I was at the V festival yesterday. My manager was at the game as he is a Baggies season ticket holder. He kindly sent me a text commentary to interrupt my delight at seeing Madness, Tinie Tempah et al!!! Texts such as 'Yam gettin battered' (sic) continued for most of the afternoon, and gems such as 'you're just a shit Swansea'. I was obviously delighted
So I gets home, reads the post match thread and thought we'd mutated in to Stafford Rangers the over-reaction in there.
So now I've finally watched this apolcalypse of a match I think it's fair to see that we were OK! Obviously the score was less than desired, but we have new players, a new manager and a whole new system, It will take time, we will have our arses handed to us a few times, but so long as the end goal is reached, it's just a small hurdle eh!
I saw many positives in the first 55 or so mins. Lucas and Allen have the making of a very balanced partnership, they seem to communicate so one went and one stayed which was nice to see. iI was also good to see Lucas having a tactically and positionally aware energetic partner. I see good things for those two. It was also apparant how Lucas regularly dropped in to cover the CB's forward excursions, it's encouraging to see the players adapting to this part of Rodgers system. On a personal note, I don't think Lucas was as rusty as others have said, got caught in possession once, but so did Allen late on. 68 Mins of good workout will push him on and I was pleased he was taken off when he was.
Lucas's departure did however unbalance the team somewhat and West Brom certainly started to come in to the game significantly more. Some of our defending was comical, no-one seemed to know who the hell they were marking. As for Carragher. How long is this going to go on? 19 year old Lukaku made a mug of him too many times, it was embarrassing for everyone.
Joe Cole's presence is the only real concern for me. Not Joe himself, although that is obviously a big worry, more the reasons he was picked. He's done nothing in either pre-season or the Gomel games to earn a place in the team above Shelvey or Henderson, yet gets the nod over them both. it smacks of favouritism to me, not the playing of players based on merit, and it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. The fact that he was panting after 4 minutes like my Nan after she has run a bath is also truly horrifying to see.
Gerrard had a bad day, Borini will be great but had a mixed day and Suarez was awesome and woeful all at the same time but that doesn't worry me, but the absence of Stewart Downing does. Where was he?