Swans v Bristol City | Vital Football

Swans v Bristol City

keith margam

Vital Football Legend
The new manager factor certainly worked for Bristol City, our next opponents, who broke their run of 6 straight defeats in all matches and 7 straight away defeats with a 1-3 win at Middlesboro last Tues night.
Ex-Leicester and Watford boss Nigel Pearson, brought in on a short term contract until the end of the season, was in the stands to watch the Robins turn around their dire form. They were 0-3 up at half-time with a Famara Diedhiou brace and a Nahki Wells solo run and finish. Deal Fry pulled a goal back for Boro with 10 mins left but too late to rectify the dominant first half display by City.
Swans meanwhile recovered from their shock defeat at lowly Huddersfield to bounce back with a narrow 1-0 win against Coventry on Wed night. They have now conceded just 3 goals in their last 13 home league matches, keeping 10 clean sheets and taking 31 points from an available 39.
Both managers were at odds with each other as to who were the better team -
Steve Cooper: "I thought we were the superior team and created the clearer chances in the game."
Mark Robins: "We were undoubtedly the better team tonight and I think we have been a bit unfortunate.”
Nigel Pearson was in attendance at the Liberty to run the rule over the Swans in preparation for Saturday’s clash.
Kasey Palmer returns with the Robins after an early recall in January from his season long loan with us. He played in midfield against Boro on Tues night in a 3-5-2 system with their front two both scoring.
Ex-Bristol City player Korey Smith, who came on as sub at 66’ to replace Yan Dhanda against Coventry, will be relishing some game time against his old club.
 
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Form Guide:

Last 6 games:
Swansea DWWWLW W4 D1 L1 F9 A6 Pts13
Bristol City LLLLLW W1 D0 L5 F5 A15 Pts3

Last 6 home:
Swansea DWDWWW W4 D2 L0 F7 A2 Pts14

Last 6 away
Bristol City LLLLLW W1 D0 L5 F6 A15 Pts3
 
Swansea latest on the injury front: Steve Cooper has said key defender Ryan Bennett is out for a couple of weeks with a calf injury, which is a big blow.
Kyle Naughton is doubtful after he was taken off injured on Wed night.
Matt Grimes is available despite a shoulder knock.
Brandon Cooper has resumed training after an ankle injury.
Wayne Routledge (calf) still out.
Jordan Morris (ACL), Steven Benda (ankle) and Tivonge Rushesha (ACL) all out long term.

Bristol City have a long injury list: Andreas Weimann, George Nurse, Callum O’Dowda, Jay Dasilva, Cameron Pring, Tommy Rowe, Chris Martin, Nathan Baker and Hakeeb Adelakun, and ex-Swan Alfie Mawson are all out injured.
 
Bristol city were hopeless , so bad that relegation wasn't unrealistic for them. Now Pearson has come in and I'm sure they'll be a totally different unit now , well organised and full of effort and fight for the cause. We look a little tired lately so I hope that isn't a factor against us tomorrow.
 
Pearson will get them moving, he’ll rule by fear like Cloughie. It works though and we’ll have to be at our best tomorrow.
 
The teams:

Swansea:
Freddie Woodman; Joel Latibeaudiere, Ben Cabango, Marc Guehi; Connor Roberts, Yan Dhanda, Matt Grimes (captain), Conor Hourihane, Jake Bidwell; Andre Ayew, Jamal Lowe.
Subs: Ben Hamer, Ryan Manning, Jay Fulton, Korey Smith, Morgan Whittaker, Paul Arriola, Kyle Naughton, Ollie Cooper, Brandon Cooper.

Bristol City: Daniel Bentley, Jack Hunt, Adam Nagy, Famara Diedhiou, Adrian Mariappa, Nahki Wells, Tomas Kalas (captain), Zak Vyner, Tyreeq Bakinson, Ryley Towler, Kasey Palmer.
Subs: Max O'Leary, Antoine Semenyo, Taylor Moore, Sam Pearson, Sam Bell, Alex Scott, Tommy Conway, Han-Noah Massengo, Steven Sessegnon.
 
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HT: 0-0
How are we not ahead, loads of possession and shots on target but their goalkeeper is inspired and man of the match so far, saving everything.
 
1-2
79’ Kasey Palmer gets his own back, a corner straight into the net over Woodman.
This is bitterly disappointing play second half.
 
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81’ Bidwell heads down Arriola skies his shot way over the bar, shocking.
How can two halves be so different.
83’ Cabango heads way over.
 
93’ Ayew turns in the area and shoots wide.

FT: 1-3
Shocking capitulation.
96’ Bidwell pass back to Woodman, no danger, what’s he doing, he’s too slow reacting and his attempted kick out is charged down, easy goal. Embarrassing from Woodman who has been poor today as is our defending.
Shocking, shocking, and Curtis commentating is trying to talk us up, really!
We dominated the first half without scoring, should have scored three goals.
Second half Bristol changed their shape and it was submission time same as at Huddersfield, we lost all discipline again.
Bitterly disappointing, are we trying to blow our promotion hopes?
 
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Swans dominated the first half and should have been 3 goals up. Wingback Towler was lucky not to get a second yellow, Pearson saw this and substituted him at the start of the second half. He was replaced by Sessegnon, they changed formation to a back four, controlled the midfield second half won and the match. Our goalkeeper had a mare, and was at fault for their second and third goals. Who was covering the far post for the second goal?
 
Match stats -

Possession: 69% - 31%
Shots 20 - 6
On target: 9 - 2
Pass Accuracy: 85% - 67%
Goalkeeper saves: 1 - 6
Corners: 8 - 4
Fouls: 9 - 12
Cards: 1Y - 2Y

Looking at those stats, how on earth did we lose this match?