Planet Swans ArchivesOn here earlier in the week it was argued that the game was not a must win game but it was certainly a game that we should have had enough expectations of being able to win with it being two and a half months since the home side had won in the league and just three in forty overall have seen them take maximum points.
Which begs the question why we went about the fixture with our usual negative approach looking to hold a side that must b so devoid of confidence that they were there for the taking. Indeed, we saw again that the moment we tried to take the game to them they looked more vulnerable than we used to under Bob Bradley and we could – and possibly should – be celebrating three points now had we played like that from the start.
Playing five at the back is a decent enough tactic against some sides but when it hampers your attacking threat (due to full backs not being wing backs) then you see the deficiencies in it.
Whatever happens at the end of this season we have to have a major re-think about how the playing side is looking. At one point Wayne Routledge looked like he was about to be added to the previous subs of Kyle Bartley and Nathan Dyer which tells you more about our strength in depth then we would like to admit?
And with a setup like this it is clear that Carvalhal is working to get the best out of the limitations that he found within the squad and will probably do enough to get us to stay up but is it really what we need for next season? It was always reported to be a convenience for both sides to have a contract until the end of the season but I do wonder if that was only ever going to be the intention.
Everton, Man City and Chelsea provide the next three opponents for the Swans and you cannot se the same line up and tactic working for us. Whilst we cannot expect to just attack some of the strong sides in the division we cannot set up to play for a point either.
Carvalhal has to make a change in his approach to games – I still firmly believe we are just one win away from safety and today was the chance to secure that but we got the tactics wrong.
There are plus points. Tammy’s first Premier League goal for six months (frightening statistic) may give him some much needed confidence and we did come from a goal down but that is about as far as it goes for me. Another afternoon where we were just too negative to be enjoyable to watch but ultimately it is another point towards safety.
Share your thoughts and rate the players HERE
<#wbaswa #swans>
