City:grounds for optimism

I was at the friendly with West Brom yesterday. It was great to see Earnie back, and also 'Moto. The transformation of our team over the close season has been pretty radical. David Jones has put his stamp over it all right, with 9 new players. Given the players he has had to lose, I think he's done a great job, to be fair to him, with experience, quality and promise amongst those brought in.

I don't think yesterday's game gave us much to go on for the new season others have said that the team has played better during earlier friendlies. Whitley was missing from midfield, and we will need someone like him. We clearly need another striker, as I have said before.

Peter Ridsdale also seems to have got a grip of the management side. Getting players to take a salary cut and bringing down the running costs significantly has been an important achievement. I would still like further information on the financial side, and I hope that the club does hold an AGM soon. I genuinely think that the club has been more open recently, as this post on Mike Morris's site suggests. Sam's interview in the Western Mail was of a different tone too, I felt.

I didn't expect to be feeling as positive at the beginning of the season. I was gloomy in March, but more optimistic in May. Two months on, I am hopeful we will have a decent season.