I think the reason I'm feeling relatively positive is that this is the first season where, in my opinion, the only thing I'm really concerned about is the manager.
For as long as I can remember we've had big concerns about any number of:
(1) our finances
(2) our players
(3) our ability to stay in the league
(4) our existing style of play
(5) our competitors in the league
(6) our manager
(7) no possible derbies to thrash the binners
And many more. While some of these haven't completely gone away (e.g. finances are obviously weaker, and style of play is a bit of an unknown) this is the first season in ages where the only massive concern I have is over the first team manager. And the club have mitigated that concern massively by bringing in a host of experienced coaches to take much of the responsibility away from him.
And that's why my glass is half full