I understand that KDZ, but over those previous 44 games, he had us in a (lower) mid table position.
Over the summer, though we've lost our two best players, the overall strength of the squad has improved (or so folk generally thought at the end of the window).
There's every reason for us to hope that we'll better that finish last season.
Look at Nob End last year...... awful start till we kick-started them.
Barnsley may be the turning point. Then again, it may not.
We were in free fall and deep in a relegation battle for the majority of that time. The final league position wasn't reflective of how bad we were and how close to relegation we were.
There is no momentum to give us a 20 odd point buffer in the first ten games to endure a 4 wins in 30 game like run of form. No wonder kid or talisman to cover the cracks, not 3 clearly hopeless teams to prop us up, and most importantly no signs of improvement or learning from our manager.
There is only hope but no tangible signs it will improve and I don't think decisions or judgements on hope alone are good ones.
We are just long ball hoof and hope who are generally neither effective or attractive to watch. Once every blue moon turn out a good performances that is the exception rather than the rule - I can't think of a single thing we are good at or reliable for;
Defending, attacking, keeping the ball, long ball, attacking or defending set pieces, battling, working, pressing, crossing, counter attack, holding a lead, chasing a lead, game management, subs, tactics, bouncing back, 6 pointers, attacking or defending throw ins, the worst away record in the country over past year - we are bad at virtually everything. About 75% of the games since our promotion momentum faded we've been just as bad over the last year we can't bank on unexpected upsets at home to amass 40+ points if we don't do the bread and butter of grinding out points consistently against teams who are often there for the taking if we turn up in and around us. There's not much to base hope on unfortunately so I've got none left.