Elano, Petrov...City. They looked impressive. Industrious. Creative. Big Sam, 90 minutes after his Prem League debut as manager of Newcastle, comes away with all three points at his old fortress, having already managed to impose and instill his style and tactics to his new team. Blackburn and Liverpool, two teams who hardly ever win on the opening day of the season do just that.

And yet we fail once more to buck the trend.

Martin Jol looked angry and upset, interviewed on Match of the Day. And that's fine for him to stated the bleeding obvious and be disappointed about how things worked out - but he will only be redeemed if we give the complete opposite type of performance in the next game.

I'm going to do something......well, unique. I'm going to write off the 1-0 defeat at the Stadium of Light. I'm going to categorise is under 'blip'. First day blues. The season now starts on Tuesday evening at 8pm at White Hart Lane.

One game is not enough for me to be critical of selection and transfers. One game is not enough to proof that everything we need to improve on from last season has been fixed. Obviously, on that performance, it hasn't. And things appear to be exactly as they were. And yes, I stated this as my belief yesterday - but like I said, I'm going to do something unique.

I will discount the shambles of losing in the 93rd minutes.

Today is day zero part deux. No pressure. Just asking for 3 points on Tuesday, with a display with little or no negatives. Fluid play, creativity and swagger. Strength and belief. In fact, let me list what I want:

Organisation.
Balance.
Width.
Creativity from midfield.
Alert and slick forward play.
Strength of character in all areas.
Belief and self confidence.

Seven. Seven little things.

Its no like I'm asking for Jessica Alba, drugged and tied down to a bed in my basement. Even I have my limits.