Planet Swans ArchivesIt says much about the style of play when you get a team that is facing a right back in goal for sixty six minutes and cannot even be bothered to try and muster a shot on goal to test him. It says more about that side that they elected instead to kick and spoil a Swansea performance that was missing just one thing – the goal that their play deserved.
Led by the inspired – and absolutely superb – Ferrie Bodde they laid siege to the QPR defence, forced an incredible seventeen corners but could not find a way past the ten men that QPR insisted on playing behind the ball.
Make no mistake the gormless Dowie had sent his team out with the tactics to spoil and take a point but you have to question the logic of a man who couldn’t get his side to test Alan Tate in goal. Tate had come on after less than half hour to replace Dorus De Vries – cluttered without mercy by another cynical foul by a QPR player. At least two of them should have seen red but another inpet referee – who doesn’t consider going through a player from behind a bookable offence.
Jordi Gomez came the closest when he struck the outside of the post whilst both Scotland and Gower tested the QPR keeper from long range as the Swans passing game was in top form. Scotland was the only change from the side that played against Ipswich on Saturday – he came in fro Pintado leaving the Swans to line up as follows
Dorus
Rangel Williams Monk Painter
Gomez Britton Bodde Pratley Gower
Scotland
Make no mistake but this was Swansea at their most dominant from the early stages. QPR mustered one shot at goal all game – a 90th minute long range effort that Alan Tate may as well have laughed at as it sailed over the bar. Indeed, Tate could have had a picnic in the penalty area such was the Swans dominance as they controlled the game for the most part in the QPR half.
Bodde was simply outstanding and spraying passes all over the pitch with an unnerving accuracy whilst Britton and Pratley did what you expect of them. Gower had arguably his best game in a Swansea shirt and is much more at home on the left hand side than he is on the right whilst Gomez was always a threat. At the back, Painter was excellent as was Williams and between them – adding in Rangel and Monk – they shielded Tate with some ease.
Scotland was not quite as effective as he was against Wolves but that took nothing away from another good performance from the striker who does seem to be hitting top form at the right time.
The injury to Dorus was a sickener as he came to collect a ball that was probably 60/40 in his favour. The crowd bayed for blood as the stretcher was called but only a yellow card ensued as Tate donned the keeper jersey. With the initial rumours suggesting a two month absence for the Dutchman it will be interesting to see Roberto’s next move this week on the goalkeeper front.
The Swans pressed for most of the game but QPR were here for their point and could not be broken down as even their fans sung with irony in the last minute “we had a shot on goal” in reference to what was a poor performance. Potentially not the best investment that Bernie Ecclestone has ever made if this is the result of the many millions that has been pumped into the club. Certainly not when you consider what Roberto had spent to build his much more effective and attractive team.
It is disappointing that we could not turn the pressure into a victory but this was a joy to watch and on this form there is every reason to believe that we are going to go from strength to strength.
Roll on Saturday – the football remains great to watch.
