Brewers 1 Dale 0

It was as i said to my good friend Pez at half time a typical early season performance,not much good football but solid stuff at times.Lets give them chance to gel together and i am sure we will get a lot of good entertaining football and thats all we want at the end of the day.We have got 4 points at this early stage of the season and for me thats a good sign of whats to come.

Agree with most of what has already been said so will concentrate on what I saw as the good points of an otherwise uninspiring performance.

1. Held a good line at the back. Can only remember them taking pot shots from 25 yards or more

2. Couple of moments of genuine class from Rory Delap

3. McCrory and Hussey doubling up to nullify the threat of their no.7 who looked like he could be a nuisance. Looked like good homework.

4. Superb move down the left at the end to leave Micheal Symes with a tap in. I'm being positive so will keep my views of the finish to myself. Sure you all have your own.

5. Pickford's kicking. He showed he has distance and accuracy. If he can learn to mix it up so it isn't all long stuff this can be just as effective as Rory's long throws.

It wasn't pretty, but if we stay mean at the back and keep picking up 3 points, there will be better days to come, make no mistake

That is exactly how i see it Emnez. Solid, 2 wins and a draw and no loses without hitting any heights,bodes well for the rest of the season.

From the games I have seen so far you can see a few sides getting a real tonking from us this season.

You can also see us conceding fewer goals than any other league season.

One moment that had me baffled was our goal. I saw Howe touch it clearly to score the goal. His celebration was limited. The PA system didn't announce the scorer (which is a sign of an own goal). The BBC videprinter showed an own goal when I looked a few minutes later. Bizarre. I thought that I will need a trip to Specsavers.

Upon returning home the BBC match report showed an own goal.

I now read on our own website that Howe did score.

Here are my ratings and a small comment from today:

Pickford - hardly troubled but looked solid and great distribution - 7

Delap - couple of real classy moments, solid, decent fitness levels but why oh why don't we move those advertising boards, help him out - 7

Sharps - rightful MOM for me, not been a big fan previously but read the game superbly, will still struggle with pace in behind though - 8

Holness - similar to Sharps, solid, great in the air, but does tend to get too tight and turned - 7

McCrory - sentiments aside, a massive improvement on Aaron, provides a bit of everything - 7

McGurk - pretty quiet with the odd moment, decent work ethic and obvious quality - 7

Bell - wish he'd learn to grow up sometimes, cannot help but get involved. Probably pick up 10/12 yellows a season of which half are petty. Still a cool head on the ball and a real nuisance to the opposition - 6

Weir - terrier like, and seems to be everywhere at times. Him and Bell seem like an upgrade on the Simmo/Mcgrath partnership we all loved - 6

Hussey - Like this guy. Pacey, direct and a great delivery. Some of those corners were unplayable. looks likely to nab a few goals too - 7

Kee - unfit? Is he ever not? Huffed, puffed and i'm afraid looked very average. Livens up in the box but largely poor - 4

Howe - unfit also? Infuriatingly managed to stay offside even after we had regained possession on 3 occasions in 10 minutes. - 4

So i'm led to believe that Howe, Kee and Mcdonald now use herbalife.

Have to be honest that even though Kee has lost weight, the 3 of them look pretty unfit. Coincidence?

To be honest i'd like to see a 4-3-3 used with Hussey and Mcgurk flanking the form front man (whoever that may be in time) and Delap pushed central with Bell and Weir. Not alot will get through those 3 and it'll allow Weir to get further forward and support the front 3.

Defense looks resolute, but will be interesting to see what happens against some genuine pace in behind rather than the big man always infront of you.

Would love a pacey forward to be signed, the missing link for a number of seasons now. We seem a little one dimensional with Howe and Kee always wanting to drop deep and hold it up.

Surely there was some raw youngster in the lower leagues who has pace to burn?

Who knows.

Somewhere between the playoffs and 12th in my opinion with this squad which would still be a good solid season. A far cry from the grass bank days at Eton Park.

We may already have that striker Lilly. Dominic Knowles. Looks a bit useful to me.

From the bits I have seen of Dominic Knowles pre-season he is very direct and quick. At the moment the two most direct players in our first team are Hussey and Weir.

Not sure about Kee losing weight ,
Should put a few pounds back on then he won't get knocked off the ball so easily.
Howe looked like someone who needs games.
The rest to me look like work in progress that will surely be thereabouts come May.
Agree the fickle Burton public should turn out and support what will become a very good footballing team.
One last point.
Can't believe that nobody mentioned we have changed the music when we score.
Its certainly better than the last tune and I hope to hear it loads of times at the Pirelli stadium.

Yes, I agree Pez, I had forgotten about that (the goal theme).

That said, whilst it is a step in the right direction, it is still an existing football tune. I want some imagination to be shown and something unique to be attached to what we do. We mastered it with the tune we walk out to (which is my equal favourite Stones song).

Yes i like the stones song we come out to as well but i think it should come on about 30 seconds before the players come out.As for the goalscoring theme thats one to work on but i seem to remember us having this debate a while back.Get your thinking caps on gentlemen and lets get something no other club has.