Phil Sumbler
It’s the morning after the afternoon before and the dust has settled on the poor performance that saw us beaten 3-0 at home by Blackburn on what will prove to be one of the easiest afternoons Rovers will have this season.
It was an afternoon where those who love the stats will point to more than 600 passes completed by the Swans with 71% possession but as the title of this article says it was possession without a purpose and Blackburn lapped it up in a clear pointer to everyone that we will face in the coming weeks.
It was clear very early on in the game that Blackburn were happy to let us have the lions share of possession as they accepted that much of it would be around the middle third and, more often than not, the defensive half of that middle third. Passing between centre backs and the defensive midfielder is never going to harm the opposition when almost everyone in front of those four players is static and rarely – at best – looking for any space for the ball to be played into.
Blackburn also knew that we were susceptible to a mistake and so it proved when they took the lead with five minutes of the first half remaining. From that point forward the game became even more predictable as they lined up ten men behind the ball and waited to hit us on the break – something they did to great effect for both their second and third goals.
In truth we know that for all the possession and passing we never really looked like scoring. Maybe a 10 minute period just after the introduction of Jamie Paterson gave some hope for the Swans but it was nothing more than a short period of pressure of some sort in the middle of an afternoon which developed as so many games did last season.
The commentator on Five Live summing up the game when reporting from the Swansea.com said it all – Blackburn were good and Swansea were, well typical Swansea with lots of possession but never likely to do anything with it.
“The way we play isn’t always going to please everyone,” said Martin after the game.
“I think pretty much everyone out of Swansea hates it because they’re desperate to stop it and beat it.
“Even a few comments from their bench towards it tells me the mentality towards it, because we dare to try and control things and pass the ball. That’s their prerogative.”
These are the words of course of the boss but not sure the opposition managers actually hate the way we play and many – as Tomasson showed yesterday – probably enjoy it as it makes it really easy for them to play against.
“We played against a good side today who are strong on the ball so that’s why I chose to control the game out of possession,” said the Blackburn boss after the game.
The problem that is facing Russell Martin is not so much the way that people take to the style of play but more the fact that the style of play is becoming increasingly easy to play against.
Last season he talked much about his team being brave but there is nothing brave about watching a side so lacking in ideas and – more frustratingly – lacking in any movement to create the all important space. The ‘Swansea Way’ was much fabled in the times of Martinez, Rodgers and Laudrup but this is not the Swansea Way as we know it but the Swansea way of the post 2021 period.
Under the previously named managers there was a purpose to our possession and we had players to take advantage of the space that our neat and quick passing created. Here we have some neat passing, its not always quick and we largely do not have the players to try and make that space. And even when they do make the space then all too often we won’t see the space as the natural instinct seems to be a sideways or backwards pass. This remains an ongoing concern as it does not seem to be improving.
We know that we need new players but that in itself proves to be a problem due to our desire to move on several players from the club and seemingly unable to do it. The watching Jake Silverstein may decide he wants to place the club further into debt with a loan but frankly I am not sure we want to go down that route as our recent transfer record is not exactly glowing and that’s before you consider the implications of debt.
Martin also talked after the game about not repeating their same mistakes but the problem he has is that it is exactly at the moment what we do. We had a warning before Blackburn took the lead by conceding cheap possession and letting them in but yet we still contrived to do it twice for their opening goal.
The next few weeks will be a real test of the steel of Russell Martin and his ability to lift a team who have not started the season as he would have hoped. Should the likes of Blackpool, Luton and Millwall find their time against us as easy as Blackburn did then questions marks will be raised much more often against his style of play and the possession without purpose methods that we seem to be using at the moment.
Add to those games the need to change the squad to bring in that personnel – did anyone say a right wing back at all? – which we need this makes for a massive month ahead for Martin and, very possibly, the biggest testing period of what is still a relatively young management career.
The question on everyone’s lips is can we deliver against his clear beliefs?
I honestly think his philosophy is flawed there’s no plan B and his A plan is so easy to set up against. Put 11 men behind the ball our defence then pushes right onto our midfield which kills any space for us to play into. The opposition can then watch us pass sideways and back until they can pressurise us into a mistake or a fast counter attack into the space we have left at the back. Every game it’s the same. Great crowd yesterday with loads of new kits on display and we offered nothing going forward. Is this the way to encourage supporters to come and watch entertainment because that’s what it’s supposed to be. I honestly think if Piroe is sold the money will be used to pay off Martin. There is the basis of a good team there but it needs to set up and play in a different style.
A good team in need of an experienced championship manager got Martin on the cheep again and has not got a clue .
Rovers fan here…this is the most realistic (away fan) assessment I’ve read.
FWIW – here’s my “report”…more like a travel guide really…
https://www.brfcs.com/magazine/articles/500-words-after-swansea/272
Swansea play a boring game of football midfield all the time nothing to enjoy the game he needs to rethink his way of play if he wants to progress . Everyone we spoke to was very unimpressed with his way of play again and again 🙄
Yes Martin has no idea of managing a team in the championship he is better off in the lower leagues and the players he has brought in are not good enough we are going to struggle with him in charge brought in new backroom staff has made no difference same old system were the team has had enough time to learn but it is allright playing passing football when there is nothing at the end of it Levien and Kaplan are all right splashing out on DC United but nothing towards our club .
This is my first post ever as a 61 year-old football fan. But I feel it is time to say something. Personally, I respect those who put themselves out there to be be a football manager. There is so much I like about Russell Martin’s philosophy. I mean it is so easy for us in the stands to criticise managers and players, well we have paid for the right haven’t we? But my issue is that Russell seems [?] to want a game where the result is decided by judges based on possession and pass completion but the beauty of the game is in its simplicity, score more than the opposition and you win. As someone said above and, based on my limited experience within the game, to my mind Swansea players take too many touches, do not move the ball quick enough, are poor playing at speed and well who would want to be forward in our team when you make loads of effort moving and running but never get the ball when Grimes and Naughton hog the ball (I am so sorry to say this because I know they are both such talented footballers with a passion for the club) arghhhhh! Russell can’t you see you your system is so easy to overcome? other managers do and even some of us unqualified punters can. Hopefully some managers won’t be so smart and your game plan will work, I do hope so. C’mon the Swans.
Complete and utter rubbish .same excuses as last season .if you hire a league one manager .you get league one football .wake up people .i been watching the swans for a long time .well b4 the first time we went to the then division one .not going anywere this season again .
Steve:- what I have read about your comments all seem correct, To be honest and nothing against Russell Martin But I feel it’s time for him to go. This is Not the Swansea Way Our Way Was Yes Keep the Ball But If The opposition Scored Two Goals We Would Score Three. Remember Who They Compared Us With Barcelona, Now We Are Shaping Up Like M K D Great possession Mid Table And Won Nothing. Mr Martin Don’t Go Backwards Or Side To Side Just Keep Going Forward, Or That’s Straight On If You Can’t Remember What Going Forward Is. And Don’t Look Back In Anger I Hear You Say. P. S All the Best for the Future Providing It’s Not At S,C,F,C.
Martin is besotted with possession of the ball,but what’s the point when all you do is go sideways and backwards.Blackburn make four passes and the ball is in our net.
This is relegation football make no mistake.