Martinez Not Happy

Martinez Not Happy

Roberto Martinez admitted after Saturday’s home defeat that he wasn’t happy with aspects of the performance from the very beginning of the match. The free flowing passing style that has dominated the first handful of games was very evident by it’s absence on Saturday as the Swans crashed 2-1 to Doncaster in a very poor display.

“There were many departments that I wasn’t happy with from the first minute,” he explained to the Western Mail after the game.

“But, as a football club, we need to be patient and keep playing our way when things aren’t going for us.

“This was a clear example of such a situation and we were in control until the sending-off. You have to adapt to these situations, though, that’s the disappointing side to it because we didn’t do that.

“It’s disappointing because we have set very high standards

“But we have to be realistic because the game had two different sides to it, before and after the sending-off.

“I can still get a lot of positives, as well as negatives, from the first 60 minutes. After that it was a completely different game.

“I was disappointed to concede two goals though. A sending-off should never mean that you are going to concede two goals, and we need to learn how to be psychologically stronger when facing these situations.

“It’s true that we weren’t as good as we can be, but there are games when you just have to try and win without hitting the heights.

“You get that everywhere in Europe, not just Swansea, but we created our own problems.

“The sending-off is obviously one of them. It doesn’t help when you go down to 10 men and give the opposition the initiative.”

Martinez was also understandably frustrated by the moment of madness that saw Ferrie Bodde become the second Swans player to be red carded at the Liberty Stadium – Kevin Austin being the first in the 7-1 win over Bristol City

“We really got punished,” he said. “The boys showed great effort and attitude to try and defend our lead, but we got punished and, from just three shots, they scored two goals from outside the area. You don’t see that too often.

“I would like to see the sending-off again because I didn’t really see it. But I’m not going to blame anyone but ourselves. These incidents always happen, you have to take responsibility and that’s what Ferrie needs to do.

“He needs to learn from it and he needs to know that everyone is really disappointed because football is a team game and, when you do something like that, it’s a really selfish act.

“You do have a learning curve when you come into the British game and that’s what is happening with Ferrie

“You have to learn that while some reactions aren’t punished on the continent, here, if you get a referee like today, it’s different.

“I don’t like to speak about referees, but I thought he had a poor afternoon.

“He allowed Doncaster to slow the tempo down and I don’t think he had the same criteria for both teams.

“It’s a setback in the sense that any defeat is a setback, but I don’t think it will be in the long-term.

“We can get a lot stronger from this performance, we can learn a lot and I’m looking forward to the reaction from the players.

“It’s a huge test for the dressing room, but I know they are ready for it.”

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