by tonyeh » Wed Sep 15, 2010 11:01 am
While we haven't played too well so far, I also think we've done ok. All things considered. We've been unlucky too against Arsenal and Abismal against Man City. However, I think it's possible to break back into the top 4. It's very early days yet and there's a lot that can happen between now and the end of the season.
Roy does have a LOT of work to do and has been left with a lot to clean up as well, IMHO. We still have a lot of dross in the team that holds us back and everyone knows who I'm talking about. The ship still hasn't been steadied yet and Roy hasn't found his key side either and he needs to sort that out quick, or top 4 ambitions will disolve before we know it.
Our general play needs an injection of something however, but that has been the situation for years anyway. We've had a listlessness about us for a long time and that doesn't disappear overnight and last year's reduction in "status" has been a bad blow for the club.
I've been of the opinion that we've been punching above our weight for a number of years anyway and last year's revelation was the chickens coming home to roost, as I've said before. So, I'm not that upset with where we are at the moment. Obviously I want to see improvement and fast, but Roy has only had his hand on the tiller for a very short while and it'll take time. In any case, this season will be no different than the last few in one respect. We'll still be hoping for our rivals to fuck up somewhere along the line. That's been the situation for so long now anyway.
So...top 4 is doable, but there's loads of work to do to get us there and we need "others" to stumble along the way.