S25/26 | The Official Match Thread | Middlesbrough 1 Swansea 0 | Att: 26,035 (Away 685) | 3pm | Saturday 9th August 2026

[Londonlisa2001]

Don’t know how we could even expect a performance based on the factors mentioned, and we are almost always abysmal on the first day of the season unfortunately

Nonsense.

I have seen first day matches where I have known with absolute certainty we were going to have a great season irrespective of the result.

I know with absolute certainty we need at least two players this week. At least.

 

[gerwyn.evans]

It’s about planning and using money properly.

O’Brien cost less upfront than we have spent and less per week than we’ve got rid of this summer.

Inoussa looks like a nice player but why strengthen out wide when our quality was better than elsewhere and fail to recognise that the middle of midfield is where we were desperate and where the money needed to be spent? Let’s hope Widell is better than he has appeared so far and hope Galbraith can step up.

LOB is less p.w. than we have got rid of but that would be one player versus several that have gone. We are up against the wire from PSR unless and/or until we can grow our revenue and while I’d have loved LOB to sign (even more grating that he has gone to Wrexham) but the reality is the deal wasn’t financially viable for us. I don’t see a great deal of quality in our wide options, Bianchini was shipped out and it’s clear Ginelly isn’t wanted so arguably we still need a quality wide option beyond Inoussa and EOM unless Ronald steps up and we need a 4th anyway unless it’s going to be Sam Parker?

 

[gerwyn.evans]

Nonsense.

I have seen first day matches where I have known with absolute certainty we were going to have a great season irrespective of the result.

I know with absolute certainty we need at least two players this week. At least.

Nonsense ? Such an arrogant answer.

You’re actually contradicting yourself as two players are needed but these are actually key signings that we need, so how can you expect a quality performance without them?

 

[Londonlisa2001]

LOB is less p.w. than we have got rid of but that would be one player versus several that have gone. We are up against the wire from PSR unless and/or until we can grow our revenue and while I’d have loved LOB to sign (even more grating that he has gone to Wrexham) but the reality is the deal wasn’t financially viable for us. I don’t see a great deal of quality in our wide options, Bianchini was shipped out and it’s clear Ginelly isn’t wanted so arguably we still need a quality wide option beyond Inoussa and EOM unless Ronald steps up and we need a 4th anyway unless it’s going to be Sam Parker?

Bianchini was only shipped out last week.

he would have been fine this season.

 

[gerwyn.evans]

Bianchini was only shipped out last week.

he would have been fine this season.

So you know better than the club management? Ok

 

[Londonlisa2001]

Nonsense ? Such an arrogant answer.

You’re actually contradicting yourself as two players are needed but these are actually key signings that we need, so how can you expect a quality performance without them?

Yeah well. We could have brought them in before the season.

Anyway. Haven’t you got better things to do than argue on here? We need a striker, midfielder to replace O ‘Brien, cover at left back…

 

[cmajack]

View attachment 6155

Deserve a bloody medal for travelling to watch that crap.

 

[sit_down_jack]

Not sure how to feel after that performance. I liked some of our games under Sheehan last season and we obviously had the results, I was hoping we’d see a more definite style than what we did there.

Just hope we’re not here in 6/7 weeks saying Hellberg should have been appointed.

Trying to be positive…

 

[gerwyn.evans]

Yeah well. We could have brought them in before the season.

Anyway. Haven’t you got better things to do than argue on here? We need a striker, midfielder to replace O ‘Brien, cover at left back…

Well you are arguing too aren’t you? Do you not have anything better to do either? Yes we need new players, everyone knows that, and the utopia would be that we would have the full squad in place, fit and ready to go but our financial restraints mean that was never going to be the case, and the sooner people get their heads round that the better. Clubs far more illustrious than us are still recruiting and having difficulty doing so.

 

[Copamundial]

LOB was a decent player nothing more nothing less, seriously the way some go on about him you could swear he was Xavi…how did Wrectum get off today anyway???

 

[magicdaps10]

Nothing wrong with wearing a gumshield.

Can you name the Swans forward who also wore one??

No, sorry.

Who was it?

 

[gerwyn.evans]

LOB was a decent player nothing more nothing less, seriously the way some go on about him you could swear he was Xavi…how did Wrectum get off today anyway???

He would enhance our team this season, ok he’s not Xavi but a very good championship player. And Wrexham lost one game, does that mean LOB is c**p? No chance

 

[Londonlisa2001]

Well you are arguing too aren’t you? Do you not have anything better to do either? Yes we need new players, everyone knows that, and the utopia would be that we would have the full squad in place, fit and ready to go but our financial restraints mean that was never going to be the case, and the sooner people get their heads round that the better. Clubs far more illustrious than us are still recruiting and having difficulty doing so.

There are no more financial restraints now than two weeks ago.

As I said, it’s all about planning. It was obvious that the difference in our team last season was O’Brien. So getting him, or a player very like him, was priority number one for our limited budget (along with replacing Darling).

We dropped Pederson, Naughton, Allen off the wage bill (only talking about significant sums - about 10 in total have gone I think). That’s a significant chunk of PSR to spend on the key position. Get the spine right and others will look better. Franco was a different player with O’Bfien next to him. Galbraith looks tidy albeit anonymous today. Widell looks at the moment like a Charlie Patino. Nice player but lightweight. Inoussa looks good but as I said, central midfield was a priority above wide players for me. And we don’t have a striker.

I’m sure we will improve the areas I mention, but at the end of the season, if three or six points are vital in one way or another, we will regret not sitting the spine in advance.

Nice to see you posting again though… it must have been killing you.

 

[Londonlisa2001]

LOB was a decent player nothing more nothing less, seriously the way some go on about him you could swear he was Xavi…how did Wrectum get off today anyway???

Genuinely ludicrous post. He is an exceptional player at championship level.

 

[Londonlisa2001]

Not sure how to feel after that performance. I liked some of our games under Sheehan last season and we obviously had the results, I was hoping we’d see a more definite style than what we did there.

Just hope we’re not here in 6/7 weeks saying Hellberg should have been appointed.

Trying to be positive…

The club had literally no choice other than to appoint Sheehan after the results last season.