Rob DaviesThe Swans were thankful to escape from today’s match against Birmingham City with an undeserved point after a dominant display from the visitors against a timid and lacklustre home team.
Quite how the host of Blues players contrived to miss from just a few yards out was quite incredible and probably the only highlight of the day. That and a minor scuffle between Joel Piroe and Lee Bowyer on the touchline.
This will be one of my shorter match reports of the season as quite honestly it was a pathetic display from a disjointed and tepid Swans team – something we’ve all witnessed far too often this season.
Had Birmingham gone away 3-0 winners it would have been fair and you can’t take anything away from Lee Bowyer and his team for their performance however inept Russell Martin’s team were on the day.
The Swans boss was forced to rule Flynn Downes out of contention this morning as he failed a fitness test whilst there was a very late change with Korey Smith replacing Jamie Paterson who was injured in the warm up.
Where Ryan Bennett was is anyone’s guess…?
Fisher
Burns – Naughton – Cabango
Christie – Smith – Grimes – Ntcham – Wolf
Obafemi – Piroe
The match started in the usual fashion with the Swans controlling the early passing and it was Martin’s team who probably should have led early on when Hannes Wolf was slipped in down the left.
Wolf has arguably really struggled since arriving although absences haven’t helped him and typical of his form he hit the ball wide of the target – it could have been a cross for Obafemi at the back post which says how close it actually was.
The next chance in the game was one of the clearest, the away team broke at pace making a two on one and Tahith Chong’s ball to find Juninho Bacuna was slightly behind him but should have seen him make it 1-0. Thankfully for the Swans he skied it much like the next glorious chance.
Onel Hernandez – who tortured Cyrus Christie all afternoon – sent him for a donut and ran with pace into the area as the Swans were outnumbered on the counter attack again but Chong skied his effort at the far post.
Piroe had a decent chance thanks to some nice interplay down the left but his shot lacked power and was palmed away by former Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge with Obafemi stretching to reach the rebound.
There was another clear opportunity in the opening half for Birmingham but I stopped making notes at that point and pinned my hopes on a much improved second half. That was very wrong.
Finley Burns was struggling to keep up with the pace of the game and Martin hooked him at the break for Joel Latibeaudiere as he sought to try and take control.
It didn’t have the desired affect.
The second half consisted of wave after wave of Blues attacks and quite how Maxime Colin missed from barely three years out on the volley (hit the post) was about the only amusement for the home fans.
The rowdy away following sensed a goal and could have had two or three, Swansea were living off scraps in their own back yard and it was depressing viewing.
Hernandez again came close when he cut in and skimmed an effort wide with the aid of a deflection and the fans in the North Stand were certainly enjoying their day out. It was lovely weather too if a bit windy.
Comically, when two of your players run into each other and gift the opposition the ball it isn’t a great sign for anyone and Matt Grimes will probably wonder how he managed to miss Latibeaudiere – probably summing the performance up in one move.
Korey Smith went off for Nathanael Ogbeta to use a genuine left footer on the left side and whilst he showed some encouragement again his crosses into the box were never met by anyone in a white shirt.
In amongst all the Birmingham pressure the Swans did have two opportunities to undeservedly take all three points but Kyle Joseph failed to find Obafemi when he was through down the left.
The other chance fell to Piroe after being set up by Obafemi but his shot was straight at Etheridge although it would have been scantly deserved.
Full time arrived after only three minutes of stoppage time to a smattering of boos on a day where Swansea yet again failed to deliver a performance but were thankful for a Birmingham team failing to seize the opportunities.
Much, much better will need to come for the South Wales derby in two weeks but we’ve said on many occasions this season that we need to see better only to be left disappointed.
Today was miserable and there isn’t much more to say, writing this made me exhausted let alone enduring that ninety minutes live.
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