... against Reading in the season opener which has been followed by defeats to Charlton and Cardiff.
The lack of financial investment in the first team would appear to be showing as those clubs around us are able to furnish their line ups with strikers of £11m. This is not a placation that we should be out their flashing the cash but rather a recognition of the realities in which our football club operates.
For sure we would rather have a Wigan Athletic to watch, under the current stewardship, than one owned by foreign money and feigned short-term interest that ultimately ends up in tears.
The downside may be a re-statement of expectations. We have a younger squad follows Uwe Rosler’s summer recruitment drive and the large number of changes will take time to settle down.
What is also clear is that Rosler’s additions are not yet complete. Despite the manager’s assertions that we have dominated our opening games, these haven’t been as clearcut as he makes out and a cutting edge in front of goal is much needed.
At the moment our attacking play looks laboured and our defence looks leaky which isn’t the best combination to be starting the season with. The good news in that the transfer window is still open and Rosler is hungry to bring in at least two extra bodies. The bad news is that the budget is restricted.
A tight budget can be a blessing as we’re forced to look for hungry loanees and players who perhaps haven’t cut the mustard at other clubs. How often in the past have we been a hotbed for players who have been told they won’t make it somewhere else.
On the field we’re currently being fed a Martinez-esq rhetoric from Rosler that performances are good and the results will follow. It is very easy to get nervous after a few bad results and this is the time where the team and the manager need the supporters to create a fierce atmosphere of support to drive the team to a good result.
Blackpool are the opponents this weekend and the timing couldn’t be better with the team needing a fillip to get going. The Seasiders are in crisis after a comical summer of departures and nothing less than a win will do.
The season is still young and there is plenty of time to turn the ship around, starting with three points against Blackpool on Saturday.