Strange things - opening days of the season. This time last year, give or take a week, ex Saddler Michael Ricketts stunned the football world as Premiership newboys Bolton thumped Leicester 5-0. Today, as Walsall were getting beaten 2-0 at the reduced-capacity Bescot, down in London ex Saddler Darren Byfield, surprisingly sold on transfer deadline day back in March amidst farcical scenes involving broken fax machines in service stations, scored 4 goals for his new club Rotherham as the Millers thumped Millwall 6-0. How many shocks lie in the season ahead?
From the game at Bescot today not a lot to be too downhearted about. Encouraging displays from most areas of the team; Jim Walker superb as ever, Bazeley looks like he’ll add more than Brightwell did last time out; Sonner better than Bennett; and late on Herivelto threatened the Ipswich backline enough to warrant a full ninety sooner rather than later. Whilst Gary Birch enjoyed a promising start - winning a lot in the air, although strike partner Jorge showed first day rustiness, perhaps the legacy of a summer on the pies and ale.
I’ll stick my neck out on opening day and say the three relegated teams from the top flight, Derby, Leicester and Ipswich, will contest the top 3 spots in this division - and by some margin - so a 2-0 opening defeat is no disgrace. As befits a team that boasts more or less the same squad that came 5th in the Premiership two seasons ago, the East Anglians looked cultured on the ball, bossed the midfield, and had, with the exception of Jimmy Walker, the best 10 players on the pitch.