I think there are quite a few positives:
1. Despite playing some awful, awful football, we were in contention for a Champions League place until yesterday. If we actually exhibited some competence, we could break into the top four.
2. We have managed to salavage Adebayor - the best calibre of striker we can attract - despite AVB's efforts to drive him out. He's the type of player we need to build our team around.
3. We've got a good core of English players - Naughton, Rose, Dawson, Livemore and Lennon or Townsend - who should form the basis of our 'second XI'. That's not said in jest. I do think it's important to have an English base, and these are the sort of players who can play the odd game and 'do a job', perhaps without pushing for moves elsewhere.
4. Despite having a monumentally terrible summer, we will be able to generate decent money by selling Paulinho, Chadli (yup, good game yesterday), Sigurdsson, and Soldado - as well as Walker (I most certainly would sell) and Capoue (I probably wouldn't), if we wanted to.
5. Eriksen looks a good purchase at, what, £11M. Yes, he's in and out, and was very poor yesterday, but he's 22 and has shown some excellent qualities.
6. We're in a strong financial position. For all the Levy bashing, he's done an excellent job. We could've spiralled out of control, financially or ability wise. Rather, the gap has been massively reduced between us and the 'top four' clubs. Look at the decline of United - our small dips are nothing on that shambles.
