Rob DaviesThere have been some lows this season, although tonight was probably the very bottom as a scarcely respectable Swansea City team were thumped at Stoke City.
It’s difficult to put into words how bad the performance was, there was a distinct lack of passion and desire from the team on the pitch which is always a sign of bigger problems one way or another.
After somehow clawing themselves to a goalless interval, the Swans caved in and folded pathetically in the second half with the chants from the home crowd as embarrassing as the 11 (then 10) men on the pitch.
There can be no excusing this performance, or at least I’d hope not from the Manager’s perspective – perhaps he could point to it only being three when it should have been six?
Saturday was reasonably positive, although not perhaps to the extent in which the Manager celebrated, but a win was a win. We didn’t create much, we conceded a lot of chances but managed to get the three points.
There were three changes to the team from that game, out went Piroe, Patterson and Manning (due to suspension) and in came a very defensive looking trio of Smith, Fulton and Bennett – Yan Dhanda even made the trip up for a place on the bench.
Fisher
Bennett – Downes – Cabango
Christie – Fulton – Grimes – Wolf
Smith – Ntcham
Obafemi
The Swans started as predictably as their defensive set up would suggest – bearing in mind there was a measly six league goals in the whole line up and we are now in the middle of February.
It always seemed a question of when not if Stoke would score and it looked like it would need a miracle to get anything from the Potteries.
When a Stoke City team passes and moves around you, it’s time to start worrying and the energy displayed from the home team was stark in comparison to the meek, timid performance from Russell Martin’s team.
It’s hard to believe that this club was ninety minutes away from Premier League promotion eight or so months ago but this is where we are now.
Back to the game and Stoke were unlucky to not be ahead within two minutes with a clutch of Swans defenders clearing away a Harwood-Bellis effort from a free kick and further efforts followed.
Christie, Grimes and Ntcham all saw yellow in a ragged first period in which Aston Villa loanee Philogene-Bidace danced around our defence and Stoke looked every bit as confident as the Swans beaten without even conceding.
Josh Tymon and Baker went close before the interval as fans hoped that a Martin team talk might pay dividends at half time to rejuvenate a positive second half.
It was anything but, even with the introduction of Piroe for Smith, and it just got worse and even more grim for the away following in a chastening night for Martin and his team.
The inevitable first goal came and it was as poor defensively as you’d expect, ball across the box in slow motion and there was the aforementioned Philogene-Bidace to hit a weak shot past the rather vulnerable Fisher to open the flood gates.
Paterson soon arrived to try and make the difference but sadly it got worse again as a poor pass from Cabango was seized upon. Fisher did his best to parry an effort from Maja but it fell to Jacob Brown who was only stopped by a falling Ryan Bennett’s hand on the line. Penalty and red card for the former Leicester man.
Of course the penalty was duly tucked away by Lewis Baker and suddenly all things Swansea felt a little bit more grim as they fell at a stadium that has been a notoriously bad hunting ground dating back to Premier League years.
The third duly followed and it was as easy as it could have been for the home team as Brown finished past Fisher to cap off a thoroughly miserable night. One can only feel for the away fans.
There’s a way to lose and this was not it. It was meek, weak, lacklustre, devoid of passion and as above the only positive can be that it was only three. Bear in mind this was Stoke’s first home win in six too and that really does take the biscuit.
Martin has to do some soul searching because for all his weekend fist pumping it’s nights like tonight where his management career will be defined. And being completely honest nobody can say that he is succeeding in doing the job that would have been expected of him.
We all hear talk of transition but this is regression not progression and combine that with the owners pulling seemingly done deals in the January window then it all paints a very dark picture.
On the plus side we did have 59.5% possession…
There’s nothing more that can be said tonight. Shafted by the Potters.
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Absolutely spot on.
This report is sadly so true. It was the worst performance I have seen. No passion, no commitment, no clue. Very concerning