Away-day Blues are getting to Steve Bruce

Oct 26 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

“The huge thing we have to overcome is when we’re good we’re very, very good, but then all of a sudden we throw in an hour like we did here. It was the same with the second-half performance at Burnley and at Stoke.

“Out of ten games, that’s three against the so-called lesser sides where we’ve under-performed.

“Maybe it’s a mental thing, but it’s something we’re going to have to address, that’s for sure. I can’t put up with performances like that.

“I’ve played badly all over the world. You don’t want to do that. The big clubs hit a level of performance week in, week out and that’s what you have to do if you’re a Premier League team.

“The good thing for me is we didn’t throw in the towel, but you can’t be 2-0 down and then go out to bat.”

Defender Michael Turner denied complacency might have been to blame.

“I don’t think it was over-confidence,” he said. “We knew it was going to be a big game and it was important we put in a good performance against a team like Birmingham – no disrespect but they’re not Manchester United or Liverpool.

“It was a big disappointment for us after the draw at Old Trafford, then beating Liverpool at home. We knew it would be a tough game but we wanted to show we were capable of pulling our socks up and fighting against a team like Birmingham.”

When asked if he was concerned at his team’s away form, Turner replied: “Perhaps, but if you can do it against Manchester United, I’m sure you can do it against other teams as well.

“We feel we’ve not produced a performance and consequently we’ve not got anything from the game.”