My take on the season -
We started out in a disjointed fashion and it looked like we'd lost too many core players, with Briers being the unexpected one and the one that gave me the most concern
We lost a few and deservedly so, and many on here were very concerned (and I would go so far as to say 'panicking' with talk about not reaching the top eight), we have improved and some of the combinations have started to work and some of the lesser players finding their feet (like England, Laithwaite, Ormsby, Russell).
Bridge moving to the halves added some steel (although I still think he holds the ball too much).
Confidence has grown and we've had a run against teams that are (mainly) not in the top eight.
Players out with injury will start to return but it'll take a few weeks for them to return to match fitness.
But - fundamentally - the run-in is horrible.
We play all the top sides week after week - with the CC in the mix as well and then (hopefully) reach the play offs where we have to play the top sides again. And on top of that there's the pressure of keeping the longest winning streak we've had in SL going.
We're simply not good enough or strong enough to win all of that lot - no side is. That's why there's only 2 points separating the top 5.
So it's a matter of how we react when things start to go against us.
Will we win silverware this year?
Possibly but for me not 'probably' just yet.