A WEEK may be a long time in politics, as Huddersfield fan Harold Wilson famously said, but it is also a similarly lengthy period in football, as perfectly illustrated by the transformation in the mood at Portman Road.

Seven days ago the Blues were preparing to go into their season opener against Birmingham with fans unsurprisingly less than confident and not a little concerned after a 6-1 drubbing in their final pre-season friendly at Charlton.

But, aside from one very significant injury blow, the first two games couldn’t have gone much better and early season optimism, which was in very short supply last week, suddenly abounds.

While there was certainly scope for improvement in Saturday’s 1-0 home victory over Birmingham, the result was far from the only positive.

The visitors probably had the better of the first half but the Blues, who switched from the 4-4-2 they had utilised throughout pre-season to 3-5-2, prevented them from creating too many significant chances.

The game’s key moment came shortly after the break when Birmingham’s David Davis volleyed across the face of goal following a free-kick.

Town immediately broke at pace through Grant Ward, Jonas Knudsen crossed and debutant Joe Garner ghosted in at the far post to score the winner.

The Blues, clearly trying to play more football than has been the case previously under Mick McCarthy, had the Midlanders on the ropes at that stage and probably should have added to their lead, while Birmingham never seriously looked like getting back on terms.

There were plenty of impressive performances for fans to discuss over their post-match pints.

Debutant Garner’s all-action, never-give-defenders-a-moment’s-peace approach and goal immediately endeared the summer signing from Rangers to the Portman Road faithful, while Ward in central midfield was many people’s man of the match.

Eighteen-year-old midfielder Flynn Downes also caught the eye, the academy product having been handed his debut from the bench in the wake of the week’s one big negative.

Andre Dozzell, also 18, had put in an impressive first-half display and was showing signs that he was looking more comfortable in a Championship midfield before he suffered an injury shortly before half-time which was later confirmed to be a dreaded season-ending cruciate knee ligament tear.

It was a devastating blow for a player who seemed destined for a breakthrough season having been in and around the first-team squad for a couple of years.

On Tuesday striker David McGoldrick dedicated his goals to Dozzell as the Blues continued their good start by defeating League Two Luton - who had smashed Yeovil 8-2 on Saturday - 2-0 in the Carabao Cup at Kenilworth Road.

Again there was much for Blues fans to be positive about, not least McGoldrick’s well-taken goals.

Manchester City season-long-loanee Bersant Celina made an impressive debut, appearing on initial viewing very similar to last year’s loan star Tom Lawrence.

Downes made his first senior start and once again looked like a seasoned regular, while fellow academy graduates Tristan Nydam, a 17-year-old midfielder, and defender Luke Woolfenden, 18, were handed their debuts, the latter as a sub.

In addition to the back-to-back wins - that took Town until April last season - and clean sheets, the progress of several youngsters has been the icing on the cake for Town fans always keen to see the club follow its traditions and bring players through from their youth set-up.

The Blues’ latest signing, Martyn Waghorn, who joined from Rangers for a fee McCarthy described as ”a snip” on Monday, also made his mark from the bench.

If the season continues in the same vein then McCarthy will go back to being Super Mick rather than having rather less complimentary songs sung about him from the terraces.

And the next few fixtures present an opportunity to continue the promising start.

The Blues travel to McCarthy’s hometown club Barnsley on Saturday before going to Millwall on Tuesday.

A very good chance to claim four to six points and to build on the first week’s revived early season optimism.