Middlesborough

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
Seems that Boro are in poor form having lost five on the trot and Pulis is under pressure. I reckon that if the Swans can continue their good form, Boro are there for the taking and my prediction is a 2-0 win for us. But it depends on that old failing of ours with lack of consistency. At our best I think we could give them a right good hiding but if the lads just stroll the game a 0-0 borefest is more than likely. However, if we can win this, confidence will be high and with our cushy run in we just might challenge the play-off spots. COYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Jackflash

Midfield General
Staff member
We have a bad habit of ending bad runs of visiting clubs, but a win will spark a little enthusiasm back into the possibilities of the playoffs.
 

Yankee_Jack

Key Player
Swansea City: Kristoffer Nordfeldt; Connor Roberts, Mike van der Hoorn (capt), Cameron Carter-Vickers, Kyle Naughton; George Byers, Matt Grimes, Bersant Celina; Nathan Dyer, Wayne Routledge, Daniel James.
Subs: Steven Benda, Joe Rodon, Jay Fulton, Joel Asoro, Barrie McKay, Luciano Narsingh, Oli McBurnie
 

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
Quietish start but we're looking a threat at times. If we produce our best we win this no matter what Boro do: although their heavy numbers in defence will make it awkward to pick a path through.
 

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
1-0 from a Grimes penalty after a couple of close efforts. Could be a couple more better off by now. But no matter, that goal was vital because Boro will have to attack us now to get something and they'll leave gaps at the back that we MUST exploit. As long as we mind our work there should be 3 useful points banked for us at the end of this game. And, as I type, Routs makes it two!! :D COYS!!!!!!!!!!
 

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
Excellent win for the lads and they could have doubled the score. Haven't seen the final scores in the Championship but the latest I had showed some favourable results for us - some of the teams above us are falling away. If we have found a rich vein of form, and the lads are playing as though they have, should we keep winning we just might sneak the play-offs. A few teams have won 5/6/7 on the bounce. But whatever, the lads are showing Trevor Birch what they might achieve next season if GIVEN THE CHANCE!! Well done to Potts and his young charges. At their best they are doing us proud.
 

CroJack

Key Player
We have a game in hand as well. If we beat Stoke we'll be 6 points off the play-off places. It's going to be difficult, but not impossible.
 

Borini

Key Player
He was useless and Asoro was almost as bad, missed a sitter one on one with the keeper by hesitating. It is a shame that every time we put on a substitute it weakens our team. Shows how shallow our squad is..
However I feel we are better without Mcburnie on the pitch, does anyone agree with me?
 

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
However I feel we are better without Mcburnie on the pitch, does anyone agree with me?
We somehow seem to be more fluent without him but then his workrate and physicality are more suited to some games than others. However, always a good option to have either starting or on the bench - PROVIDING he never takes another penalty so long as Grimes is on the pitch. :D
 

Borini

Key Player
Routs ran his socks off today working back and for across the front line. It was good to see Dyer and James on the half way line when we were defending corners, that will lead to a break away goal from a hoof up the field!!! It also kept 3 defenders back!
 

Behindthegoal

Key Player
Routledge has played with enough quality no 9s to know how to do the job and does it with a lot less fuss than Oli. Without the ball he is a harrier, rather than commit to "must win" tackles. With it he passes to take out two men rather than try to bludgeon his way through.
Routledge must always start.
 

Victoria Swan

Key Player
I feel we are better without Mcburnie on the pitch, does anyone agree with me?
I hadn't thought about it until I was watching today's game but I think you may be right. While he can score goals, he seems to become too much the focus and this messes up the wonderful interplay between Routledge, James, Celina and Dyer. More generally, we seem to play better when there is no expectation for a striker to dominate our goal-scoring potential or, put the other way, when all the attacking players are expected to be a potential goal-scorer. I think he may, as @ivoralljack says, be best used off the bench.
 

CroJack

Key Player
More generally, we seem to play better when there is no expectation for a striker to dominate our goal-scoring potential or, put the other way, when all the attacking players are expected to be a potential goal-scorer.
This ^^^^.


While he can score goals, he seems to become too much the focus and this messes up the wonderful interplay between Routledge, James, Celina and Dyer.
And this ^^^^.

In a long run, style of play with pace, tempo, trickery and interplay will always beat static football with a lump up front as a focal point. That's how great Brazilian national teams used to play, that's how Ajax played total football, and that's how Barcelona and Manchester City play.

IMG_20190407_142935.png
 

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
Here's some highlights of the game. Great to see young Dan put on the afterburners and leave defenders trailing in his wake. Unlucky not to get on the score sheet after a couple of great runs. Love the way that Celina has also injected pace into his game of late and those driving runs get defenders in a real panic - something I've been demanding for a while now from our mids wide and through the middle. This team is really beginning to gel and you get the sense that they know it and are becoming more confident by the game. Mr Birch, if you possess an iota of footballing common sense, you'll leave well alone and watch this team fly. Some stats:

POSSESSION: 61-39 SHOTS: 16-13 OT: 7-1 CORNERS: 3-4 FOULS: 11-13 GOALS: 3-1

 
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