"I thought those days were behind us."

[Risso]

Maybe those who see it differently can explain their rationale?

It's only two games, but we've been really badly beaten in both of them. The set up wasn't right, and when things started to go badly we had no answer in either of them. In addition, Watkins is on a run of 1 goal in 11 games, but yet again we didn't bring in another striker. Duran looks so far away from being ready for the Premier League it's not even funny.

[pauliewalnuts]

That is it, though, the reality check is we're playing a really, really good side, who will very possibly challenge for the title, at their place.

There is every chance they will beat us - someone posted the other day how long it is since they lost at home - so we've seen that we've still got a lot of work to do, despite all the amazing progress so far, and it doesn't impinge on that progress.

I imagine Newcastle also got a reality check last night, too, cock-a-hoop over their Champions League draw then they go and get murdered at Brighton, but just as that result won't really mean anything for the progress they have made, neither will ours today.

I'd also say that really, you can't hold anyone to things said in the heat of a match thread, or the early pages of a post-match. People are wound up and upset and not thinking logically. It is just human nature.

[LeeB]

Maybe those who see it differently can explain their rationale?

It's only two games, but we've been really badly beaten in both of them. The set up wasn't right, and when things started to go badly we had no answer in either of them. In addition, Watkins is on a run of 1 goal in 11 games, but yet again we didn't bring in another striker. Duran looks so far away from being ready for the Premier League it's not even funny.

Without taking away your valid points, I actually did find it funny when Duran tried the second time.

[Risso]

Maybe those who see it differently can explain their rationale?

It's only two games, but we've been really badly beaten in both of them. The set up wasn't right, and when things started to go badly we had no answer in either of them. In addition, Watkins is on a run of 1 goal in 11 games, but yet again we didn't bring in another striker. Duran looks so far away from being ready for the Premier League it's not even funny.

Without taking away your valid points, I actually did find it funny when Duran tried the second time.

True, you need a bit of gallows humour at times like that.

[PaulWinch again]

It is a bad couple of games, but I’ve seen more than enough from Emery to believe he gets that and can correct it. The performances were horrible, but there’s every chance we’d have lost both games if we played well. We just need to show we’ve learned our lessons.

[Ian.]

It’s just a worry that last season under Emery we were competitive in more or less every game and had a really mean defence. Now we’ve lost 2/4 and been absolutely thrashed in the defeats with no answer in those matches to even look remotely competitive.

We did ship 8 goals in quick succession last season against Leicester and Arsenal under Emery before going on a very decent run. Hopefully like last season we learn from these defeats.

[Risso]

And it's not important in the grand scale of things, but I hate going into the international break on the back of a defeat. Even more so when it's a proper hiding.

[PaulWinch again]

And it's not important in the grand scale of things, but I hate going into the international break on the back of a defeat. Even more so when it's a proper hiding.

Completely agree on that. And it’s a minor quibble, but I take umbrage at the fact we’ve had 3 out of first 4 games away and 2 of those against top 5 teams.

[Risso]

It’s just a worry that last season under Emery we were competitive in more or less every game and had a really mean defence. Now we’ve lost 2/4 and been absolutely thrashed in the defeats with no answer in those matches to even look remotely competitive.

We did ship 8 goals in quick succession last season against Leicester and Arsenal under Emery before going on a very decent run. Hopefully like last season we learn from these defeats.

They felt different though. Arsenal we were actually winning for the first hour, and only chucked a point away in injury time. Leicester again we were winning but made four terrible individual errors. The set up and majority of the play in both games was generally fine. To be fair Newcastle wasn't actually as bad as today, because we played well in parts up there. Today was woeful though, and lessons clearly weren't learned from the opening day.

[Risso]

And it's not important in the grand scale of things, but I hate going into the international break on the back of a defeat. Even more so when it's a proper hiding.

Completely agree on that. And it’s a minor quibble, but I take umbrage at the fact we’ve had 3 out of first 4 games away and 2 of those against top 5 teams.

We asked for the away games though as the pitch had to recover from the summer activities.

[pauliewalnuts]

Away at Newcastle, Liverpool and Burnley, home to Everton, and getting six points is also far from disastrous.

It's just a bit more underwhelming because of the nature of the Newcastle game, which was a very particular set of circumstances. We were in the game until Mings went off, and I think it is very easy to underestimate the. psychological impact of seeing your leader go off the pitch after ten minutes on the deck, and sporting an oxygen mask, having seen the same thing on the training pitch with another popular player a few days before. 

[kippaxvilla2]

Maybe we thought the days of being cannon fodder to the 'big clubs' were seen as a thing of the past.  Nature of the defeats though is what worries me.  Once we go a goal down we look weak minded.  No natural leader out there without Tyrone.

[PaulWinch again]

And it's not important in the grand scale of things, but I hate going into the international break on the back of a defeat. Even more so when it's a proper hiding.

Completely agree on that. And it’s a minor quibble, but I take umbrage at the fact we’ve had 3 out of first 4 games away and 2 of those against top 5 teams.

We asked for the away games though as the pitch had to recover from the summer activities.

Ah fair enough I didn’t know that.

[passport1]

Not sure I buy the getting ahead of ourselves criticism.  We all know that results are not guaranteed  with top level football. The optimism was based on the managers pre match comments that we were going to Liverpool to test ourselves . Naturally  no one was expecting  an abject performance just a very competitive one.
I still remain confident that we will have a successful  season.

[RamboandBruno]

Maybe those who see it differently can explain their rationale?

It's only two games, but we've been really badly beaten in both of them. The set up wasn't right, and when things started to go badly we had no answer in either of them. In addition, Watkins is on a run of 1 goal in 11 games, but yet again we didn't bring in another striker. Duran looks so far away from being ready for the Premier League it's not even funny.

Without taking away your valid points, I actually did find it funny when Duran tried the second time.

My 13 year old rolled his eyes and i laughed out loud.