Rob Davies
Sometimes football is cruel and there are times when you know you’ll be up against it from minute one. Against a team that is effectively champions elect with ยฃ250m worth of players, the Swans did their best but fell short.
It’s a sad situation that there is such a divide in the Championship between us and the likes of yesterday’s visitors but fortunately they will omly be here for one season… and it’s a harsh lesson for Michael Duff and his players.
It all started so well as Matt Grimes rifled in delightfully from a corner but the pressure eventually told as Jannik Vestergaard equalised in the most fortuitous fashion before Fatawu put them ahead after the break.
The referee played a part by ignoring a Leicester foul and five seconds later awarding the visitors a free kick which was delivered to Iheanacho for a late third.
As anticipated Ben Cabango missed out as he struggles with the knock he picked up a couple of weeke ago, meaning Josh Tymon kept his place at left back.
Leicesrer started ageing striker Jamie Vardy with a rather fearsome midfield of Winks, Ndidi and Dewsbury-Hall. Ctikey…
And it was soon clear to see that their focus of attack was down both wings. The lightening quick Stephy Mavididi had Josh Key on toast and it was a similar struggle for Tymon against Fatawu on the other side.
But one thing that is becoming clearer by the week is that this new look Swansea team is becoming more resilient by the week and as the Swans went ahead, could a scalp have been on the cards?
It’s perhaps a ridiculous thing to say in an FA Cup type of mentality but when you’re up against a squad that would quite easily survive in the top flight as it stands then the task becomes clearer.
The Swans weathered an early stotm to win a corner which was half cleared to the rejuvenated Grimes whose first time strike nestled in the bottom corner.
That seemed if anything to unsettle Duff’s men and the leaders should have beem level had Vardy got to the fat post a milisecond sooner as a ball across the face of goal evaded the veteran striker.
But it coild have been 2-0 as the combination of Waes and the Leicester keeper contrived to make a mistake leading to an opportunity for Yates 50 yards from goal facing an empty net. His dinked effort going just over.
It was again a ball by Mavididi causing the prohlems and it was his cross from a corner that led to the leveller. A quick corner was passed to the winger and his ball bounced off Humphreys into the path ot Vestergaard who touched it into the net.
Just ss half time was closing the Swans should have been ahead again. A quick countet fell to Cullen and his stunning volley nearly broke the crossbar. On second viewing Hernansen the goalkeeper got a vital touch resulting in a corner.
Harry Darling’s free header was nodded over as another glorious chance went begging in a competitive first half.
The second half was always going to be an uphill task and despite four wins on the bounce the bookies made it a mammoth 5/1 for the Swans to win despite the score being level. That shows just how much confidence there is in the Foxes to walk away with the title…
Much like a lot of the first half rhe Swans were content to sit and allow Leicester thr ball, inviting them to break us down as Grimes dropped back to defence to make it a five.
It was a great passing move that led to the second goal although the defending at right bsck left much to be desired. Mavididi and the always busy Dewsbury-Hall combined for the latter to set up Sporting loanee Fatawu for 2-1.
The Swans did fight back strongly, earning a couple of corners with one glorious chance somehow not resulting in a penalty as Patino’s left footed drive looked set for the corner. But for a hand to clear the ball away…
Then another high press led to a superb chance for Lowe only for the goalkeeper to claw away his curling effort. That summed up the day in reality as despite the Swans having valuable opportunities to take something, Leicester always had the edge and better qualty.
And that was demonstrated as substitute Kelechi Iheanacho was sent clear after a debatable refereeing decision as the Swans had men up looking for an equaliser. The striker was clinical and sealed Leicester’s 11th win in 12 games.
Hard to criticise the team aftet a really hard working display against such a strong team. Perhaps the substitutions didn’t help but it can’t be argued that the marginally better team won on the day.
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Got to disagree about the substitutes – I thought this improved the team performance. It was a reality check and hopefully shows us where we need to improve. Wasn’t sure what Jerry Yates was about though – buzzed about without much enthusiasm but didn’t contribute much and should have scored in that open net from distance.