Carl Curtis : Confidence and belief

‘ CONFIDENCE AND BELIEF ‘

Confidence is key.

I wrote on here recently that the performances have improved and in turn results are getting better, after the five games we have come through unbeaten, I believe that the confidence and belief that comes from that is critical to our season.

Even though I am positive with the results, I still have this underlying fear that City’s team look a little shaky under pressure and don’t kill teams off when we have the chances.

At QPR and Blackburn this was evident, the same can be said for the cup game at MK Dons too.

Yesterday, we had a glorious chance to kill the game and failed to do so and thanks to David Marshall we held on to the 3 points.

The international break has come at exactly the right time in my opinion, unbeaten in the league and allow niggling injuries and not quite fully fit players to recover but also for the squad to look at what they achieved and build on it.

Russell Slade must be delighted with Kenwyne Jones and Joe Mason both getting on the scoresheet yesterday and last week versus Wolves, Kenwyne grabbing his first of the season on his first start and his replacement Sammy Ameobi grabbing his first also coming off the bench.

The first eleven must surely look at the bench and recognise the strength we have in depth, when all are fit, Manga, Noone, Ameobi, Malone/Fabio.

The two benches yesterday showed the difficulties of being under a transfer embargo and the difference of having quality.

City’s squad must start to believe that they are good enough, in fairness to the manager he has set them up to make them difficult to beat.

I would love to see a ball carrying box to box centre midfielder and a striker come in and looking ahead to our September fixtures, the team can feel optimistic for the next four matches.

Brighton away on October 3rd will be our 10th game of the league campaign and the way things are shaping up it could just be a top of the table clash.

At the beginning of the season, I asked what fans thought what points we would get from the first 5 games. I wrote anything less than 8 would be disappointing but 10 would be good, I am happy with 9 and unbeaten.

Yesterday was a great day and with just 1 away fixture in September away to Rotherham and the other 3 games at home, without getting carried away and keeping our feet firmly on the ground I am looking forward to the month but just hope that confidence and belief is growing within the squad.