The new Premier League season began with a bang on Saturday as Michael Laudrup enjoyed a dream debut as Swansea boss while his predecessor Brendan Rodgers endured a nightmare start to his Liverpool reign. Danish legend Laudrup could not have wished for a better beginning as his Swansea side enjoyed a stroll in the sun at Loftus Road, thrashing their hosts, Queens Park Rangers, 5-0. Summer recruit, Michu, the highest scoring midfielder in La Liga last season with 14, demonstrated why with a debut double including the first of the new Premier League season. The Spaniard opened the scoring when shot crept past goalkeeper Robert Green in the eighth minute before he doubled his tally after the break thanks to Wayne Routledge's inch-perfect ball from the left which he fired into the net. Nathan Dyer fired the third, again from a Routledge assist, before he beat the offside trap to score Swansea's fourth, with Scott Sinclair's strike rounding off new manager Laudrup's perfect start to the season. The same could not be said for Rodgers, though, as he saw his Liverpool side, who played the majority of the second half with 10 men after Daniel Agger was sent off, crash to a resounding 3-0 defeat to West Brom. The Baggies took the lead late in the first half when Zoltan Gera smashed an early contender for Goal of the Season past Pepe Reina after Reds striker Luis Suarez had missed two great chances to give Liverpool the advantage. Agger was shown a red card after he brought down the tireless Shane Long in the area after the break but the striker was unable to convert from the spot. However, Long quickly atoned when he was tripped by Martin Skrtel to claim another penalty, with Peter Odemwingie firing into the bottom left corner, before substitute Romelu Lukaku, on loan from Chelsea, sealed the win in the 78th minute with a close-range header. - Sport360 - You could say it was a 'Tale of two Cities'!! ...............
At the start QPR fans were chanting boring boring Swansea !! At the end we were chanting boring boring Swansea. They were lucky it wasn't double figures. The second half we simply ran riot, whoever hasn't seen our second goal is in for a treat watching MOTD tonight.
Kicked off in the pubs didnt it ?? Awesome 2nd half from the team. Cant wait to see what happens against west ham,who will be a different kettle of fish
Stuttgart and now this. Im sure there is a pattern here. Both games in the first half our players hardly broke a sweat, we just moved the ball around casually, invited pressure and stuck our men behind the ball... It was as if we were conserving energy. Then in both games after the break our players literally went from 2nd gear to 6th! Banged 3 in against a top german side then another 4 today. I wonder if its a tactic ML is employing - tire them out first half, let them do all the running, then let loose second half and hit them while theyre tiring! I know he said he was unhappy at both first halves but that could just be to sway other teams away from what he is really trying to do. Worth a thought.
Been thinking along those lines myself swans-m!! Could well be a strategy. Norway I expect us to take the Hammers apart at the liberty!...............
You know, it may even be that ML having looked at the first half uses his experience as a manager and of being one of the best players in the world to make a few tweaks which makes all the difference!
Phil, yes it kicked off yet again. Outside the Springbok pub again !! I've been 5 times and there's been something every time. Today I was walking back to our coaches and some little chav was pointing at me giving the large. I couldn't help but laugh at him, waved my hand making a point of spreading out my five fingers. It really was pathetic, he and his mates were about 16, if I'd lamped him he'd have run a mile. The worst part was that the so called adults there were egging these berks on. Priceless !!
Not many will have seen it yet judging by the woeful support and space you left. Shame considering it was such a great result for you.
Ding ding, we have a sore loser. Outside the Springbok were you ? You are the last team to comment on away support, will it be 2 or 3 taxis to the Liberty this season then ?
What a cheecky twat , QPR bring **** all support down to our place.. lucky to bring 300 . A bitter Lemon me thinks
Woooahh easy boys get the hook out ya mouths. Could have sworn I said great result for you! Thoroughly deserved and wouldn't argue. Couple of 50/50 penalty shouts for us and a stunning save by vorm stopped us getting back in it at 1-0. Just a shame you left half a stand empty when so many rangers couldn't get tickets. Probably did them a favour though! If you're that touchy after a quality win I'll have to pop back when you lose!!
