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Bill's Take - Rams Can Believe Anything Is Possible!
Bill's Take - Rams Can Believe Anything Is Possible!
Thursday, 1st Aug 2013 14:32 by Bill Riordan

I wouldn't say that football fans are by nature pessimists. Fatalists might be a better word. It’s our way of accepting endlessly negative events which are important to us, but over which we have no control.

We have to be that way; we couldn't stand it otherwise. The perpetually dashed hopes; the same-again mediocrity; the expensive signings that so rarely work out, and the team full of players who seem no better than we used to be.

Those of us who cannot be this way would have to call ourselves Manchester United or Chelsea fans. Or perhaps we can add City to the mix nowadays.

But now, for a few weeks at least, it’s different. It’s that time of the year again: the time when life looks a little bit brighter; when you have that little bit more of a spring in your step and when anything seems possible.

We can believe.

No, it's not just Summer time, it’s not just the holidays... footy season is about to start!

As Rams fans look ahead, there can be only two questions - have we done enough during the summer and WHAT ABOUT THE BRAYFORD CASH? Well, I suppose there's also a third one: when might we expect to see Barker return?

The midfield looks pretty much unchanged, except for the signing of Eustace - Bryson, Hughes and Hendrick should be better for their greater experience and should all see plenty of playing time.

Coutts might spend more time on the bench than last year; Nigel made some comments over the close season which suggested unhappiness with his scoring rate, and pointed to Ben Davies as an example of what midfielders can accomplish.

It also looks as though Jamie Ward might well be spending more time in a less attacking role. Midfield actually is a bit of a concern to me; there seems too much talent for the available places, and there could be issues with square pegs and round holes.

In attack we have added Johnny Russell and Chris Martin, who should both do well. We hope to see more from Sammon with a pre-season under his belt and experience at this level. It’s also time to look for increased Mason Bennett sightings.

The Rams, of course, scored enough goals at home last season to be right at the top of the table; it was scoring away that was a problem. And with Ward perhaps playing further back and Robinson not playing at all, there are goals to be replaced. Certainly, I look for the attack to be much more consistent than last year.

Defensively, Lee Grant looks an astute signing. I had high hopes for Frank Fielding; though I never did understand why Legzdins joined the Rams, when we had just signed Fielding.

Craig Forsyth should be an improvement at left back and the right back situation looks fluid. I was never quite convinced about Brayford defensively; but then it’s hard to imagine that his leaving will improve the team. The centre back pairing is where we are all nervous, I think. Keogh seems reliable, but is Jake Buxton up to the job - for a whole season? Perhaps Nigel expects Barker to come back sooner rather than later.

Certainly, it’s in defence that the Brayford money needs to be spent - if it is to be spent. The board, as we well know will run the club without financial advice from any of us; we'll just have to see. Again, defensively we did enough at home to finish higher; like the attack, the defence has to do much better away.

For me, the team does look better balanced this year; perhaps with that bit more of a physical and aggressive look than last year. I see genuine hope for improvement.

Enough of an improvement to reach the playoffs? Yes, I think so.

As always, time will tell. And if things don't turn out so well, we have good old fatalism to fall back on.

Photo: Action Images



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