Phil SumblerThis isn’t a post about it being last chance saloon as I think that has probably passed us by now but the Swans go into their last home game of the season today with a point to prove and knowing that nothing less than two wins this week is good enough.
When the dust finally settles on Wednesday evening on an elongated 2019/20 season it will be our home form at the Liberty that has cost us more than ever this season. From heading into the season on a period where we had not been beaten in the league at home for more than six months Steve Cooper has failed to see his side take any advantage from being at home and we have – so far 32 points from 22 games at the Liberty.
We have the same total away from home but have been beaten just four times on our travels compared to eight at home. Put simply right now, if we had only been beaten four times at home this season as well we would right now be sat in a play off spot with our destiny in our own hands.
Too often at home we have come up short with sub standard – often pedestrian – type performances and some very poor sides have left the Liberty with three points which tells you something about the level of our performance on the day. Should Bristol City leave today with a win then we will have lost as many as we have won and that, frankly, is unacceptable.
Ironically it is also a problem that has impacted today’s opponents Bristol City who have less points at home than we do although most teams would argue right now that home records are hugely impacted by the lack of crowds which seems to have taken away any advantage that may come from being at home.
Put that to one side though our home record was poor before lockdown and has remained poor since lockdown (1 win, 2 defeats) with a grand sum of just 26 goals scored by the Swans this season at the Liberty.
This is not the sole reason of course that we find ourselves where we are right now but it plays a huge part for a side that has a more then respectable record away from home (6th in the division with only Nottingham Forest losing less times on their travels) and is one that has to be addressed and that should start today.
We are not out of it and we are not giving up,
The way this season’s gone, I don’t think it’s going to be as straightforward as everybody winning their games and it finishing as it is.
What we have got to do is make sure we do win our games and try to sneak in if we can. – Steve Cooper
So, right now and that is crowd or non-crowd, the Swans have to work on what has been pretty dismal home form this season and we shouldn’t forget that a win today will take our chances to the last day of the season – however remote that may be.
