Town manager Roy Keane says his side aren’t playing much better than they were last season, but feels that this time around they are taking their chances. The unbeaten Blues have won three of their first four league games during this campaign after failing to record a win in their first 14 last season.
Keane said: "There was doom and gloom amongst the supporters, but amongst the staff and players there was a good spirit and that kept us going. I’ll be honest with you, I can watch DVDs and I don’t think we’re playing that much better than we did last year, believe it or not.
"Anyone who watched us every week last year will tell you we just couldn’t take those chances, we couldn’t get our noses in front and when we did we couldn’t keep the lead. This year we’ve managed to bounce back like at Middlesbrough.”
The Town manager says last year’s game against Saturday’s opponents illustrates his point: "A prime example was Bristol City last year. We had 20 very good opportunities to score goals, just like against Watford at home.
"Some teams don’t get that in a month and we had that in games. The Bristol City keeper went off as the man of the match and the following week they got beaten by five by somebody at home.
"What we’re doing is taking those one or two chances. That gives the players a bit of confidence and a feelgood factor.”
Keane is pleased with his side so far but sayls strengthening is still required: "I reckon we came back for pre-season and there was no expectation from anybody, from inside the club or from our supporters.
"I’ve said to our players that we seem to be surprising people, but there’s a long few months ahead and I still don’t think we’re strong enough as a club.”
The Blues boss says the return of injured players will help, although they won’t need to be thrown straight into the side: "If we’ve got the likes of Kennedy, Connor and Damien on our bench in the next few weeks, we’ll be doing OK.”
Keane says he never lost confidence in his own abilities during last season’s struggles and at the same time never got carried away during the good times in his previous job: "I got lucky a bit with Sunderland with the players and the staff. We had a little bit of luck, but I never felt for one minute I had it cracked. Last year with all the doom and gloom I never felt for one minute I was finished as a manager.
"Because we’ve had a decent start I don’t all of a sudden think I’m the new Capello, Ancelotti, Ferguson or one of those brilliant managers who has won trophies.
"The players deserve all the credit. It’s about the players and the supporters, that’s what a football club’s about, not managers.”
Keane said over the weekend that he didn't expect any movement in or out before the transfer window closes at 6pm today.