Michael Reeves
The Swans experienced a first defeat in eleven competitive games at West Brom yesterday but it was the reaction of the fans that spoke volumes on the nature of the performance.
Swans boss Michael Duff was honest enough in his assessment to the game but – as with the draw against Birmingham last week – we asked a simple question on the performance itself after the game with the question – “thoughts on today’s game?”
The responses were far less this weekend than last but the reaction just the same although maybe it was the response from a West Brom fan that summed it up the closest with this reply
As an Albion fan I thought you were really poor, not the possession based game I was expecting from you. Could of easily shared the honours, we were in tatters at the back the final 25. Poor game with 5 goals.
— Tom Preston (@itstompreston) August 12, 2023
It seemed a reasonably fair reflection on a Swans performance that was pretty poor for the large parts but capitalising on defensive uncertainty in the home back line could easily have earned us a point that not many could have argued that we deserved.
https://twitter.com/VetchUltra/status/1690427682662567936
Terrible. Not good enough. 4-3-3 incoming
— Shropshire and Midlands Jacks๐ฆข (@ShropshireJacks) August 12, 2023
Itโs always difficult for a new manager .He has to get to know the players at the club and he has to make new signings . Then heโs got to blend a them in to a team in a matter o weeks .
What is particularly difficult for Duff is that weโve played this excessive brand of possession football for two years and at the moment some of the players canโt play anything else .
The goals that west brom scored on Saturday were Martin era goals .Defenders coached so much in passing the ball that they dinโt know how to defend .Just look at the goals conceded last year .Wasnโt it fourth or fifth modt in the division .
I know that at the moment we are playing with no pattern but Duff is in a tricky situation .None of us know whether heโs good enough to sort the problems out but I certainly believe we should give him the opportunity and some time.
I agree with the above from Wyn.I am surprised at how badly Grimes and Fulton controlled the midfield and not surprised with the sloppy defending
The team must get out of the old style of playing quickly, the new players will get more attuned to the way Duff wants the team to play
it will take 5 to 8 games to adjust to the way Duff wants the team to play but the new boy Patino from Arsenal looks a gem along with a solid performance yet again from Key. The forwards need better service from the midfield and we need fast wingers a new Dyer and Routledge!!!!
In football I always look at our performanceโs in sets of 10 games! In 8 to 10 games he needs to gel these players together you would have lost automatic promotion and 2/3 playoff spots, so the quicker we stop conceding goals and start giving a 90min plus performanceโs we may start being noticed again as a hard side to beat!