Well welcome back and after a long break from things and after a brilliant European Championships it is time for the return of the new football season.  I am feeling quite optimistic about the new season now that it is here. I think there are going to be big deals happening from now until the end of the window and as much as we all want to get the deals done early, sadly this is never going to be the case.

We have had an indifferent pre-season with some decent signs but then some all too familiar events also.  Hastily arranged friendlies to compensate from the cancelled participation in the Florida Cup have I am sure curtailed certain plans and have disrupted the preparation for where we are today.

New signings have been made early on and there was lots of positivity towards things.  In came a promising young left back Tavares from Benfica for £7.2m, we then signed Lokonga from Anderlecht for 15.75m and then at the end of the month in came Ben White for £50m.  There was a time when fans were calling for us to sign young English players, to spend money, however no matter what we seem to get some kind of snobbery regarding players coming in to the club like White coming in from Brighton.  We then see the reports linking us with a Sheffield Utd goalkeeper and because he has been relegated twice he is not good enough for Arsenal.

I am sure Leicester City fans were doing the same with Jamie Vardy, and they would be eating humble pie now so fans have to calm down on that front.  We can’t read too much into preseason as it is what it is.  Friendly matches to bring every player up to the required levels for the season start.  Therefore there will be some mixed results.  Now is a time to get behind the team, encourage and support them and push them on further.

Leave the negativity behind along with agendas and focus on what the majority of fans do best and be the 12th man inside the stadiums throughout the season.