REPORT: Wales on Sunday
THE Championship’s clash of the former Titans ended in anti-climax as Swansea City and Ipswich failed to live up to their famous managers’ rivalry during a hard-fought draw at Portman Road.
With two former Champions League winners, both of whom heralded as being among the best midfielders of their generation, going head-to-head as managers, you could forgive fans for expecting something special.
When Paulo Sousa and Roy Keane met as players their rivalry produced some great football so perhaps it’s only natural to hope the meeting of their two teams would do the same.
Considering that meeting was taking place in the second tier of British football rather than Europe’s elite club competition, hindsight would tell you it was probably an unrealistic expectation.
And, while the clash of footballing ideologies certainly provided a point of interest, it wasn’t enough to make this a game either set of fans will really remember come the end of the season.
The simple truth is that, for all they achieved as players, both Sousa and Keane are at a very early stage when it comes to instilling their own values on a new team.
A quick look at the Championship table will tell you the Swans’ boss is having a better time of it but even he will admit there is a long way to go.
With that in mind it was hardly a surprise this game was nowhere near the sort of spectacle the two managers regularly participated in during their playing pomp.
It was a game packed with character, determination and hard graft but not one that would set tongues wagging in the Football League.
From Swansea’s point of view it was, however, at least both a point gained and another game to add to an unbeaten run that now stands at six.
Ipswich may be rock bottom in the Championship but this performance will only reinforce most people’s beliefs that they won’t be there for long and, as such, you have to put it down as a job well done for Sousa’s men.
They were made to work for their point though and, after a shaky start, Ipswich went on to dominate much of the game, particularly in the second half. In fairness neither team really created that much in terms of clear-cut chances but the hosts definitely had the better of them.
Nevertheless, with Craig Beattie opening the scoring after just seven minutes, the afternoon had looked much more promising for Swansea at one point.
The Scotsman burst through the Tractor Boys defence to collect Angel Rangel’s long ball before drilling it home to open his Swans account in style.
Beattie’s impressive finish didn’t count for much though as the Swans squandered their lead within 10 minutes.
With his back four failing to clear their lines, Dorus de Vries was left helpless as a well-worked move between Jaime Peters and Sousa’s summer target Pablo Counago allowed the Spaniard to slot home from close range.
The hosts seemed to grow in confidence after that and, while Swansea continued to look dangerous on the break, they had lost the initiative.
The game was now a more even affair with both defences having to absorb their fare share of pressure.
For all the end-to-end action, neither team was really able to create much in the way of chances as the first half progressed.
And, when one finally did come after Peters lost the erratic Fede Bessone, Counago headed the winger’s cross over from just eight yards to ensure the scores remained level going into the break.
Ipswich continued to have the better of possession as the second half got underway with both Liam Rosenior and Alan Quinn having half chances to put the hosts in front.
But it was Counago who came closest to finding the net again, turning Alan Tate in the 57th minute only to be denied by a sprawling save from de Vries.
Within 60 seconds an Ashley Williams mistake almost cost the Swans dearly as Jon Walters volleyed wide.
And, while a quick counter-attack saw Nathan Dyer miss an almost identical opportunity in the 62nd minute, Sousa’s men were clearly under pressure.
The Portuguese reacted by bringing on Jordi Lopez for the impressive Andrea Orlandi and the former Sevilla man initially managed to steady the ship. Swansea even managed to create some attacking pressure of their own but, with Keane’s men looking more likely to score a second, a blocked effort from Beattie was all they really had to show for it.
The Tractor Boys continued to create the better chances, with Tommy Smith going close from a Grant Leadbitter corner in the 74th minute. As has been the case in several games this season, de Vries then came to Swansea’s rescue, blocking Connor Wickham’s effort with his feet after Liam Trotter had slid the young substitute in behind the Swans defence.
The hosts then had one last chance to secure all three points in injury time as some flaky defending saw Leadbitter’s cross fall to Trotter on the edge of the Swans box. But, with the midfielder unable to keep his effort on target, Sousa and Keane’s rivalry proved far less entertaining than the one they had as players – and both men had to settle for a share of the day’s spoils.
