It seems that pre-season friendlies are only completely meaningless until you fail to win one.
Leicester City had started their build-up to the Premier League in confident style with three successive victories against Ilkeston, Everton and Walsall. Quite rightly, though, no-one was getting carried away.
But following City's turgid 1-1 draw at League One side Preston, lit up briefly by a moment of brilliance from Liam Moore, it did not take long for the doom-mongers to stride back into the open and declare City foxes to the slaughter before they are even up and running. That is ridiculous.
To use Nigel Pearson's own words, City were "off the pace". There were errors – most glaring was the sight of Kasper Schmeichel racing forward to punch clear a whipped-in free-kick, only to miss it completely and allow Preston's Tom Clarke to head into an empty net.
There was a lack of fluidity, too, as City struggled to spark that sharp, vibrant tempo fans are now so used to seeing. Playing two games in four days following a 12,000-mile round trip to Thailand may not have helped.
Leonardo Ulloa still looks short of match sharpness. He showed a handful of good touches, with the odd clever run, but he still looks like he needs more time to settle in, to understand how the team plays.
But the main focus of these games, as the managers and players always say, is to get minutes and miles back into the legs and to rekindle their rhythm and touch. Of course, it is good to win. But it is mainly about learning lessons ahead of the opening game.
One such lesson is that those derisory sniggers from some parts last week when Gary Taylor-Fletcher said he still believes he has a role to play this season, look misguided.
The 33-year-old continues to be one of City's most impressive and consistent performers this pre-season. He has shown some real class "in the hole" behind the lone striker, linking up play effectively.
He may not be graced with the pace, physique or athleticism of some of his team-mates, but he has a superb football brain and the deft feet of an, albeit oddly-shaped, ballet dancer.
Taylor-Fletcher made the first impact of pre-season, nutmegging an Ilkeston defender to set up the very first goal of the campaign, before scoring the only goal in Thailand.
He set up another goal at Preston, too, doing superbly to hook the ball back into play to allow Moore to chest, turn and volley City into the lead. His pinpoint through ball almost set up Jamie Vardy inside the first minute. If Moore's performance at Deepdale, too, is anything to go by, he should be the favourite to start alongside Wes Morgan on the opening day. His stunning goal aside, the young centre-back made some outstanding clearances, and some brave headers to keep out the Lilywhites.
And even when he drifted too far across to allow veteran Kevin Davies in behind, he used his pace to recover superbly. That pace is something City may well need in the Premier League.
After the game, Pearson made a cursory glance back to last pre-season where City were beaten 2-1 at League Two side Northampton in their final game before the Championship campaign. A Championship they would go on to win at a canter. While no-one is suggesting history will repeat itself, it is worth maintaining some perspective.
