Planet Swans ArchivesThe last time that Bristol City visited the Liberty Stadium they went away, tail between their legs, on the back of a 7-1 thrashing and facing up to losing their manager as a result.
The Bristol City 2006 version is a very different kettle of fish. Under the expert guidance of Gary Johnson they have gone from a very very poor side to a side that will surely be there or thereabouts come the end of the season when the promotion gongs are being handed out. Undoubtedly the best side to visit the Liberty this season, it was somewhat fitting that the best game of the season was between two sides who would both love to feature in next season’s championship.
The Swans may well lay claim to have done enough to win the game – and with decent finishing they may have done – but it would be easy for any of the travelling 1,207 Wurzels to say the same as they wasted several glorious chances – most notably in the first half.
Kenny Jackett resisted the temptation to field immediately Ian Craney – preferring the fit again Darren Pratley alongside Alan Tate in midfield but there was a Liberty Stadium bow for Marcos Painter – on loan from Birmingham City. Despite a clean sheet last weekend, Andy Oakes returned to bench, giving way for the fit again Willy Gueret.
Big Willy
Amakwaah Big Den Amankwaah Imelda
Leon Pratley Tatey Robbo
Fallon LT10
Bench: Oakes, Craney, Izzy, Butler, Bayo
Swansea started a little nervously and the visitors had the better of the opening exchanges with great chances for Brooker and Showumni going to waste when they headed over when well placed. Showumni, in particular, was to end up being a threat for all of the opening period – being afforded acres of space by Kevin Amankwaah who time and time again found himself dragged inside leaving space on the Wurzel left.
Swansea though were a big threat of their own with some crisp, neat passing movements and a lively display from Lee Trundle who drew several saves from Basso in the Wurzel goal in the opening period. Alan Tate in midfield was outstanding but along side him Darren Pratley did not look fully fit and you have to wonder whether he was rushed back for the game or not. And bar the space afforded them on the right Bristol offered very little to break us down but Jevons squandered several good chances by shooting straight at Willy.
Tatey looked to have broken the deadlock when he lifted the ball over the defender and in the next move over the keeper but it was cleared off the line by a despairing dive from the defender to deny him a goal and to send 14,000 of the 15,000 strong crowd – a season best – wild.
Alongside Trundle, Fallon was winning plenty of ball outside of the box but has a complete reluctance to attack anything in the area itself. A case in point and maybe a video that Rory should watch is Carvallho attacking the ball to notch Chelsea’s equaliser this afternoon. Goals with the head are scored by taking chances and attacking the ball – rarely will you find it planted on your head.
However, planted on your head was a luxury afforded to LT10 when Robbo found him from a left wing cross halfway through the half but Trundle elected to jump and chest when flick head in would have been the option and the half time interval saw the score remain blank.
Izzy replaced the injured – he had been holding his neck – Lawrence at half time and the Swans without a doubt had the best of the second half and this was where the damage should have been done. LT10 was again the guilty party of ignoring Robinson when running clean through and one chance evaporated before he skied another one when seemingly well placed
At the back Amankwaah’s afternoon of misery was completed when he was taken off – today was just not his day and the dropping back of Tate to right back shored up that hole that had caused us so many problems in the game to that point. That left a vacancy that was filled with Ian Craney – on for his Swansea debut and a decent one at that it proved to be.
Craney looks just what our midfield was missing. A bit of bite, a bit of battle and a decent pass to boot. We won more loose balls with him there than Tate and that is taking nothing away from Alan who was one of the better performers on the day.
The inevitable Bayo for Fallon came possibly too late to make any difference although Bayo’s comedy moment came with minutes to go when he skied after making a chance for himself. It even made his penalty at the Millennium Stadium look close. Was that the last chance? No it wasn’t Trundle found himself clean through in stoppage time cutting in from the left but his sharp shot was well stopped by Basso only to loop to Britton who got no power on the header and as Basso gathered the final whistle went and it was the Wurzel fans who went home happiest whilst the Swans reflected on what may have been.
Make no mistake this was a decent performance from the Swans and other sides would have gone under against us but, as I said at the top, this is a decent Wurzel side and they were good value for their point. Not the result that we wanted as we eyed fourth place but certainly plenty to take forward as positives as we take 10 days break from league action to concentrate on the FA Cup.
