Old Trafford aside the Bridge is the worst place to come after the weak derby performance. True, it could have been the making of us but it merely underlined where we are at the moment. We're good, we have the players, we have the manager and we have no heart once things go against us. In our first four league games of the season we've been behind in three of them and failed to win. Three goals in four games tells its own story. Now, I'm not going to criticise selection as I've agreed with every one of Rafa's teams where Bolo didn't figure. I thought the derby was the right team. We needed Carra not Danny for that game but it blew up in our faces. On the whole I agree with rotation but only for the wide players and forwards. The defence and centre mid should rarely change. They know what their job is – it's only the guile and imagination that should be given its head.
Of course, it nearly worked on Sunday. I was bemused by Gerrard's position but mostly because I thought it was Xabi who was supposed to be there (shades of Redknapp on the left against Bradford in May 2000). Unusual but I can see why he chose to go that way. That said, taking Momo off ahead instead of Bolo in PSV gave me pause though. Surely Bolo is a guest in this position, not the host.
Perhaps the problem is again the age old problem of letting new people adapt. I agree with all of Rafa's buys but does a team that twice went on ten game unbeaten spells really need to be messed around with? Surely the same players would learn to bind even quicker if they're not disrupted by new blood. Sure you've got to replace departing players but…but…oh, I don't know.
A word about Danny Agger. Please do not dye your hair, go to the press, visit China Whites or write for Nuts. There's something special there, something Lawrensonesque from the glorious days when he was mute. Don't spoil it by being 21st century.
It's not a great start – it's merely our usual one.
Walk on, on crutches if you wish.