Martinez Upbeat

"The Goal Is Coming"

Roberto Martinez is insistent that his side is going in the right direction despite watching then squander a host of chances in a second dominant display in a row that brought no win for the Swans.

It was frustration again for the Swans as they laid an almost 90 minute siege against the Forest defence but a combination of bad luck, bad finishing and a fussy referee at times stopped the game having the flow that it could have had done or indeed the goal. It would have been so different had Scotland or Duffy found the net early doors – Forest would have had to open up a little but and, in our side and style at the moment, I think that any side who opens up against us will be torn apart.

But Martinez was refusing to be downbeat after the game and feels that, despite the poor point return, the goals and the results will come sooner rather than later. “The way we played was very pleasing,” he told the Wales on Sunday

“The performance was a bit more complete than at Oldham both going forward and defensively, and we just lacked the goal. We hit the post twice and we had 16 attempts on goal with seven on target and we restricted them to just two on target.

“But the first goal didn’t come and that makes all the difference. The worrying thing would be if we were not creating chances but we did and if we carry on this level of performance it will come.

“It’s not the result we wanted and we are all disappointed, but my players know that this is a long season and we must not only perform against sides like Forest.

“The table is not satisfying but the table only matters when you look at it in March.”

It’s easy at the moment to echo the words of Roberto. The side has played two league games against two sides heavily tipped to be up there when teh final shake up happens in May. And against both sides we have been by far the better side. Crossley kept us out last weekend with some great saves and Smith did the same yesterday. The points return is not what we deserved but if the football carries on in the same vain then that column will soon reflect what it deserves to reflect.

Martinez has brought some quality additions this summer – nobody can fail to have been impressed by Bodde, Rangel or Scotland and De Vries has conceded just one goal from open play in 270 minutes. That all bodes well for the season ahead.

We now go into a stage of the season – four games between now and a trip to Elland Road in a month and all four are winnable and it honestly wouldn’t surprise me if we went to Leeds with a double figures points tally from our opening 6 games.

There is no need to panic.

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