Planet Swans ArchivesRoy Hodgson was left with little to do but admit his side were second best at the Liberty Stadium this afternoon
Hodgson said after the game
“I have no complaints about the defeat, it was undoubtedly our worst performance of the season.
“We lost to the better team.
“We conceded two very poor goals in the first half and it was always going to be an uphill task after we conceded a third so early in the second half against a Swansea team who are very good at keeping the ball.
“We played poorly but I thought Swansea played very well.
“When you get a combination of us playing well below what I’d expect us to achieve and Swansea playing so well and causing us so many problems, then it was going to be difficult to get a result from the game.
“That attempt to get a result isn’t going to be helped by conceding two goals, which strangely enough were less a result of combination play.
“They were very clear defensive errors.
“At 2-0 at half-time it was going be very difficult and we needed to show a lot of character to try and get back into the game.
“But that lasted four minutes before the third goal, which was another goal that we’re disappointed to concede because we didn’t think a Swansea goal would come from a long kick out by the keeper and flick-ons behind our back-four.
“At 3-0 Swansea were much in the ascendancy and the only positive I can take from the game is that we kept going, didn’t capitulate, we tried our best to keep in it and even tried to get a goal back.
“Quite frankly I don’t think the result ever looked in danger, especially after the 3-0 or after the 2-0 to be quite honest with you.”
He added: “Swansea played with great energy, great movement and rotation.
“They kept the ball well and their passing was of good quality.
“Their wingers take people on and ask a lot of questions of your back-four.
“We did our best to combat that.
“I don’t think we held the ball up in the first-half.
“When we got it we gave it them back far too quickly.
“But if I was the Swansea manager, I would be saying it was good play on our part.
“When they lost the ball they pressurised very quickly, won it back and started yet another attack
“We’d have been better when we got hold of the ball to keep it.
“We weren’t able to do that.
“It’s all too easy to say West Brom didn’t play well enough.
“It could be a question of saying that was a really good Swansea performance and unfortunately we weren’t capable of coping with it today – and, as a result, they got the victory they truly deserved.”
