Pompey have made their best start to a top flight season in over 50 years and some fans are saying that we have a genuine chance of finishing in the top 6! I fear that some people are getting a bit too carried away with how we have started. My Dad came in this evening and said that a Pompey fan had bet an Arsenal fan £100 that Portsmouth would finish above the Gunners this season. OK Arsenal haven't had the best start but it won't continue for long and this bet means that, barring a miracle we would have to finish in the top four for the Pompey fan to win his wager, which is pretty outrageous when you think about it prespectively!
There are other fans (not just Pompey fans) claiming that we are certainties for the top 10 now after a good 4 games into the season. However only a fool would say such things as you only have to look at last season to see how bad things can go. Manchester City got off to a flyer last season and had 10 points after their opening four matches. Final Position? 15th. Charlton got off to an even better start winning their first four matches of the season yet they managed a mediocre 13th come the end of May. Wigan also managed to solidify a top four position for a lot longer than we have so far but then they fell away as the season got older as they also had a bad run of form.
It's not like we have had to play the most difficult of opposition yet either. Blackburn and Wigan at home on the face of it were two very winnable games. Man City had a terrible end to last season and can't seem to score for toffee whilst we have had a hoodoo sign over Middlesbrough for ages. As impressive as our start has been, we are yet to play any of the "big four" and we haven't had a major test away from home from the likes of Spurs or Everton either.
I'm not saying we shouldn't enjoy our good start. Hell, I'm loving reminding my family that we are already 6 points clear of Liverpool with a +10 difference between our goal difference and theirs. It's only banter though and they know that I'm not serious. I'm not going to write off our chances of finishing in the top 10 or maybe higher but at the same time I am keeping my feet on the ground, knowing that it could all change dramatically by the end of the month.
If we are still in 2nd, or even the top 6 after our trips to Stamford Bridge, Anfield and Old Trafford then maybe I will begin to genuinely believe we can challenge for European places but until then I am just going to enjoy not having to worry about only having ten points in December and the very real threat of relegation like last season. Such high expactation can set you up for a big fall so let's all take a step back, breathe in some realism and not get too carried away with such an impressive start to the season as three straight defeats will bring us straight back down to earth with a bump!
I'm not being pessimistic, just realistic!