Planet Swans ArchivesThere are some games that will live long in the memory and some that fade quickly. This one I had pretty much forgotten about before I had walked through the gates of the Vetch after an uninspiring afternoon for two sides who lacked imagination, skill and in the case of our visitors the ability to kill a team off that was second best.
With two new signings in midweek and both expected to start it was somewhat of a surprise to learn that Kevin McLeod was struggling with a virus and Andy Robinson would start again on the left hand side of midfield. Andy Gurney returned at right back and there was a slight surprise though with the inclusion of Adrian Forbes on the right hand side of midfield.
Gueret
Gurney Iriekpen Austin Ricketts
Forbes Martinez Bean Robinson
Connor Trundle
Subs: Britton, Mcleod, Thorpe, Tate, O’Leary
Swansea seem to have settled into a plan at home of letting the opposition come at them in the first forty five minutes and today was no different as Grimsby had by far the better of a pretty crap first half and should have been at least one goal to the good by the interval.
All too often it was Swansea who handed them the initiative with sloppy balls in midfield, the predictable defending too deep and the game plan that seemed to consist of aiming the ball in the general vicinity of Paul Connor in the hope that he would win something – he didn’t manage much all afternoon.
Grimsby were hungrier for the ball and made better use of it as they launched a few attacks and Michael Reddy was more than a match for the ineffective Kevin Austin who was lacking something very severely this afternoon.
For some reason, known only to themselves Swansea spurned several chances to head the ball away preferring to let it run over their heads and almost every time it gave Reddy the chance to put us under pressure and on more than one occasion it was left to Willy to come from his penalty area to clear the Swans lines as the crowd started to get agitated by what they were seeing.
For our own attacking ‘prowess’ (and I use that term very lightly) we offered a couple of Lee Trundle shots from range that failed to test the visiting keeper and a couple of blocked efforts that never got as far as him.
As the half time whistle went, there were the first boos of the season coming from sections of the ground as the bad form of late was without a doubt in continuation.
In recent weeks, we have seen improvements from the Swans in the second half but this time it was hope more than conviction that believed us to think that this could happen again.
I guess if you want a slight positive angle then the second half was a slight improvement and possibly turned us from a very poor side to maybe a mediocre one and if you want another positive then Grimsby didn’t get the couple of clear cut chances that they had in the first half. Both those comments mask over another dismal forty five minutes between two sides that couldn’t get going.
Tate was introduced for Izzy at the interval but it made little difference and it was just past the hour when the inevitable change of bringing Thorpe on. At 0-0 and struggling maybe we should have gone three strikers but it was Connor that came off leaving the Swans to play pretty much the same pattern of hit and hope. Trundle was in the game more with shots at goal but none were more than food and drink to the keeper and 0-0 was in evidence all the way.
The introduction of McLeod with 20 minutes to go was almost a high spot and for five minutes the Swans could have been a team. One cross should have been converted by Thorpe (would Connor have scored? We will never know) and another cross from Trundle evaded him just.
But that was about as good as it got and the four minutes of stoppage time could have been 4 hours, or maybe even days, and it would not have changed the outcome of this match. Two poor sides battling for any scraps that the opposition were kind enough to give them.
Player performances? Austin was not himself today and not the player that he has been in the last few months. Ricketts attacked some but never looked comfortable whilst Gurney – the less said the better. Izzy and Tate can be good defenders but both are prone to howlers in games and both gave us a couple today to prove that.
Forbes wasn’t match fit and I hasten to say that he should not have started today whilst Robinson we all know is not a winger. Trundle, Connor and Thorpe really didn’t perform at all although I suspect they will draw comments of
Trundle – given no service
Connor – Offered nothing
Thorpe – Unlucky with a header
The truth is that all three had no service and all three offered us little this afternoon. In midfield Bean and Martinez go together like Jacks and Bluebirds. I don’t care what anyone says – Martinez is a mere shadow of the player we first saw here two years ago and I severely doubt whether we will see him at the top of his game any more. Bean? Faded drastically as the game went on so hard to judge.
Quite simply, this was a dreadful performance and to be fair if we continue like this then prepare yourself for the “I told you so” comments from those that did.
