal Palace
5 Sat 9/20/25 Aston Villa
6 Sat 9/27/25 Forest
7 Sat 10/4/25 Man Utd
8 Sat 10/18/25 Wolves
9 Sat 10/25/25 Chelsea
10 Sat 11/1/25 Everton

Looking at them, Burnley and Brentford give us a hell of chance to build on the 3 points Saturday, would take 4 points but would love 6

 

It's a long season, be some tough games and results but fully convinced we can grab points and cause a few upsets

 

I’m gonna boldly claim 11 points from that, putting us on 14 through 10 games.

We’d be well on track.

 

Whatever happens we've proved a few things ...

... we can keep a clean sheet, we can score three goals with three different players and we can sit on a game then gradually work out how to win.

The third aspect is the most important because clean sheets are often down to chance and apparent goals sometimes cleared or ruled out. But the way we contained West Ham then slowly blocked off their moves was what I call 'proper football'. RLB seems to totally isolate himself and just studies the game instead of jumping around directing every pass and header.

It's fascinating to watch although it's not until the second 'viewing' that you start to see how he's making these subtle changes ...

... it all seems real rather than the usual chaos.

 

Its going to be very tough, but there is definitely scope for some upsets in those fixtures

 

All of the new high quality coaching setup additions can only help too, will go under the radar from main media outlets but the coaching setup has suddenly become so very high level.

 

27 points

 

2 Sat 8/23/25 Burnley Draw
3 Sat 8/30/25 Brentford Win
4 Sat 9/13/25 Crystal Palace Loss
5 Sat 9/20/25 Aston Villa Loss
6 Sat 9/27/25 Forest Loss
7 Sat 10/4/25 Man Utd Loss
8 Sat 10/18/25 Wolves Win
9 Sat 10/25/25 Chelsea Loss
10 Sat 11/1/25 Everton Draw

I think we could get 8 to put us on 11 after 10 games, although I cant help have a feeling we will manage at least 1 upset against one of the "big Boys" this year and wouldnt be surprised if we get at point against Man Utd

 

****ing hope not!

 

No where near Prem level and we have Hume/Muikele and Reinildo/Masuaku/Cirkin.

 

He'd be our 7th choice midfielder

 

Defo agree that they should get a move to play footy. Also with our manager, who I'm still fairly convinced is not a fan of rotation. We will definitely need to pivot to create/acquire some homegrown squad contributors very soon, though. To the point where I'd almost prefer Harvey Elliott to Amad!

 

Not saying you're wrong but, how can you tell?

 

Id love someone like Elliott to come in, I'd love at least one homegrown player to be signed but also get the market is mental for English players at the minute

Def don't want Harry Winks

 

Behind Harrison Jones as well for me

 

A loan for me. Playing regular football and see how he does. I think he’ll get better with game time and I already rated him. Little value in selling him now.

 

massive games

they wont define our season but if we win them they arguably could (is that a paradox?)

id argue we have to beat the teams that came up with us as on paper its the best chance of 3 points and Brentford at home with a new manager, two 15+ strikers gone, midfielder gone and keeper, massive opportunity to be 9 from 3.

 

He wouldn't even make the bench for the second string.

 

I'm absolutely certain we've got a crunch coming. But tbf I'm also fairly certain that the club will have thought about it. When foreign lads are maybe half the price of the homegrown ones, it makes it almost prohibitive. It should mean that as a club with a good academy we should be well-placed. However, if I look at our current picture it may be that the vast majority of them (both current and next gen) aren't quite good enough - apart from Rigg who is probably too good to be a long-term contributor. We cannot afford to be pushed into having to make overpriced purchases just to keep the quota correct. We have to be smarter than that. I just hope that we're not being too Ghisolfi led - or at least he is more domestically focused and less Francophone than he appears currently.

 

I know exactly what you mean...

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2CqDXycTyXg