Roper Reports will endeavour to make sense of the recent happenings at North End and offer general comment on the world of Football.
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Bouncing along the bottom
Monday 30th August 2010As we come to the first natural break in the season we can just have a quick look at where North End are and what we can hope for in the months to come. For my money we are bouncing along the bottom of the Championship barrel at the moment but I do see signs all round of better days ahead. Let me explain what I mean.
On the field of play we have not had the greatest of starts in terms of the league. Only one win and three defeats from our four games played leave us just one place above the drop zone and with Burnley away coming up next it might get worse before it gets better. Our problem in these first four games has been scoring goals with only one effort in 360 minutes. You get the feeling that Josh King will get a bag full once he starts scoring and let's hope that comes sooner rather than later in the Championship. We had a shocking first half against Doncaster but improved considerably after the break. At Swansea we were on top until we conceded the first goal and we then went to rat shit. We have a very brittle mentality away from home and I feel this more than anything else needs sorting out when we are on the road. Against Portsmouth we beat a poor side comfortably enough but still should have had more in the goals for column. Finally, at Sheffield on Saturday, we could and should have claimed a point but again couldn't put the ball in the net and although it was only an average Blades side they still managed to get one via the boot of Calve. No doubt there have been small signs of improvement on the field recently but the pressure is on Ferguson to at least get the side into mid table before winter sets in. On a brighter note, two wins in the Carling Cup against Stockport and Bradford have seen us drawn away again at Wigan in round three.
Off the field I was really saddened to see less than 10,000 turn up for the Portsmouth game and whilst the pricing structure made the fixture unattractive I feel that a North End side in the Championship never deserves less than five figures for a home attendance. I suppose it was not a surprise considering how many other things there are to do these days, although it always amazes me how pricing is never an issue when you are at the top of the league.
As we speak, the 90% has been achieved by the DPNE group and so the formal de-listing from the AIM can now take place subject to a shareholders meeting on the 21st September. What the direction of the club will be after that is anybody's guess, but most people seem positive. One thing is certain though, and that is that Trevor Hemmings has a darn sight less chance of getting his money back in league one than in the Championship and to this end I believe that the club will do whatever it has to do to retain Championship status this season. Be in no doubt though that the only objective this season is to remain in this division and then take things forward once we have removed the high earners from the wage bill.
I think it is time just to keep our heads and not panic, get behind what Ferguson and Hemmings are trying to do and let's just see where we are at the next international break which comes up on the second weekend in October.
Keep the Faith!
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