ok we played some good stuff  and costa got a well needed match time, new keeper did well , 

 

What concerns me is i hope Monk is the only Manager who has a copy of  our games against spurs , stoke ,

 

and PSG from last season  , simple tactic isolate Brana  against a player with pace which drags  us all over the place

 

I  cant believe JM did not know how quick montero is and that he would skin Brana  at will  ,

 

the good news is that the problems are positional    with the odd change later down the road 

 

WE WILL STILL WE THE PREM 

I think it was a clear sending off unfortunately, my gripe is I don't think it was in the area, but i can't even make my mind up on it and I've seen it about 20 times so blaming the ref for it is harsh,

I thought he had a pretty good game, there were a couple of decisions that Costa should have got but it happens.

Well a far from ideal start to the season but, all things considered, a draw was not a disastrous outcome and in reality it was a fair one. Swansea were impressive throughout. 

 

The main talking point is obviously the red for Courtois and, whilst I think there is a case to be made for Cahill covering, had it been at the other end I would have been calling for his head. I think if we take the blue tinted glasses off we have to accept that it was a right balls up defensively and the red, whilst maybe being slightly harsh, was not an outrageous decision. 

 

All in all I didn't think the performance from us was terrible... certainly plenty of room for improvement defensively but if you take the calamity with Courtois out the equation we were on course for the win and we still gave it a go with 10 men for 45 minutes and salvaged a point- it could have been much worse. 

 

I am not full of confidence going into the game against City and their array of attacking talent will be a stern test for a defence which looked sloppy yesterday. We, and Jose, thrive on these big games however so perhaps it is just the game we need to kick start our season.

I think it was a clear sending off unfortunately, my gripe is I don't think it was in the area, but i can't even make my mind up on it and I've seen it about 20 times so blaming the ref for it is harsh,

I thought he had a pretty good game, there were a couple of decisions that Costa should have got but it happens.

Looked on the line to me...which is in the area, in the same way if a keeper handles it on the line it's not hand ball.

I think its an easy appeal against the red car.

 

The wording is 'denying a CLEAR goal scoring opportunity' that was nowhere near a clear opportunity.

I think its an easy appeal against the red car.

 

The wording is 'denying a CLEAR goal scoring opportunity' that was nowhere near a clear opportunity.

I thought he was sent off for the foul, denying a clear goal scoring opportunity is a whole different set of circumstances.

I think its an easy appeal against the red car.

 

The wording is 'denying a CLEAR goal scoring opportunity' that was nowhere near a clear opportunity.

 

Correct.

 

What really gripes me is that Tibo got a straight red for that challenge, whilst the Swansea team we're allowed to blatantly foul Hazard all the time, and were only getting shown the yellow card after the same player has made 6 or 7 fouls.

Tibo isn't the last man because at the point of contact Cahill is closer to our goal than he is, close to the incident too. Add that to the fact the touch past the keeper was at an angle and pace that was moving the ball away from goal which would have meant having a bit of work to do, wasn't going to be a simple tap in for the striker.

A keeper not being there isn't really the deciding factor, it's where the ball is and the possibility of the striker being able to score before a defender can intervene.

I think he was sent off for foul play, straight red.

I think he was sent off for foul play, straight red.

 

But that challenge anywhere else on the pitch is a yellow card tops. He got a straight red for the denial of a goal scoring opportunity.

Edited August 9, 201510 yr by coco

I think he was sent off for foul play, straight red.

I just can't see that being the case. It wasn't violent or dangerous in any way. Just a trip really.

But that challenge anywhere else on the pitch is a yellow card tops. He got a straight red for the denial of a goal scoring opportunity.

I don't think he did, a knee high challenge is a red.....sometimes !....have to see the refs report I suppose, but it was a clear goalscoring OPPORTUNITY, it doesn't mean the ref has to be sure he would score.

Edited August 9, 201510 yr by shedupper3

I just can't see that being the case. It wasn't violent or dangerous in any way. Just a trip really.

dunno about that, a knee high challenge on a player going at full pelt isn't just a trip. Anyway, our fault for letting him get exposed like that

Anyway, José is laying into little Eva the physio for not understanding the game and treating Hazard when we were down to 10 men !.....poor girl.

