I don't think there are many people that think we are going to win today. I didn't, but I do now and I can see what is going to happen after the three points too. I can see huge amounts of optimism.
I can see us winning because this manager will get the players fired up. It wont be pretty, but we will be happy with the three points we battled for. That is what it is going to take too, a battle and as we will be told later on, it is the fighting spirit that is needed.
We will end up fifth by the end of the day with three points also and while it is way to early in the season to start looking at the table, it will be used as the benchmark for things moving in the right direction. They're not, but we will convince ourselves. Or some will.
That isn't a dig. None of us really know what is going to happen under this manager and owner. We can take what we know and form our own best guess, but that is all it really is. We can look to the history books and discard them or we can take them on board. We can form opinion based on common sense or we can blindly hope.
I wish I could blindly hope sometimes, but it doesn't work for me. I like to think logically and with the numbers. But, I accept that there is a chance, even if others might very well come to the conclusion that the chance is so slim that it really isn't one. But that is what I'm forgetting for today, because today, it is just about the ninety minutes.
Anything can happen in ninety minutes
So, I turn to the match and I look at the QPR team and the manager and I think we can win this. I think we can beat them in every department if we want and I believe that if we fight for every ball, work the channels and hit enough of the 'right balls' we can create the chances for Darren Bent (if he plays) to score.
Defensively we appear strong at the moment, but it doesn't mean they are not going to score. We still need to be on our game and focused. I think we will be, but QPR are going to go searching for it today and there is every chance they will be creating the chances too.
So, while the bookmakers really do fancy QPR for a home win, anything can happen, so for ninety minutes I will do my best to blindly hope.
Team news and updates
As and when we here the team news, it will go here and updates will also follow, but for today only I am going to do my best at blind optimism. It is a season of transition after all.
Match odds
Team
Given, Hutton, Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Petrov, Delph, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Bannan and Agbonlahor. Looks like 451 again.