MARTINS RETURN WITH SARFAMPTON ON TOW .
- Thread starter The Blobster
- Start date
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
Bolasie tries to rip the net when all he had to do was strike it cleanly
CroJack
Key Player
We should definitely keep him.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
Cullen should be taking this kick
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
As I predicted. Soton were less. We were more. Reversion to our respective means if you like.
Yates yet again worked hard at achieving nothing. Couldn’t even tap in a sitter.
Yates yet again worked hard at achieving nothing. Couldn’t even tap in a sitter.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
Should have been 2-3, if Yates had scored. 4-3 with the posts. Not sure what to take from this other than Williams needs or give his half time talk before the match
That second half was some of the most exciting and positive football I've seen from Swansea in ages. I don't even mind the score because that half shows that this squad is capable of so much more.
Classic blunder in the first half - giving them way too much respect. Naive defensive tactics, too. You can't play physically in your own penalty box anymore because the opposition will go down on any contact, and nor can you play decent structured defence in your own area based on interceptions and blocks because it's too close quarters. Also, Saints were never going to play high balls from the wings, so crowding the penalty area only increased the chances of a handball (thankfully didn't happen), or blocked Rushworth's view. There's no benefit at all, only disadvantages.
It would have been better to play an extremely aggressive forward-line press with a compressed medium block / 2 rows of four in the middle third and foul the fuck out of them all day long. Take it in turns so the yellows don't come until the second half when you're looking to make subs anyway. It's a dark art but needs must. Disruption is the key to spoiling a pass-and-move outfit, kill the momentum. Probably Williams didn't want to do that because it's too cynical and because Swansea's defence are so slow. There'd be the obvious risk of a line-breaking through-ball to a fast forward, but that's nothing a well-rehearsed offside trap couldn't fix, not that the offside rule was enforced today.
Allowing them to play all their ball in the final third was suicide, but to come through after that first half with a 3-1 scoreline and a strong showing in the second half which made Saints look quite ordinary is very good.
Williams should keep Bolasie, buy a couple of fast defenders and play the forward line @CroJack suggested (Bolaise, Pato, Patino, Cullen).
Also, re-invent Ollie Cooper as an aggressive #8. He'll bring ball-playing skills to a midfield enforcer role and can alternate with Allen, because Fulton is way off the boil this season.
Classic blunder in the first half - giving them way too much respect. Naive defensive tactics, too. You can't play physically in your own penalty box anymore because the opposition will go down on any contact, and nor can you play decent structured defence in your own area based on interceptions and blocks because it's too close quarters. Also, Saints were never going to play high balls from the wings, so crowding the penalty area only increased the chances of a handball (thankfully didn't happen), or blocked Rushworth's view. There's no benefit at all, only disadvantages.
It would have been better to play an extremely aggressive forward-line press with a compressed medium block / 2 rows of four in the middle third and foul the fuck out of them all day long. Take it in turns so the yellows don't come until the second half when you're looking to make subs anyway. It's a dark art but needs must. Disruption is the key to spoiling a pass-and-move outfit, kill the momentum. Probably Williams didn't want to do that because it's too cynical and because Swansea's defence are so slow. There'd be the obvious risk of a line-breaking through-ball to a fast forward, but that's nothing a well-rehearsed offside trap couldn't fix, not that the offside rule was enforced today.
Allowing them to play all their ball in the final third was suicide, but to come through after that first half with a 3-1 scoreline and a strong showing in the second half which made Saints look quite ordinary is very good.
Williams should keep Bolasie, buy a couple of fast defenders and play the forward line @CroJack suggested (Bolaise, Pato, Patino, Cullen).
Also, re-invent Ollie Cooper as an aggressive #8. He'll bring ball-playing skills to a midfield enforcer role and can alternate with Allen, because Fulton is way off the boil this season.
