IMHO we're better than last year, and Hoots is being more positive than last year

but the improvements aren't great enough to alter my skepticism. Last year we were terribly, shatteringly boring. Dreadfully negative. Embarrassingly impotent, for most of the season. During one game last year I started playing Solitaire while listening to the stream because what was happening on the pitch was too dull to look at.

We're better than that, this year - we're just not putting things together effectively enough yet. And it's the 'yet' that's the rub: do we have any reason for confidence that the team will gel quickly enough, or at all?

When we made all the signings, I was optimistic that we'd see a more positive approach, and I guess we are, but the difference is slight and the tactics are still too cautious. As I've said before, I'd kick him upstairs to a Director of Football (for a bit, at least) and get someone a bit braver to pick the team and tactics. We need to, IMHO: i haven't seen enough in Hughton to reassure me that we'll be OK in the long term. I'm not asking for a top 4 finish, I'm not asking for us to be established in the top 8: I'd just like to feel confident that Luton wouldn't beat us at home again this year.

Who'd replace him? We're a prem side with no debt, plenty of money incoming as long as we stay in the top flight and a squad with several decent players in: this is not the same situ as the years between Worthy and Lambo, we won't be picking between hasbeens and mediocrities, we may be surprised at the calibre of applicants. This ought to be a really good time for the club, and it can be.

Posted By: Sugbad The Bad, Sep 22, 09:58:22