Swansea started the game on Saturday like a stream train, well at least compared to the way Newcastle started the game, and we were second best for the first 20 minutes.
We could have been more than the one goal down after that initial period of the game, when we couldn’t deal with Johnjo Shelvey in the middle of the park, and Jefferson Montero on the left was a handful, and his great wing-play led to Daryl Janmaat’s dismissal just before half time.
Fabricio Coloccini in action at the Liberty Stadium
That was our 7th away defeat on the trot and we’ve scored only one goal in those games, and now we are at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Six of those defeats were during John Carver’s woeful time in charge earlier this year, and we had one win in the last 11 games of last season, and nine defeats – eight in a row at one point.
This is what the captain Fab Coloccini has said in the Chronicle today:
“We are going to keep trying hard for them.” “We will try to bring some points. It was very difficult for the fans, as they done a lot of travelling and made a long trip.”
“But we thank them again for coming to support us. We are going to need them during the season.”
“It was very tough. After the sending-off it was very difficult.” “Swansea had good possession like they always do, and we found it very difficult to get the ball and get in position.”
“We couldn’t do more than we did.” “We tried and our effort was OK, but with 10 men it is very difficult.”
“Montero is a very good player, he’s top class.” “But it wasn’t just him, Shelvey played very well and Swansea overall moved the ball very quickly and very well.”
“They moved it fast and held good positions, so it was difficult for us to press especially with one man less.”
“We need to think about the next game and stay positive.” “We can’t say anything about referees, we can only try to help them because it’s a difficult for them.”
“It was maybe harsh (Janmaat sending off), but it was the ref’s decision and we have to respect that.”
It looks like we will hear more from Fabricio this season as the captain, and that’s probably come from head coach Steve McClaren to get him out talking to the fans more – that’s good.
Our defensive frailties were there for all to see on Saturday but the sending off killed us off.
Before that we had started to come into the game and were starting to play some good football and putting some attacks together.
We’ll never know what would have happened if Janmaat hadn’t been red-carded, so now the only thing that matters is how we play at Old Trafford and the result.
Maybe we can get a surprise result there, before we take on Arsenal at home, and then have the two week International break.
But is staying positive and thinking about Manchester United an oxymoron?
Maybe not.
Comments welcome.
146 comments so far
Our Toon
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:29 PM
Comment #121Plus add ons
Offkey
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:29 PM
Comment #122Ourtoon – think there was sarcasm mate
Our Toon
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:30 PM
Comment #123Jfa
Ahahah just clicked on with the sarcasm buddy, it’s an argument which is completely dumbfounded but one hey they could do a Portsmouth or a Blackburn as well as a Leeds.
Offkey
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:32 PM
Comment #124Jimiley is quite good at that as well…….one of my favourite posters………along with johntuder
Our Toon
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:32 PM
Comment #125Offkey
Waiting in the the departure lounge, my pre travelling sickness tablets are starting to take affect….hence being quite slow in picking up the sarcasm ahahaha.
Jail for Ashley
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:34 PM
Comment #126Our Toon,
It’s fact that you have to spend ten years establishing your self as mid table dross before thinking about eighth, or you do a Leeds.
Toonfan8
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:34 PM
Comment #127I liked Mitrovic cameo vs Swansea, I cannot understand why he got booking, two Swansea players throw him, he only stand infront of them and was fauled. Its time to play him instead of Cisse, who offers nothing apart his goals…Thauvin,Abdennour in and try Willems too.
Jib
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:37 PM
Comment #128I’m usually a strong advocate of the “a point is a point philosophy” but with such an unusual start to the season and the widow still open for over 2 weeks , I’m thinking let’s throw caution to the wind.
Instead of pissfarting about at Old Trafford trying to get a point where everyone expects a drubbing lets go shyt or bust.
Krul
Mbemba
Taylor
Coloccini
Haidara
Colback
Wijnaldum
Aarons
Perez
Cisse
Mitrovic
Tsunki
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:38 PM
Comment #129Jayphoto – not trying to out -jeff you but won’t it be Toe-Vah(n) with the (n) being nasal and almost silent? Even better for the squirm worthy commentator attempts ha ha.
Tsunki
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:38 PM
Comment #130Ooh that was eerily timed.
Tsunki
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:39 PM
Comment #131The widow is still open according to jeff. Don’t know who this widow is…
beefman13
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:41 PM
Comment #132To be honest I don’t think our result would have been any difference even if Janmatt had not been sent off, it just gave SM an extra excuse.
