After staying away from the board yesterday so that I didn't get drifted into other people's opinions, I have had time to re-watch the highlights and think about how I feel this defeat will effect us. Firstly, losing 5-0 at home to any team is unacceptable. That is a given for any team I feel. On the positive side to this, losing to a team like Swansea as opposed to Man City will certainly prevent us into being lured into a false sense of security. We need to improve defensively, and it needs to be dramatic. I'm not buying into this crap of "the team needs time to gel" either when the majority (bar 1 or 2) have been there since day 1 of pre season. With the back four, I am still amazed how for the first game on the season Hughes hasn't managed to get a conventional back four sorted out. Onuoha is not an out and out right back. He is a centre back being pushed out there and however much he has played there, he hasn't got the correct positional awareness to play there and in my opinion is thinking like a centre back when he is playing there. Clint Hill finally proved me right again in thinking he is not a premier league defender, as I've said time and time again he is great when you're in a dog fight, but when push comes to shove at the start of the season, he doesn't make the cut. Surely Nelson (who is a similar age with much more experience) should get the nod? The addition of Bosingwa should add a little more experience than Onuoha as well. In midfield, although a keen admirer of him, there is no way Diakite should have started yesterday. He missed the last few pre-season games and didn't look match-fit as he only played in the doddle friendlies over in Asia. There also seemed to lack a bit of fluidity in the midfield, compared to Swansea anyway. I can't see how we've improved our squad and lost to a team we beat 3-0 last year. They certainly haven't improved that dramatically and it will be their biggest winning margin of the season. It disappoints me more to see some the chances we were creating but failing to score, Mackie in particular should have buried his chance, albeit a fantastic reflex save. It's obvious we are all disappointed, but let's not forget Bhatia and Fernandes are no mugs. With the money Hughes has had to spend, the calibre of players he has brought in, the board will be humiliated by that defeat and I wouldn't be surprised if they were already lining up a list of managers to come in should there not be an improvement. I am still optimistic we have a squad that can easily survived, and it may well be a blessing in disguise that we have lost heavily now and not at a crunch time with several fixtures coming up in a row. The team have 6 days to fix the problems that were caused and get focused for what is already a massive game against Norwich, who thankfully were even more woeful than us yesterday. Keep the heads up, the results will come. Negativity is expected, but nothing lifts a player more than the crowds passion so let's keep going to these games, lets keep cheering on our beloved team and watch us climb up the table. U R'sssssss!
Good post. Give it until the WBA game and if it ain't turned around by then TF will have to pull the trigger.
The opinion of Rangers fans means more than mine on this topic but one thing you said is incorrect: "They certainly haven't improved that dramatically". We have. Rodgers had our wingers stuck to the touchline and allowed possession for possession's sake - often in our own half when we were losing. Laudrup won't have that. The three signings of De Guzman, Michu and Flores are all improvements on the ones who left. Golden boy Sinclair was benched yesterday and Routledge given his long awaited chance. He took it because he didn't get too many opportunities under Rodgers. So we may agree to disagree but we're a different animal this season imo. We drew with Bundesliga outfit Stuttgart (who are no slouches) pre season and it was obvious then that we wouldn't miss Joe Allen. As for QPR, others will be better placed to comment. No, you weren't great and I agree we're unlikely to get a better score all season, but Hughes will get it right. It's one game and there's a long way to go.
A very constructive reply KJ, thank you. My opinion was based on the personel, I thought losing the Sig and Joe Allen would significantly weaken your side but I accept your point gracefully. I agree about Routledge having a good game, adds salt to the wound considering he helped get us up. Michu was particularly impressive yesterday also.
Good post. I mentioned on another post how narrow you played Routledge and Dyer, with Taraabt, Hoilett and Mackie all tending to plough a wide furrow on the attack we were absolutely wide open for the sucker-punch counter through the middle. Your first four goals all came from this weakness that left Park and Diakite overrun on the counter. We had our moments in the first half and you'll be lucky to meet such accommodating opponents away from home again this season, but you took your chances brilliantly on the day. All the best for the season...
Probably should have done the same as you and had a night to calm down, agree with everything said 37.
