Play-Off Semi-Finals Second Leg
- Thread starter CroJack
- Start date
CroJack
Key Player
Yes. We played excellent passing and attacking football in the first half against Bristol. It was a joy to watch.
We lost thanks to some individual errors, but Cooper obviously thought that we lost because we played passing football. Instead of insisting on more of good football, he cowardly reverted to a crap football in the very next game. Latibaudiere, who had an excellent game, and who is one of our best passers, never really got a chance afterwards. It is clear Cooper doesn't want to play attractive football. With this squad and with Potter we would have been automatically promoted.
Victoria Swan
Key Player
Play as we did today and we'll play exactly like we did against Brentford in the two games during the season. Games in which Brentford failed to beat us, despite the fact that we were down to 10 men for a lot of one of those games. I don't pretend to defend how we played today but I do mean to point out that the objective here is to get into the Premier League and as Mourinho showed many times as a manager solid and boring defense is often the most effective way to do that. We have already shown that playing how we did today can prevent Brentford from beating us. Now the question is can it let us beat them on penalties? Along with you and others I'd prefer an entertaining game that gets the win but given the choice between a hoof ball win or an entertaining loss I'll take the former and an ignominious re-entry to the Premier League thanks!As delighted as I am to get to Wembley as far as I'm concerned that was a disgusting performance, one which shamed us in terms of the football reputation we earned over the years. Beat Brentford? On this form not a fucking snowball's!!! Our coaching staff DO NOT know how to coach a team to play proper football. I mean, for instance, what the hell does Tatey know about it?????????? A wholehearted player in his time but just compare him to Laudrup. Laughable!! Laudrup wouldn't use him as a ball boy and yet he's coaching our players.
I'm feeling almost schizo here - over the moon that we're through but really ashamed that football fans throughout the country saw a performance like that from us. As far as I'm concerned I'd like Cooper and his minions to get the hell out of our club whether or not we are promoted. As it happens I think Brentford could beat us with 9 men because they play FOOTBALL. Anyone recall us doing that in recent memory?
All that said, football is a funny game; the Final is a one-off and anything can happen. But play as we did today and we will be slaughtered.
If people think I'm being harsh, think on. For most of the second half, which team was doing all the pressing? Which team was doing the PASSING? Which team was trying to win the game with positive play? It sure as hell wasn't us!! The following stats reflect the game, imo:
POSSESSION: 47-53 SHOTS: 4-12 OT: 2-3 CORNERS: 2-5 FOULS: 7-17 GOALS: 1-1
WE were the home team with what crowd there was cheering us on, yet Barnsley outperformed us in ALL the stats, bar fouls, and had three times as many shots on goal as we did. It was a totally rank display in terms of team performance but some individuals did turn in some great work, particularly in defence and especially Guehi, whilst Grimes scored a real beauty.
It proves to me that we do have the talent but it's just not being coached properly. And, for me that's such a criminal waste.
The following stats reflect the game, imo:POSSESSION: 47-53 SHOTS: 4-12 OT: 2-3 CORNERS: 2-5 FOULS: 7-17 GOALS: 1-1
WE were the home team with what crowd there was cheering us on, yet Barnsley outperformed us in ALL the stats, bar fouls, and had three times as many shots on goal as we did. It was a totally rank display in terms of team performance but some individuals did turn in some great work, particularly in defence and especially Guehi, whilst Grimes scored a real beauty.
It proves to me that we do have the talent but it's just not being coached properly. And, for me that's such a criminal waste.
CroJack
Key Player
You are forgetting that there is the third choice. A win whilst playing attractive, passing football. A win where you totally outplay your opponents, create plenty of chances and score plenty of goals. A win where your opponents are chasing shadows and can't come close to your goal.
CroJack
Key Player
In his post-match interview today he said they have a minor game at Wembley next weekend. And unless we start playing some football it's going to be a minor game for them.
