Rob Davies
Lightning doesn’t usually strike twice but it looks like it’ll be one of those seasons as Birmingham strike back late on to earn a draw.
After the hard work of wrestling back the game was done through goals from Olivier Ntcham and Matt Grimes, the Swans had just a matter of a few minutes to see our a hard earned victory.
But this team clearly has a soft core and its defensive frailties came to the core yet again as Troy Deeney was allowed not one, not two, not even three but four touches inside the six yard box from a corner to equalise.
Scott Hogan had put the Blues ahead early on with a header from a cross which had Steven Benda clutching at thin air before Ntcham netted a beautiful curling strike into the bottom corner.
Joel Latibeaudiere then set up Grimes for a fine finish to make it 2-1 only for that late corner to throw away two valuable points and drop the Swans down from 6th to 8th.
Martin made a number of changes from the draw against Wigan on the weekend which saw Armstrong Oko-Flex, Michael Obafemi and Ollie Cooper drop out for a more defensive look.
In came Olivier Ntcham, Matt Grimes and Harry Darling as the Swans looked to bounce back after three games without a win.
Benda
Wood – Darling – Cabango
Latibeaudiere – Fulton – Grimes – Manning
Cundle – Piroe – Ntcham
Characteristically of late Martin’s men started slowly and Birmingham were cutting through at will. It seemed very much that it was a matter of time until the Blues would score.
Much the same as on Saturday an early sloppy goal was conceded and if anything needs substantial work on during the World Cup break it would be the team’s defending. Particularly from set pieces.
The Swans failed to clear the ball after two crosses into the box before the ball fell to West Ham loaner Longelo who bypassed Latibeaudiere to whip a cross in which completely evaded Benda.
Hogan was there to head home as he did last season against us and the home side had their tails up against a bedraggled looking away side.
But if there’s anything that can always be true about Swansea it is that they can surprise as quickly as they disappoint and soon after a spell of pressure from the home team Ntcham put his stamp on the game.
The midfielder, signed on a free from Celtic last summer, does things we never expected and that was proven yet again as he followed up after Ryan Manning hit the post to whip a curling effort beyond the goalkeeper for 1-1.
That coincided with an upturn in performance by the Swans and they began to dominate and create chances and with the half time whistle about to blow captain Grimes put his team ahead.
Good play down the right between Cundle and Latibeaudiere saw the latter play a low ball in which was met by Grimes eight yards out and he side footed (right foot!) Into the corner to make it 2-1.
The Swans were backed by a strong and vociferous away following especially on a Tuesday night and optimism was high, just as long as the somewhat kamikaze defending can be resolved.
Indeed in the second half it could hardly be said that Birmingham peppered our goal despite Martin’s team sitting deep in an attempt to soak up the pressure.
Benda had little to do although the Swans did little to relieve what pressure there was by taking the game up the other end of the pitch. Obafemi and Cooper were introduced to do that although to little effect.
The Blues threw on Lukas Jutckiewicz in a desperate attempt to get a goal and they eventually did in the 89th minute when a familiar tormentor scored to equalise.
Troy Deeney seemed to score so often for Watford in the Premier League against us much like he did for Birmingham last season but the defending allowed him the easiest of finishes from a corner kick.
Ben Cabango looked to have lost his man allowing a header down towards goal which was met by a totally unmarked Deeney who had the freedom of the six yard box to take as many touches as he wanted and practically dribble into the net.
No pressure and the third goal from a corner conceded in two games. Pathetic. We have a set piece coach too apparently?
There was enough time for the Swans to have a strong penalty appeal waved away against Ryan Manning – arguably if VAR had been in play it would have been a spot kick. But the points were shared eventually after yet another late goal conceded.
Better not to speak too emotionally after that although when you have a team that concedes an average of 1.4 goals a game, has a habit of conceding in the first half and then late on, it all adds to a big problem.
8th place certainly isn’t too shabby but so much thrown away and two points left out on the porch again. Much like on Saturday against Wigan.
Onto Huddersfield this weekend before the international break. And we don’t want to be going into that on the back of a run of five games without a win.
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If we’re being honest Birmingham should’ve had all three so really it was a point gained for Swansea.