When Russell Martin takes time to reflect back over the past seven days I am sure he will look back with a level of satisfaction on the back of home wins over Cardiff City and West Brom.

But the defeat at Birmingham ended the week on a losing note for the Swans boss and he acknowledged that maybe his side was tired after their third game in six days meant that the intensity and energy of the two home performances was slightly missing.

He also looked closely at a ten minute spell straight after the break that he believes undone his side after we had what he believes was the best of the first half although conceding that we never looked that dangerous during it.

โ€œIt was really important how we started the second half and we started it really poorly,โ€ he told the Swans official site. โ€œItโ€™s a ten minute spell thatโ€™s undone us really.

โ€œWe werenโ€™t clean, people taking too many touches and some decision-making and detail wasnโ€™t right because they are tired.

โ€œWe lacked the intensity that we had in the previous two games, but I thought we had a lot of control in the first half without really threatening.

โ€œThey looked dangerous, they looked a threat and itโ€™s just energy. And we couldnโ€™t match that energy.

โ€œItโ€™s really frustrating because we work really hard on having a high defensive line, and the guys do it with real conviction and intent but he (Tahith Chong) is offside when he runs through.

โ€œItโ€™s gone against us and we lose the game but itโ€™s one game too many probably for too many of the players.โ€

By Phil Sumbler

Been watching the Swans since the very late 1970s and running the Planet Swans website (in all its current and previous guises since the summer of 2001 As it stood JackArmy.net was right at the forefront of some of the activity against Tony Petty back in 2001, breaking many of the stories of the day as fans stood against the actions where the local media failed. Was involved with the Swans Supporters Trust from 2005, for the large part as Chairman before standing down in the summer of 2020.