What I expect is for the vocal minority to make a huge thing of any poor result on the first two months and to try and build a momentum for removing the manager that will enhance their desire for their negativity bias to be proved correct……
What I hope for is for fans to realise that the season is 40 weeks, 9 months and 46 games long and within that their will be some spells of good form and some spells of poor form and we have little to no control over when those spells occur and it’s largely in the lap of the gods in terms of yours and others teams injuries / suspensions and whether playing opposition coincides with their own good or bad form spells……I lost count last season of the times we played a poor team who were currently top of the form table when it came to playing us!!!
I think the above will be helped if we see more evidence of positive change in terms of style and game control. There’s a huge difference in fan reaction to playing poorly and losing and playing well and losing….(obviously)….but I think in the main patience will be far more evident on the back of a more positive approach to style and performance.
IMO top 3 isn’t in the equation. The division will be more competitive than last season with more teams capable of putting runs together and beating each other.
I anticipate a lower points total being needed for top 3 and top 7 than previous years due to more teams beating each other….
My expectation for a manager coming into Walsall, at the point when Sadler did, when so many things needed putting in place aside from a 1st team that was short on quality would be to get out of the division in 3 seasons.
Season 1 was hit and miss on the pitch but made big strides off it. The flirt with the play offs was only ever a flirt and wasn’t ever a solid tilt at it. Whilst we fell short in the last week of the season, I think most realists will have seen over the previous weeks that we didn’t possess either the consistency or the overall quality to really maintain it and get over the line.
That said, it was a possibility and we were “in the mix” and I don’t care what anyone says, imo we were a million times better than the previous campaign.
To progress from that point, for me, would be a solid tilt. One of the teams in the mix for play offs and a serious contender among many (8/9 other serious contenders).
The final analysis will be very much based on some good fortune at the right times and being able to exploit those opportunities.
If we can compete in the play offs, give it a real go I think the following season will be the one where I’d have a real expectation of automatic promotion.
What do we still need?
Goals. Simple as that.
I have no problem with the quality of the likes of DD, PF, OM - if they stay fit. I think the defensive attributes of many of our players individually is just fine and staying injury free and continuity will be key to being a good defensive unit.
Goals from midfield are as much a worry as those from the forwards for me.
I think players like JG and JM will out score their previous seasons (not hard I grant you) so that’s a bonus but some are guilty of underestimating just how unique and sought after double figures for goals and assists from a CM is and just how hard it is to replace……we will need Lakin / Earing / Stirk all to hit 5/6 each to compensate.
) is the style of football.