I don't think it is a balanced criticism based on the evidence in front of us.
Its the managers first game (he has been in place a couple of weeks) we have lost quite a few players (thank god in some cases) he has a couple of new signings, we aren't fit, we are playing against a FAR superior team in every single aspect, he wont know his best team or formation and he will bring in his own players given time, some of the doomsday comments already on here has hit a new low.
These games are about trying things and experimenting, nothing can be drawn from them!!!!
So if the perfomances are the same in mid October, then fair enough.