This match is typical in showing thatif you have a reasonable bunch of footballers with heart and passion , and a will to win, you dont really need big names on an eigth of a mil a week to be a hit in the prem

This match is typical in showing thatif you have a reasonable bunch of footballers with heart and passion , and a will to win, you dont really need big names on an eigth of a mil a week to be a hit in the prem

spot on mate and they played some good football, took the game to us after the break

Never thought I'd ever agree with Jamie Redknapp, but he seems to be only pundit to spot that Cahill would have got back and blocked gomis' path to goal...ref sh*t as always, noticeably not spotting Williams blatant push on Costa when he was through at the other end which was at least a yellow, he got a yellow shortly afterwards so should have had a red...can't complain about the result cos we were poor and outplayed, but match officials were a joke, same old, same old

This match is typical in showing thatif you have a reasonable bunch of footballers with heart and passion , and a will to win, you dont really need big names on an eigth of a mil a week to be a hit in the prem

Also shows how start of the season is always a great leveller, especially when you haven't prepared properly yourself...Swansea, like Fiorentina a few days earlier, looked a lot fitter and sharper...if cfc were at their level fitness wise, they win against them 9/10...as we saw last season when we knocked nine goals past them in two matches...but don't get me wrong, have a lot of admiration for swansea's style of play, clever transfer business and gary monk

I like the way they dragged our players back behind our offside line with dummy runs, and then exposed our high back line, this is something that needs to be addressed, any good manager will be trying the same trick.

Also shows how start of the season is always a great leveller, especially when you haven't prepared properly yourself...Swansea, like Fiorentina a few days earlier, looked a lot fitter and sharper...if cfc were at their level fitness wise, they win against them 9/10...as we saw last season when we knocked nine goals past them in two matches...but don't get me wrong, have a lot of admiration for swansea's style of play, clever transfer business and gary monk

 

Pre season next year we should just send the fringe players half way around the world for a couple of weeks sight seeing and shaking hands and leave the first team squad at Cobham...bet we'd see a difference.

Never thought I'd ever agree with Jamie Redknapp, but he seems to be only pundit to spot that Cahill would have got back and blocked gomis' path to goal...ref sh*t as always, noticeably not spotting Williams blatant push on Costa when he was through at the other end which was at least a yellow, he got a yellow shortly afterwards so should have had a red...can't complain about the result cos we were poor and outplayed, but match officials were a joke, same old, same old

redknapp is a dick. They guy was denied a goal scoring OPPORTUNITY, regardless of whether Cahill could have stopped him.

A frustrating game really just like the Arsenal one. Although actually though we were more on top against Arsenal than the game yesterday. The result isn't great but at least we didn't lose.

 

More worryingly for me is the lack of chances we are creating. Look at both the goals yesterday, one was a total fluke let's be fair and the other was a crowded free kick that went straight through. Other than that I can only really remember the Hazard shot that was even close to being a chance we should score. Fabregas seems to still have his end of last season form, he's just not finding those balls he used to. We also seem to never shoot when we have the chance and pass instead. Great when it works but not so much when we need a goal and it's not coming off.

 

Specific problem yesterday seemed to be right back. Brana was getting murdered by Montero, was so glad when he went off. I love Brana and he has been superb but he offers little going forward and we need someone with more pace out there. A new LB and switching Azpi would be great. Also thought Hazard was quiet yesterday, when he wasn't getting battered by every Swansea player that is.

 

On a positive note Costa looked good and was at the heart of most of our good stuff. Also thought Oscar was really good until we had to take him off.

redknapp is a dick. They guy was denied a goal scoring OPPORTUNITY, regardless of whether Cahill could have stopped him.

It's actually has to be an OBVIOUS opportunity for it to be a red as per the law of the game.

The fact we are all debating whether Cahill could have been a factor clearly indicates it wasn't OBVIOUS.

It's actually has to be an OBVIOUS opportunity for it to be a red as per the law of the game.

The fact we are all debating whether Cahill could have been a factor clearly indicates it wasn't OBVIOUS.

 

So an obvious opportunity means an open goal?

This match is typical in showing thatif you have a reasonable bunch of footballers with heart and passion , and a will to win, you dont really need big names on an eigth of a mil a week to be a hit in the prem

 

It's a fair point, but I have my doubts as to whether a reasonable bunch of footballers with heart and passion can maintain that level of performance over the course of a season. On their day Swansea are a good team and if they can play like they did against us yesterday will have a good season - good luck to them.

Edited August 9, 201510 yr by the special one

I was saying it before the first game.

We won't win it, but we still played some lovely stuff at times out there yesterday, I'm looking forward to a season where we can relax and enjoy the football without worrying too much about the title, top 3 will do me.

Not that bothered if we don't win it. I'll be happy if we end the season like this:

Compete for the title. Win it or not as long as we compete.

Go far in the champions league

Win a domestic cup

Keep mourinho regardless of what happens.

I'm confident there will be a massive rebuilding next summer anyway.