Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Swansea City – absolutely unacceptable

What can you say positive about that? There’s little left to say as Swansea continued this horrible run of form that has got gradually worse and continues to plunge to new lows.

Perhaps on paper a loss at play off chasing Blackburn Rovers isn’t the end of the world. And that would be true to some extent. But it’s yet again the unacceptable manner of the timing of the goal, the set up of the team and the lack of chances created.

It’s all too familiar a tale and leaves a very bitter taste in the mouth after yet another wasted season despite there still being 14 games remaining… Is it really that many?

The manager tried and failed to make the team more solid by bringing in Joe Allen for Ollie Cooper and Joel Latibeaudiere for Matty Sorinola from the dirge we witnessed on Wednesday night.

Fisher

Cabango – Darling – Wood

Latibeaudiere – Fulton – Allen – Grimes – Manning

Cundle – Piroe

Whilst the Swans started well with Cabango hitting the Blackburn woodwork, there was just a feeling that whilst the away team were on top not enough was being created.

Indeed Piroe also mishit when well placed but despite the strong possession yet again little was created in a dour affair in Lancashire with the home fans firmly on the back of their players in the first half.

But in what must be the easiest tactical plan against Swansea these days, the opposition kept it tight before the interval and turned the screw in the second half knowing that under any concerted pressure our weak defence will cave.

Blackburn weren’t great. They didn’t need to be and also didn’t need to create substantial clear chances knowing that an opportunity will present itself at sometime in the ninety minutes (or more likely in injury time).

Martin made two changes in the second period introducing Cullen for Allen and Cooper for the ineffective Cundle in a bid to ask a few more questions. What those questions were I’m still not sure.

And just as you’d expect the Blackburn goal arrived with 89 minutes on the clock as the Swans closed in on an unusual clean sheet. The ball whipped across the back post with defenders stranded allowing centre half Daniel Ayala to nod in unmarked.

What perhaps is even more frustrating is that both Sorinola and Whittaker were quickly readied to be introduced in the immediate aftermath. Why this isn’t done in an attempt to be really positive and attack earlier is baffling.

Sorinola had a minor chance of note but hit over when well placed as the game ebbed to a close with yet another result thrown away and another dagger through the hearts of the 500 away fans who travelled.

It’s a long way to Blackburn and costs a fair bit of money in fuel, ticket, food etc and to see yet another late collapse is unacceptable however hard some of the players tried.

The blame for today and many others games sits right at the manager’s door for me. The patience has worn out and three wins in eighteen games is the type of form that should see you shown the door.

Whether that will happen is another matter but Martin looks devoid of ideas and his usual enthusiasm is long gone. One win against 11 men in the past 4 months – and that was an injury hit Watford team – tells a story and not a very good one at that.

This team isn’t world beating, it lacks quality in key areas for sure but it is worthy of more and bar a run of seven wins in nine earlier in the season there’s been nothing to shout about through the whole campaign.

What happens now?

MATCH FACTS AND LINE UPS

OTHER CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

LATEST TABLE

NEXT UP FOR THE SWANS