Looking ahead, I will miss my first game of the season at Tranmere due to a prior commitment with friends in the evening. Instead I will have to rely upon CAFC Radio to follow the game. It's another match that I believe we can avoid defeat in. Tranmere have had a poor start under John Barnes and with one win and three defeats are lurking third from bottom in the table. Their only win was a 4-2 deafeat of Gillingham but that was closer than the scoreline suggesst according to reports. They managed a 4-0 drubbing of Grimsby Town in the League Cup but we shouldn't read too much into that. Around those two wins they lost 2-0 at Yeovil on the opening day of the season and have gone down 1-0 at home to MK Dons last Tuesday and 3-0 at Elland Road at the weekend. Traditionally very strong at Prenton Park, it looks like we might be playing them at just the right time.
After that we have the incentive of winning our second London derby of the season when Brentford come to the Valley when we might break the 17,000 crowd barrier. Alan Pardew and lowly Southampton come next in another home game which be more popular still and one in which we will all be desperate to win. If we can manage that then we should travel to Norwich top of the table for match which promises to be a cracker. I booked my advance cheapie train tickets yesterday - first class returns for £24? - can't beat it.
Looking further ahead, we have another very winnable home fixture against Exeter before two away games against our nearest current challengers, Colchester and Leeds. That represents the first eleven games and if we can still occupy top slot after returning from Elland Road, then we can really believe we can "do another Leicester" and follow them back to the Championship at the first time of asking.
I've just ordered my tickets for the Southampton game...and will be looking for us to give them a drubbing! What an incentive!
ReplyDeleteThe Colchester game could be interesting. With the "old boy" status of Parkinson, and by then they should have a new manager...and if local news reports are to be believed, a top name (Coppell?)...it will have some sparks.
Leeds? Now there's a prospect. Listening again to the news flow, it seems they're going to find this league easy, if they retain their two favourite sons. We wait to see!
Trouble is, I look at the fixture list and every game looks like one we 'should' win. Got to get my mind right. I'm trying not to think beyond the end-August transfer deadline and the risk of bids for a few key players.
ReplyDeleteBA - I understand your hesitation and we've been through enough not to take anything for granted. However, I think it's time to be bold; we didn't sell the family silver and have got off to the start we needed. With the takeover still a strong possibility there has to be hope that we won't be allowed to fail through any self-inflicted decisions. More red wine will help!
ReplyDelete