Swans v Middlesboro | Vital Football

Swans v Middlesboro

keith margam

Vital Football Legend
After the last gasp win at Stoke on Wed night it’s a home match on Saturday and another live match on Sky Sports.
This time Middlesboro are the visitors with wily manager Neil Warnock, 72 year old veteran campaigner in charge. He has an enviable record as manager with eight promotions under his belt.
The reverse fixture last December ended in a 2-1 defeat for the Swans, a Duncan Watmore brace and a late consolation goal from Dhanda.
Cooper said afterwards
"We didn't play anywhere near our expected standards, we gave away two really poor goals. To do those two things doesn't give you much hope of winning a football match. Although we got back into the game and had a little flurry late on, the damage was done and it was self-inflicted unfortunately”.
Warnock said:
"It's the best result of the season by an absolute mile because we are playing a good side on the back of a bad result. It's probably my best result since I've been here."
Both teams are strong defensively and it’s going to be another tough match.
 
Swans v Boro Form Guide:

Last 6 matches:
Swans: WWLWLW W4 D0 L2 F8 A8 Pts 12
Boro: LWWLDW W3 D1 L2 F9 A8 Pts 10

Boro last 6 away:
WWDLWW W4 D1 L1 F10 A5 Pts 13

Swans last 6 home:
WDWWWL W4 D1 L1 F8 A5 Pts 13
 
Matches left:
6/3 Middlesbrough H
9/3 Blackburn A
13/3 Luton A
16/3 Bournemouth A
20/3 Cardiff H
2/4 Birmingham A
5/4 Preston H
10/4 Millwall A
17/4 Wycombe H
20/4 QPR H
24/4 Reading A
TBC Sheffield Wed A
1/8 Derby H
8/8 Watford A
 
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Saturday Brentford v Rotherham and Tuesday Luton v Rotherham postponed due to Covid in the Rotherham camp.
How will this affect us?
Today’s Boro game could be a chance for us to catch up with second place Brentford with our games in hand if we win, but third place Watford beating Forest in their early kick off today could scupper that. We also play one of our games in hand at Blackburn on Tuesday then we’re at Luton next Saturday. Luton players will have the advantage of a full weeks rest before they play us, due to their Rotherham clash postponed.
Cardiff drew 0-0 at Huddersfield last night to maintain their unbeaten run of 11 games with Mick McCarthy in charge. It was Huddersfield’s first clean sheet in 16 games and they have only won once in their 13 matches this year, a 4-1 demolition of Swansea.
 
The teams:
Swansea City: Freddie Woodman; Connor Roberts, Kyle Naughton, Ben Cabango, Marc Guehi, Ryan Manning; Korey Smith, Jay Fulton, Matt Grimes (captain), Conor Hourihane; Andre Ayew.

Substitutes: Ben Hamer, Joel Latibeaudiere, Ryan Bennett, Jake Bidwell, Jamal Lowe, Yan Dhanda, Ollie Cooper, Morgan Whittaker, Paul Arriola.

Middlesbrough: Marcus Bettinelli, Anfernee Dijksteel, Grant Hall, Sam Morsy, Dael Fry, Yannick Bolasie, Jonny Howson (captain), Paddy McNair, Duncan Watmore, George Saville, Marc Bola.

Substitutes: Jordan Archer, Chuba Akpom, Marvin Johnson, Djed Spence, Neeskens Kebano, Darnell Fisher, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.
 
1-0
39’ Ayew strike after a free kick from Hourihane was headed clear and then headed back goal-wards from Roberts for Ayew to fire home left footed between the near post and the goalkeeper.
 
HT: 1-0
Possession: 61% - 39%
Watmore close range shot cleared by Guehi around the post
 
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Late drama -
1-1
90’ Morsy unmarked, shot deflected off Fulton. Unbelievable so late on but it’s been coming all second half. Swans on the back foot, Boro pressing us and had their chances.

More late drama but nice this time -
2-1
96’ Ayew penalty, Bidwell brought down in the area.

FT: 2-1
 
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Unfortunately watching the game on Sky and fed up of listening to commentators and pundits in the studio who I’ve never heard of.
The commentator with the Brummie accent kept on and on and on for about ten minutes about the Boro disallowed goal, the ref had already blown up for a foul, so tough luck.
The moaner Warnock crying full on about the officials today and crying about Swansea’s good luck with the penalty at Stoke and the poor officials there as well. Bog off Warnock, time you retired.
Cooper says penalty today and at Stoke we’re stonewall penalties, well done Steve.
 
Match stats:
Possession: 48% - 52%
Shots: 5 - 8
On target: 4 - 3
Passing accuracy: 61% - 62%
Corners: 1 - 7
Fouls: 14 - 16
Cards: 2Y - 4Y
 
Warnock’s accusations against the integrity of our team, our club, our manager and his father, and the implied dishonesty of referees in general, should not be allowed to go unpunished, and have brought the game into disrepute.
Particularly concerning are the consequences for Swansea after his outburst against referees, which was probably intentional, are that henceforth referees will be reluctant to award any sort of decision in our favour.
In contrast Steve Cooper was more diplomatic and said “I am not getting involved in personal tittle-tattle. We are a classy club and I am classy person”