The season has started well, and tomorrow we have a home game with the only other side in the division that has six points. Thus a win and we are guaranteed to be at least two points clear at the top. MK Dons being the only other side with a 100% record, and they have only played one game.
Southampton, having postponed the game with MK Dons last weekend as the owner of their club died, are now six points behind us. I will watch, with interest, how their season progresses. I have believed that Pardew's ability to tinker with his side, and especially his squad, would be their downfall this season. It is likely that he will not be able to bring in any more players from now on, and as I believe that his only solution to a struggling team is to sign more players that could be the end of him, and them.
For the same reason, although with much smaller numbers, as Portsmouth, I hate to see sides have success by defaulting on their commitments only to then go on a spending spree. I hope Southampton fail to be promoted this season, the owners lose interest, and they struggle with a wage bill that is not sustainable in this division. Frankly I'd be more than happy for them to be relegated and go into liquidation, but that's a story for another day.
Back on to our fortunes. I have a feeling of confidence this season that I just cannot shake. I believe that we are significantly stronger this sea on that last. Sure we have lost some talented players, but we have replaced them with adequate replacements, and we have filled the obvious holes that we had in the first eleven cast season. Like for like Kyle Reid is, in my view, a better option on the left than Bailey was, and I'd already come to the conclusion that Bailey wasn't suited to play in the middle in anything other an a 4-5-1 formation.
Clearly we have insufficient players to expect to go through the whole season as injuries and suspensions will force us to call on squad players, but Parkinson is targeting two more players, and with some of those we already have being used on a variety of positions I'm confident that we have enough to get us close enough, and there is always the emergency loan system, should we have any major problems.
Oldham's highest scorer last season lines up against them tomorrow and, as I've already said, I suspect that he is going to score fifteen goals plus for us this season. I am one of those people that don't believe in suspicions, but for no other reason than I think he's a good striker I think he'll score tomorrow. He has already got two this season, and none in the league. I think he is due a Valley goal, and if we can keep ten players on e pitch for the full 90 minutes I think he'll have plenty of chains to get one.
I am confident that we will score a fair number of goals this season, but as we are still gelling in a lot of new players I will be mopper than happy with a 1-0 win. Having said that I expect us to win by two, maybe a 3-1.
As we haven't signed any new players, up to 4:30 on Friday, I'm guessing we will not have anyone new for tomorrow, but with Semedo and Dailly suspended it already forces two changes from what most would call our first eleven. I would be surprised if we don't start with ten of the eleven that started last Friday, and it is a toss up between Llera and Fry. The revelation that we had to pay West Ham more if Fry played for us last season casts doubt on his relative position in the pecking order, but I think Spaniard will get the call.
I'm really looking forward to it.
Up the Addicks!
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