Phil SumblerSwansea stood firm at the Liberty Stadium this evening to earn a point against Bournemouth to keep us in contention at the top end of the Championship in a game where goal chances were very few and far between.
Swansea made two changes from the weekend starting line up against Luton and Bournemouth one from the side that started their win at Barnsley on Friday night it was clear that – in the main – both managers were happy with the weekend performance of their team and wanted to build on that on a night where either side could have gone top.
Away from the team selection, comment has to be made of the state of the Liberty Stadium pitch which is just getting worse and worse by the game. This used to be one of the best surfaces anywhere in the English pyramid but now resembles a badly kept field and questions surely have to be asked of those tasked with its maintenance as it is embarrassing to look at.
Bournemouth arrived at the Liberty with the second best attack in the Championship and came face to face with the Swans who boasted the best defence and the first two minutes of the game probably indicated why Bournemouth were so dangerous up front. They had pretty much 100% possession during this period but the Swans defence stood firm meaning that nothing came of the quick start.
Bournemouth though took great confidence from that early start and were quick to press the Swans at every opportunity during all the early stages of the game and this created much uncertainty in the Swans midfield as we struggled to settle into the game. Solanke fired over when well placed and Woodman could also count himself lucky as he conceded possession from a pass out but was quick to atone for his own error and keep the scoreline blank as the first half went on.
From an attacking perspective there was very little that we were able to add to proceedings or certainly not in the terms of shots on goal with a shot straight at the keeper from Lowe the only real effort we had in the opening half. It looked like a professional first 45 minutes from the Swans and you sensed for most of the first half that Cooper had set his side up to protect their clean sheet rather than look at this stage for a goal to put us ahead.
I guess in itself this is not a major surprise given the attacking prowess of the opponents and as the second half opened up you did sense that there may be more attacking efforts in the second half with Dhanda and Lowe breaking forward to no avail in the early stages.
Bournemouth though were very much in the ascendancy in terms of possession at least although they were up against a very organised and structured Swans defence which definitely had both Roberts and Bidwell deeper than maybe they have been for recent games.
Bournemouth’s territorial advantage as the game went into the last quarter was helped no end by us continually retreating to have eleven men in our half and largely all behind the all leaving Ayew and Lowe as the only potential outlets for us but both frustrated by our clearances being aimless rather than structured. Was Cooper really settling for a point with more than twenty minutes to go?
If he was his heart must have been in his mouth with a desperate goalmouth scramble that just would not break to a visiting striker and the Swans again hacked clear but at this stage it was nothing more than a temporary respite and Billing and Solanke combined brilliantly only for the latter to see his shot blocked by another defensive tackle.
Bournemouth had a loud claim for a penalty turned down shortly after when Brookes was looking for contact from Latibeaudiere – there was little doubt that contact was made but the attacker was definitely be looking for it. At this point all I would say is that we would expect it given, maybe sometimes we are just due a decision in our favour. It at least led to some amusement to listen to the Radio Solent commentators.
Cooper’s reaction was a double sub with Palmer and Gyokeres introduced at the expense of Dhanda and Lowe, two very much like for like changes in an indication that Cooper was happy with his formation at least at this stage.
Swansea were definitely frustrating Bournemouth although much of the running was being done by the visitors who had another good effort that had beaten Woodman but thankfully for the Swans beat the post again.
Former Swans loanee Sam Surridge was introduced with a little under ten minutes remaining and you wondered if this was to be one of those occasions whether a former player would come back and cost us again. At this stage, the Swans were defending as a team in our defensive third of the pitch which just meant plenty more Bournemouth possession but they seemed unable to find a way through our defence which was keeping its shape as well as Cooper would have wanted it to.
As the game entered stoppage time, Kasey Palmer earned us a free kick in an attacking position. Roberts floated the corner into the back post but the header went wide with the Swans unable to trouble the keeper.
Three minutes of stoppage time did not change the pattern of play from most of the 90 minutes before it – Swansea organised and deep in their defensive habits and Bournemouth looking for the killer pass that may break that organisation, something that they were unable to do as the Swans secured another clean sheet in a goalless draw.
I suspect had you asked both managers just before kick off if they would take a point both would have said yes and on the night it was the defensive plan of Steve Cooper that earned the Swans the point and denied Bournemouth the three that maybe they felt was there for the taking.
Next up for the Swans is the small matter of the derby on Saturday at Cardiff.
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