I'VE been as guilty as any Blue of getting a little bit carried away by our brilliant start to the season, and then as a consequence getting disappointed by the run of four draws which has pegged us back slightly.

But it's at times like this that you have to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

If anyone had offered us fourth place going into November, with a game in hand on the top two and having played six out of 10 away, plus a home draw in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup, a few hands would have been bitten off.

And when you look at the four draws, three have been away from home and two of those - Wigan and Villa - were against teams who have beaten Chelsea already this season.

When you consider that the point gained at Wigan came after a red card as well, things don't look too bad.

The only one which looks like a bad result is the 2-2 with Fulham, after being two goals up. But Fulham are no push-overs - just ask Rafa Benitez - and the fact is that in the Premier League these days everyone is capable of taking points off everyone else.

At the start of October we were looking at this run of games as a real chance to rack up some points and put real pressure on United, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Having said that, last season Liverpool failed to win the title because they drew too many games. They only lost twice, but the fact is that City would have been better winning two and losing two out of the last four.

Hopefully the last few games will have reined in some of the optimism and grounded a few expectations, because taken in context, this has been a superb start to the season.

What do you think? Have your say.