I know we are all excited about the start of the season but we do have to be realistic with our expectations. We will have had around 8-10 new players by the time we play Covscum and at the moment we don't know what our starting line up is and I am sure Sven is still undecided, with him still searching for new players. Nothing can be read into the pre-season matches, for which the purpose is to get the players match fit and for Sven to see them in action and assess. I think that Sven will only put out his perceived starting 11 against Real Madrid but until then it will be a case of giving every player a run out. If this is the case, that effectively means that the first 11 will have had one match together by the time we start the season. Playing Madrid will be a baptism of fire and we cannot read anything into it even if we get drubbed 4-0. So, on to Covscum and the start of the season. It will take at least 4/5 games for the players to gel and understand how they play together. For example, forwards need to predict when a through ball will be played to them and as it stands we haven't got our forward line sorted yet let alone having them on the same wavelength. I am quite confident of promotion this year, however, as we have a squad of players that don't really know each other it should be of no surprise that other teams steal a march on us over the first six weeks of the season. If this occurs it will lead to ribbing and wuming on our boards by other fans but more importantly we will have the press and pundits calling us a failure and accusing us of trying to buy our way out of the league. Claridge will say we did it all wrong and the pressure will be on, we will have a lot of press attention and negativity directed towards us. Some of our mong fans will boo and jeer but we have to be strong though as i am confident that Sven will make it happen. Time and patience and belief are needed from the fans, management, and board alike. I just hope the board don't panic and sack Sven after a few games if we are mid table as we need stability. UTF OWYS
The chavs have usually been top of the league at the end of August. Cant see that happening this season. Yes, a new forward will have to settle in. Actually, I have a feeling that we may not sign that forward til after out first home game of the season (Brizzle). Pretty much the rest of the squad have had pre season to sort this. The players that we have brought in are intelligent, and whilst the fluidity will improve after a few games, the understanding should already be there. That said, I dont think we will run away with anything this season - it will be a very hard campaign. A number of decent signings by different teams for this season with a good deal of experience returning to the Championship. Gonna be an exciting season but not a runaway success.
I'm sure Sven will have his first choice XI playing with each other more often than not in training so they'll have a good chance to gel there but I admit it's not the same as playing competitive matches. I also think Cov is a good game to start with because it's a game we should win and against a team who have no real expectations or ambitions and a team who have lost most of their better players over the summer. It's good that we aren't playing a promoted team with momentum or a relegated team with a point to prove but a run of the mill side which should benefit us.
You could make an argument for winning or losing against Cov tbh. They usually start well and will have one of their biggest crowds of the season (not that it will be that big I know). They will be very, very up for it and as you say, we might not quite gel in the early games. On the other hand we will have a much better side than them. We should be just as up for it as they are and desperate to get off to a good start. Quite honestly we should beat them. But neither team will want to lose it, so all things considered I can see a 0-0 draw! I can't see Sven being sacked after 6 games, I really can't, even if we lose them all. So I wouldn't worry about that. As for the season as a whole, I think we'll either live up to expectations and get automatic promotion, or completely balls it up and finish midtable. Though I think our team is good enough for the play-offs as it is, I can only see 2 extremes happening. My biggest hope is that we show more passion and team spirit than we did last season - we bottled it just as it looked like we were going to pull off the impossible, and it looked as if the players couldn't handle the pressure. I'm confident our squad will be good enough. I'd like to distance myself from any thoughts of either 'we are going to walk the league' or 'we haven't got a striker, our squad is ****e, West Ham are going to arse rape us, we may as well just give up now'. I'm just trying to stay calm and look forward to the new season, only 2 weeks away now!
I do think though we have certain players that will show their mettle and roll their sleeves up when the **** happens this season, as opposed to last. Players like Mills, Danns, Wellens, Konchesky. King goes missing in action and too often and we got bullied when the opponents sussed out that we were physically lightweight. King isn't captain material - Wellens should have been captain last season and this season it's either him or Mills for me. Peltier looks like he could be a feisty one too!
With all of Covs problems, they are probably a set of pissed off players, not even they are going to be a walkover this season.
I cant see the Cov players being massively motivated to be honest...still they will up their gamne when they play the Leicester All-stars!
I've hear a few of the Chav players talking about which City players they will try and get autographs from after the game and at half time.
