To be fair, I get why some fans are sceptical, but I'm genuinely excited about the players we've brought in. It's not just about raw ability. It's leadership, work-rate and the sort of mentality that lifts a dressing room. If you pack all that together, you change games.
Goals and presence up front
Shankland gets the main mention and rightly so. A striker who knows where the net is brings calm and belief to everyone around him. Pairing a natural finisher with hard-working forwards, players who'll chase, press and drag defenders around, gives the manager more options and forces opposition coaches to rethink. If someone else can also play across the front or add versatility then it helps squad balance too.
Midfield grit, press and shape
The fan notes about Neil and players who run through brick walls are the sort of traits that alter how a team defends and attacks. Midfielders who win first and second balls make pressing schemes stick. When you combine that relentless energy with a bit of creativity, the 'stardust' mentioned with Dahl and Cerny, you get a blend of bite and inventiveness. That's the kind of balance that can lift a side, particularly late in games.
Depth, goalkeeper questions and leaders
There’s been talk about the new goalkeeper looking promising and concerns over Butland's mistakes in recent seasons. Those are valid fan observations rather than hard facts, but the wider point stands: leadership matters. If new signings arrive with captaincy experience, vice-captain roles or simply proven mentality, they steady the group. That can be more valuable than one extra technical percentage point.
Depth and competition will keep performances honest. When players know there's someone ready to step in who works as hard or offers a different skill set, complacency drops. Youngsters benefit from that mix as well; experienced heads who have worn armbands pass on standards both on and off the park. That steadying presence after the post-split run is exactly what the original post was getting at.
So yeah, call it optimism, but when you add finishing, graft, pressing and a lift in leadership, it isn't daft to feel the squad looks sharper. The 30% claim is subjective, but the vibe is clearer, this feels like a team with more bite and belief. Isn't that worth being a wee bit excited about?
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