Tsunki
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:41 PM
Comment #133Jeff I doubt that will happen. SM is still trying to cobble a defensive performance together first of all. And the all out mentality sounds heroic but could be a demoralising 6-0 for the young uns to remember for a long time.
jayphoto
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:41 PM
Comment #134think with the TV money what it is, and with what it’s going to be, and with parachute payments etc it’ll be unlikely we see a side do a Portsmouth again! Noticed that most of the sides coming up and being financially sensible, last season Burnley invested most of it into infrastructure and development, Norwich and Bournemouth seem to be doing similar.
QPR could have been in danger of doing a pompey but doubt the Mittal family would allow it to happen. Its a club that’s ran terribly but at the heart of it the owners and chairman seem to care.
Think we’re more likely to see league one and two clubs goes bust trying to reach the cash promiseland. Personally I’d happily see Wigan drop 5 leagues… Hate it when small clubs have attendances of 5 men and their dog for premier league games, its why I’d rather not see Boro back!
Hate Leeds, but teams like Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday, Notthingham Forest would all add something to the premier league! Great away days, proper football grounds etc
Transfer Sage
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:41 PM
Comment #135Jib
I think you should enter every game trying to win. Obviously you can’t win them all but even if the plan is to just hang in there and score from a counter you need some plan to try and stop the opposition totally dictating the game.
Our Toon
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:43 PM
Comment #136Jail
Almost a decade of neglect, poor management, piss poor decision making at all levels….who needs to do a Leeds when you can just do a Toon. We are only in the premiership because of sports direct otherwise Ashley would have done a Gordon Geko to us a long time ago….asset strip and sell
Transfer Sage
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:45 PM
Comment #137Jay
Exactly. The money is so great now and the perm league looks after relegated clubs so most teams will be fine.
Also I never get the “do a leeds” situation. Both them and Pompey over spent, leeds got a couple years of champions league and Pompey top 6 and an a FA cup win.
They then fell 2/3 divisions. Neither have gone bust and both still play league football.
Plenty of teams in the league do nothing at all except a string of bottom half finishes then spend years in the lower leagues. How is that any better?
jayphoto
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:46 PM
Comment #138@Tsunki – http://vocaroo.com/i/s0B8OvGIOJMO 🙂
jayphoto
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:52 PM
Comment #139@Transfer- I think what Ashley as done over last 4 seasons has been worse! If I wasn’t a toon fan I would hate Newcastles involvement in the PL! Same with Aston Villas. No wish to compete, no wish to improve, just 10th-14th every season as a goal. Newcastle and Villa up until this season been the only sides not looking to improve each year.
Leeds gambled and it didn’t pay off but they did it at a time when the money was a fragment of what it is now.
Any team in the Premier league realistically could spend a 100m in a transfer window and it would bankrupt them. It might stretch them and it’d be a bad decision but they’d know over the course of the 4 years parachute payments if they got relegated (and with 100m on players chances are they might stay up) that they could repay the money over a few years. 5 years ago that kind of spending would wipe a club out but now it’d just see them uncomfortable
Blackley and Brownlie
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:55 PM
Comment #140“We must get Mitrovic” was all we heard on the blog for ages. Now there’s not the clamour for him to start that I’d expected. Most of the comments concern his hot headedness and how it could be a liability.
I keep hearing that foreigners often take a full season to adapt. Can we afford to give players a full season of poor form? Football is all about the here and now. If Cabella leaves now, he will have been an awful signing. Surely we can’t continue to run our club like this?
Offkey
Aug 17, 2015 at 1:59 PM
Comment #141Blackley – I am pretty sure most want him to start but a few have questions over temperament. …..still, I think they want him to start though otherwise I may have chipped in
Our Toon
Aug 17, 2015 at 2:08 PM
Comment #142Blackley
I want mitrovic to start, think you’ll find 98 percent of fans want him to start, McClaren for some odd reason wanting Cisse
Our Toon
Aug 17, 2015 at 2:09 PM
Comment #143Maybe we are putting Cisse in the shop window for all to see, he’s recovered from knee problems, scored in 1st game….available at a good price!!
Blackley and Brownlie
Aug 17, 2015 at 2:22 PM
Comment #144Is Mitrovic overweight or is this his fighting weight?
Offkey
Aug 17, 2015 at 2:25 PM
Comment #145He looks a tad large to me, but a cf carrying a few pounds can still be a handful imo especially if he is not a player that relies on speed…..which I think he is not, albeit, I have only seen clips and what people say
jimmysmith
Aug 17, 2015 at 10:09 PM
Comment #146I guess Thauvin is Obertans replacement and seen as the solution to the problem of the left wing, considering McClaren seems to think Aarons isn’t ready. The club appears to be quite ruthless when it gets the opportunity to move in the transfer market. Gouffran, Cabella, Willo and others look finished, and if I was Obertan and Saylor I wouldn’t be feeling too secure either, despite figuring.