Wanderers, who open their A-League season against Sydney FC at ANZ Stadium on Saturday 8 October, has never won a Round One fixture.

In fact, the club has never won in the opening two rounds and only once won in Round Three, back in a Sydney Derby in 2013-14.

Last season Wanderers only managed one point from their first three games, before storming back to finish second and reach the Grand Final.

They also won the Premier’s Plate from the same scenario in their maiden season, while their miserable 2014-15 campaign started with just three points from their first nine games.

“Every year and every situation is different,” Popovic said.

“Last year at this stage we had eight players that weren’t training, they were injured.

“We didn’t speak about that at the time but that’s what we were faced with.

“If you look at this year, everyone’s training. That’s already a difference, it’s already an improvement.

“We expect our fitness levels to be higher come Round One, whether that will help us with the results early on, we certainly hope it does.

“There will be a lot of room for improvement regardless of how we play in Round One.”

One argument used for Wanderers’ slow starts is the club’s regular off-season player turnover.

This off-season has been no different, with 10 new signings and 15 players heading out the exit door.

Wanderers secured Argentine attacking midfielder Nicolas Martinez as a marquee last week and Popovic said he completed their squad.

“We’re full, we are very happy,” Popovic said.

“Nicolas was obviously the last player that came in. That’s our full squad. We’re happy with all of them.”

Among the newcomers are four visa players, with Spanish midfielder Dimas the only foreigner retained from last season.

Martinez along with Uruguayan defensive midfielder Bruno Pinatares, Spanish centre-back Aritz Borda and Japanese midfielder Jumpei Kusukami are the new foreign players.

“We’re very pleased with how they’re settling in,” Popovic said.

“There’s still a couple that are waiting for their families to arrive or looking for accommodation. That’s always something that is a little bit unsettling for players from abroad.

“In what we’ve seen in training and in our training camps and the way they’ve jelled with players off the field, we’re very pleased.”