13 Aug 2018 08:12:47
It was always going to be hard to get anything from a settled city team, who were on a different planet to us last year, bridging that gap on day one was a tough ask! Real test comes next week against a side only slightly better than us last year and who have been more unsettled than us, whose manager has hardly had any time to work with his players. If they blow us off the park it might be a worry! It's looking far ahead I know, but we don't face any of the top 6 in the next 8 games after that and the toughest fixtures: Leicester and Everton are at home so we have a real chance of building momentum if we can click!
13 Aug 2018 10:16:40
I think we need to expect to give Chelsea more of a game than we did city but not get to hung up on results between now and November, as long as we find a new identity and make the europa league places this season I think we will be in much better shape this time next year.
A quick fix is usually a short lived fix where the momentum of a new manager soon fades and teams go back to square one after a while, it took Pep a season to get City where he wanted them and Jurgen is still getting Liverpool round after 2 and half years, albeit brilliantly he still needed time to get things his way.
This season for us is all about Dick finding out who he can and can't rely on week in week out while hopefully getting the minimum target of a Europa league spot on the way.
As long as we see the team progressing month on month I'm not that fussed about where we finish this season but more the manner we achieve it in, if the team can find some real effort commitment passion on a regular basis I think the good footballing side will naturally follow and next season people will be taking us more seriously when speaking about top 4 contention.
13 Aug 2018 11:06:52
It is very much work in progress and will take a few transfer windows for Emery to get the personal and shape of the sqaud he wants, we have not got the funds to do it all in one window. I think there are positive signs from Emery making tactical chnages earlier in the game if required. We have a outside chance of top 4 but I think that is perhaps exceeding expectations this season. If he can improve defensivly and conceed less sloppy goals and get closer points wise and have good cup runs, maybe win the Eurpoa league this time that will be success in my view.
13 Aug 2018 12:30:17
Totally agree Ryan Top is a huge ask this time round from a team that needs so much rebuilding and regeneration especially with the competition for those 4 places is so strong.
Chelsea will want the europa too in my opinion because next to the champions league and premier league it's the most prestigious competition in world football terms.
Anything more that an europa league place would be a bonus this season but the most important thing is getting the club back in shape for seasons to come.