Swans v Stoke

keith margam · Oct 4, 2019

It’s Stoke at the Liberty tomorrow, as we try to recover our previously solid home form.
A defeat and two draws at home, after the last two weeks of the cursed International break, and we find that yet another two week International break is upon us after tomorrow’s game.
Roberts and Celina came back jaded last time, but Rodon was seemingly unaffected being a centre back and in a less energy sapping position.

After conceding late goals to Forest, Watford in the Cup, and Reading, we need to be wary of losing concentration in the final minutes of games.

The excellent win at Charlton on Wednesday night has put us a point clear at the top of the table, as we go head to head with a Stoke side bottom of the table and without a win this season in ten games.

As far as I know Merthyr boy Nathan Jones will still be in charge of Stoke, but surely another defeat tomorrow would seal his fate. Having seen one Championship manager depart this week because of poor results, Neil Harris of Millwall, Jones has got to be favourite to be the next victim.

Three of our ex-players return with Stoke, Carter-Vickers (loan), Joe Allen, and Sam Clucas.
Plus two players we almost signed, Tom Ince and Ryan Woods.

Last time out Stoke lost at home to Huddersfield, who hadn’t won a game since last February.

keith margam · Oct 6, 2019

Well, true to the Swansea way, we blew it against the bottom side, just as we did against Ipswich on the same day last season.

No other words to describe us yesterday other than abysmal.

Ayew had us one up in the first minute and we could have had more, but slowly Stoke took over the game with their high press and rugged tackling, with the weak ref allowing them to foul away and bully us off the ball, thus enabling them to get the upper hand.

Ex -Swans Allen and Clucas were like demons on the ball (what is it about ex-players being so desperate to do well against us). Woodman parried Allen’s shot and Clucas hit home the rebound on 22 mins, celebrating as if he’d scored the winner in a Wembley Cup Final. Costing us a ridiculous £17million, he never played like that for us and was quite frankly useless and probably one of our worst ever buys.

Stoke had further chances just before and after half time. It was obvious we needed to change things around at half time, our weak midfield was being over run, but it was the same old in the second half as Stoke dominated, whilst the coaching team stood there statuesque and clueless on how to counteract Stoke’s tactics, and it was quite frankly embarrassing to watch.

Byers came on for Fulton on 62 mins, like for like again. Routledge came on for Celina (what’s he doing being wasted on the wing) on 66 mins, like for like again, both subs making no difference as the tactics and formation were still the same.

With the lightweight non tackling and ineffective Dhanda being kept on and Allen controlling the midfield with ease, the inevitable happened, and followed the same pattern as the previous home games against Forest and Reading, and the away cup tie at Watford, as we duly conceded in the last minute once again.

Cooper needs to find a way to counteract the high press and rough house tactics and pick players and a formation that suit, as every team that comes here now know how vulnerable we are to it.

Our best player Celina is wasted out on the wing, everybody knows it except Cooper, seemingly.

In the end then, bitterly disappointing, and all the good work of beating Charlton in midweek wasted as we slip to 4th in the table.

The International break is upon us, and Celina, Roberts and Rodon are going to come back knackered again, so Mr Cooper, let’s utilise our squad players like Peterson (how long does it take to get up to speed after missing a pre-season?), and the impressive Wilmot (not even on the subs bench yesterday).

Let’s move Celina central where he plays best, play with wingers again, play the big and strong Wilmot as the holding midfielder in front of the back four, and move Grimes (not the same player since being made captain, give it back to VdH) further forward.

I hope Naughton is okay after going off injured on 16 mins, as the normally solid Bidwell was very poor when he came on.