Not at all sure about Patino tbh, he's a creme puff in a powder puff team. Far too easily knocked off the ball. I'd prefer a fit Joe Allen and I liked the way he left Ryan Fraser moaning on the turf after a challenge. Someone should have given him a big dig a lot earlier in the game. Players with bruised and battered legs tend not to have too much influence in a match.
Much better second half, particularly the second half of the second half. We'd gone to a back 4 and, for the life of me, I don't understand why we don't start with that formation - we seem more comfortable and solid with it, given the players we have, as Martin eventually discovered at the tail end of last season. But at least we salvaged a degree of pride in that period and could have scored 2 or 3 ourselves. That said, we could easily have gone in at the break 4 down bearing in mind that their offside goal was far more blatant than ours!
I still have confidence in Williams but he's fallen into the trap of his predecessors vis a vis Cullen who seems to have been tagged as the team's fall-guy when the subs are made. When will they ever learn that Lowe is a far more effective wide option than Culls? He is faster, arguably stronger and he has more pace - but as a finisher he's not in the same class. As for Yates, his inclusion is totally and utterly beyond my understanding.
All in all an expected defeat particularly after a catastrophic first half but, imho, we perhaps edged the second period. But one thing's for sure; we HAVE to play with more physicality; we have to be a lot more energetic and a lot nastier! Trouble is, if that mind-set doesn't exist within the existing squad then we need to buy it in. You won't get far with a team of fairies and wimps and, imo, that's what we are.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
We have two dilemmas to resolve. The Cullen one is a no brainer and we’re all sick and tired or screaming profanity at it. At the next Club/fan town meeting somebody needs to raise hell about it.
the second one involves Darling. Clearly our #1 threat on set pieces and almost unstoppable in that action. But, we have one excellent LB - Tymon - who has to start, two excellent RBs - Key and Ashby - one of whom have to start. And, when everyone is fit, Darling is not one of our two top CBs. And I agree, we need to play with a back 4 to get more/better skill higher up the field and in midfield.
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Darling either converts to being a bully in midfield, a #9 in place of Yates or go to school on being the best CB he can be but perhaps not enough.
the second one involves Darling. Clearly our #1 threat on set pieces and almost unstoppable in that action. But, we have one excellent LB - Tymon - who has to start, two excellent RBs - Key and Ashby - one of whom have to start. And, when everyone is fit, Darling is not one of our two top CBs. And I agree, we need to play with a back 4 to get more/better skill higher up the field and in midfield.
.Darling either converts to being a bully in midfield, a #9 in place of Yates or go to school on being the best CB he can be but perhaps not enough.
CroJack
Key Player
Oli Cooper can play there, no problem. Or Pato, with Lowe on the left and Bolasie on the right wing, and Cullen up front.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
On a brighter side, Whittaker scores and assists against Cardiff.
CroJack
Key Player
Encouraging second half display after a truly dismal first half performance. Had we started like that; had those shots that hit the post gone in, who knows? But, eventually, we started playing well enough to match a very good team. If Luke Williams can work on this and take the team on we might have chances next season. I think this season has gone but we can use the remaining games to re-establish our identity and start putting together some good performances. But it would help if Williams would start using his players where they are strongest. We all know what I mean. And keep Bolasie.
Some stats:
POSSESSION: 33-67 SHOTS: 15-21 OT: 6-10 CORNERS: 3-8 FOULS: 10-12 GOALS: 1-3
Given that we didn't even start playing properly until well into the second half, those stats aren't too bad and I think that, if we played them again tomorrow, we'd see a very different game. I see some light beginning to appear on our journey.
Some stats:
POSSESSION: 33-67 SHOTS: 15-21 OT: 6-10 CORNERS: 3-8 FOULS: 10-12 GOALS: 1-3
Given that we didn't even start playing properly until well into the second half, those stats aren't too bad and I think that, if we played them again tomorrow, we'd see a very different game. I see some light beginning to appear on our journey.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it multiple times, and today the point is underscored … what would the score have been at half time had Fisher been in goal