Time for Grant to show his mettle.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

If last season taught us anything, it's far too early to judge how a season might pan out.

We keep hearing about TLT, Craig and Haks. Often appraising them individually and comparing them to their counterparts of this season. Good players they were, but the combination of all three helped us to tip the balance into a team that developed some consistency in winning games. It took 25 or more games to get to a point where the team more or less picked itself.

Individual players and their performances can't be season defining after just two league games. It's going to take a little time to find the ingredients and the method, all those little combinations, partnerships, mental toughness, game plans A & B that get us on the right track.

No team walks the league. Every game can be tough when so many things out of our control can happen.

McCann has set a tough target for the players to aspire to, and as a result fans expectations, or rather tolerance levels have been adjusted. Other clubs now see us in a different light, one of the favourites who they all want to beat. That brings yet another dimension to proceedings which ultimately mean, it ain't going to be any easy ride.

Let's keep it simple and assess this seasons progression based on the two points per game average after each six game sequence. The good news is we're one point behind where we want to be.

[les@donr]

Grant is doing fine, judge him over a season.

[ForsolongaRover]

If last season taught us anything, it's far too early to judge how a season might pan out.

We keep hearing about TLT, Craig and Haks. Often appraising them individually and comparing them to their counterparts of this season. Good players they were, but the combination of all three helped us to tip the balance into a team that developed some consistency in winning games. It took 25 or more games to get to a point where the team more or less picked itself.

Individual players and their performances can't be season defining after just two league games. It's going to take a little time to find the ingredients and the method, all those little combinations, partnerships, mental toughness, game plans A & B that get us on the right track.

No team walks the league. Every game can be tough when so many things out of our control can happen.

McCann has set a tough target for the players to aspire to, and as a result fans expectations, or rather tolerance levels have been adjusted. Other clubs now see us in a different light, one of the favourites who they all want to beat. That brings yet another dimension to proceedings which ultimately mean, it ain't going to be any easy ride.

Let's keep it simple and assess this seasons progression based on the two points per game average after each six game sequence. The good news is we're one point behind where we want to be.

Grant is doing fine, judge him over a season.

I can see the logic in DBZ%u2019s suggestion, but we%u2019re not going to keep quiet until the end of the season as Les suggests.

It doesn%u2019t detract for the need for GM to get to grips with this straightaway. The Newport performance was not a narrow loss against a good side with a good show of fighting spirit and he knows that. So whilst I am not doubting his intent, we will be looking for a good result against another at-best moderate team on Saturday. The perspective needs to be seen clearly without the constant search for mitigating circumstances.

If you were the manager would you be in the camp with those who seek to find reasons why we shouldn%u2019t be too worried even after all the euphoria before day 1, or would you be more inclined towards the BST view? BST might have exaggerated the mediocrity, but it was a performance which put everything in reverse of the promise of pre-season and the way we finished 2023/24. Johnathan put up an article with the heading %u201CMomentum%u201D in May and at Newport there was little sign of it.

We can talk of the long-term, but I bet that if we do not get 3 points from the Morecambe game there will be fewer people talking about how this is going to take time, because we really cannot afford to lose the momentum. I have no doubt at all that Grant will not be happy with a point v Morecambe and I very much doubt that he will be allowing himself to accept that %u201Cit will take time%u201D.