Victoria Swan
Key Player
We didn't play football in the last two meetings and we didn't lose and they, therefore, weren't minor game for them. Back in January when we held them to a 1-1 draw at the Liberty they proceeded to score well into (aggregate) double figures in their next three games.
I'm not arguing @CroJack against the idea that the best possible scenario is to play attractive football and win. However, it is clearly Cooper's judgement (and, to be honest, I share his opinion) that we likely won't beat Brentford playing them at their own game. Therefore, play them the way we have before and stop them winning and hope we can win on a counter or on penalties. We need better players if you want to beat them Swanselona style.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
Regardless of what style we play, we handicap ourselves with team selection. Leaving Roberts on the bench and starting Invisible was absurd. Invisible was the chaser on their break away, and if he calls that run busting a gut then clearly he doesn’t have any. I’ve slowed down ... considerably ... yet I can still run faster than that. Then we sub Smith for Invisible ... took Andy Pandy 70+ minutes and a goal conceded to realize what has been obvious to all of us for weeks.
Against Brentford and the wide open spaces of Wembley we need to revert to 3+2. Unleash Roberts and Bidwell, spread the game out when in possession and leverage our most athletic players to cover the acreage. Invisible is a player for a small pitch, small games, and small opposition.
Start Smith, Fulton and Grimes, we need to own the center of the park and press, contain and harass them, shrinking the field as much as possible. They are unlikely to hoof it to relieve pressure ... it’s not part of their style ... which can work against them if our approach is right and they try to be cute and clever.
Against Brentford and the wide open spaces of Wembley we need to revert to 3+2. Unleash Roberts and Bidwell, spread the game out when in possession and leverage our most athletic players to cover the acreage. Invisible is a player for a small pitch, small games, and small opposition.
Start Smith, Fulton and Grimes, we need to own the center of the park and press, contain and harass them, shrinking the field as much as possible. They are unlikely to hoof it to relieve pressure ... it’s not part of their style ... which can work against them if our approach is right and they try to be cute and clever.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
Fair play ... one of his best post match interviews
CroJack
Key Player
We can do better @Victoria Swan than play like we did in the two previous games against Brentford. Brentford are not a super human team. For God sake we outplayed Norwich this season by playing proper football, so why on earth wouldn't be able to do that against Brentford? Sorry mate, but I don't like Cooper's attitude. It just shows me that Cooper doesn't know what he is doing. I disagree with Cooper that we "won't beat Brentford playing them at their own game". Why not? And what exactly does "their own game" mean? Passing and attacking football? Well, what on earth has Cooper been doing for the past two years? What style of football has he developed at Swansea? Why don't we play better football than Brentford? There are many questions that have to be answered. I also disagree that we don't have the players to play the Swanselona style of football. Even under Cooper there have been some brilliant patches of the Swanselona style in some of our games, but the trouble is we are not doing this consistently, and we haven't developed this as our brand. When you want your team to play a certain way you have to be brave as a manager, and accept defeats as a part of the process whilst always believing that your style will become something normal and that it will bring you a long term success. It seems to me Cooper doesn't understand what it takes to develop a superior style of football.
Cooper has been with us for the past two years and we still don't have a consistent style of play, and, most importantly, we can't say we are getting better as a football team. We play like cowards, we don't dominate other teams, and our passing is abysmal.
KVetch
Key Player
Let that serve as motivation for our lads. Football can be a fickle game. I am in favor of Smith starting. He missed a chance today but don't forget we've seen Grimes miss the net on a penalty shot. He didn't miss today. If we can get a goal from our forwards and a goal from our midfielders and Woodman gives it his all. That's not too much to ask for. We've got Ayew and Guehi and Roberts on fresh legs. I hope that Cooper was trying to rest Roberts. Surely that's it. Pressure is all on them. We're no favorites and we've been to the Premier before. Nothing is guaranteed until we play the game.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
should be one of the first players we target to sign at the end of the season. Solid, solid player with technical ability and presence
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
Note ... we had those two chances from the players that started on the bench instead of starting on the field.