Rob Davies
The Swans were absolutely cruising for the majority of the night against a Millwall team who had won two out of their opening three games.
But yet again the team contrived to collapse and throw away two more precious points. The Swansea.com Stadium was filled with positivity after a 75 minute game which was creative and controlled.
And then Millwall were allowed to take a point thanks to two comical own goals; the second of which should be applauded for the quality of the finish by Nathan Wood. Millwall should even give him the goal bonus for his efforts.
And despite the valiant efforts for the majority of the game the cold light of day doesn’t make for good reading when you look at the facts.
- Swansea have won just one of the last nine home games (vs Derby County in April)
- It is one win in eleven games
- Four times in the last twelve games the Swans have collapsed from a two.goal (or more) lead to draw – Reading away, Bournemouth home, Oxford away and now Millwall at home.
And amidst that run we have a manager who is starting to show an inability to cope with the pressure that is coming his way. In the last week we’ve seen Russell Martin chaotic at best and damaging at worst with not just the decisions made in terms of game management but also the comments made after those matches.
He made a couple of changed from the win at Blackpool as Olivier Ntcham came in for Matty Sorinola after a scoring cameo appearance whilst Nathan Wood was restored in place of Ben Cabango who is still returning to full fitness.
The biggest team news came in the form of the return of Joe Allen for his first start of his second spell at the club and he did not disappoint.
Fisher
Wood – Naughton – Darling
Latibeaudiere – Allen – Grimes – Manning
Piroe – Obafemi – Ntcham
No sooner had the whistle blown for kick off that the Swans were on the attack and as Millwall struggled to clear their lines the ball fell to the spare runner on the left who was Ryan Manning.
He took a touch and slammed the ball clinically in with the aid of the wood work and the Swans were a goal up. And they were playing well.
It should have been two when Ntcham made space outside the penalty area and struck a curling effort towards goal which Bialkowski could only palm to Joel Latibeaudiere who somehow fired over from a matter of yards.
There was a scare when Jamie Shackleton for Millwall received a bouncing ball just outside the area and slammed the bar with Fisher beaten.
But soon it was 2-0 and the home team were rewarded for their early endeavour as Michael Obafemi turned his marker inside out before shooting low and catching out the despairing Bialkowski.
The crowd by this point were really enjoying what was happening with Allen controlling the midfield and Matt Grimes looking similarly impressed with his new partner in the middle of the pitch.
And it could have been more with Ntcham having increasing influence almost finding Obafemi – the Swans were in their stride and the only hope was that it would continue and we wouldn’t see the collapses that have been so regular of late.
The second half began with Millwall pressure but little to show for it and Allen almost ended a wonderful roaming run with a goal as his fierce strike was palmed wide by Bialkowski.
Then it looked to all the world like it would be 3-0 as Ntcham was found in space in the box but his right footed strike was again thwarted by Bialkowski. Would the Swans pay? You bet.
Most tellingly it was the substitutions that weakened the team with Latibeaudiere earlier going off after a heavy shoulder injury to be replaced by Sorinola and then Allen off for Fulton.
Two further changes saw Congreve and Cabango come on for Ntcham and Manning which saw Naughton move to right back and a central back three of Wood – Cabango – Darling. It sounds good but it was anything but.
After Millwall had two decent penalty shouts turned down their debutant striker Voglsammer caught Fisher out from a long ball and dinked then over the onrushing keeper only for the ball to bounce off the bar to safety. That was a let off but Millwall wouldn’t be denied.
Stoppage time of five.minutes was announced and surely now it was game over? Well until a cross from the right was deflected in at the near post by Cabango for a nervy finish. But with only two and a half.minutes of injury time left and at home there shouldn’t be much concern?
Well there was. And in typical fashion another ball was whipped in and as the ball went to the back post Wood contrived to head back into his own net when under pressure from a striker.
Obafemi should have wrapped it up in between those two goals but hesitated and the Swansea.com Stadium was a mixture of shock, anger and disbelief that yet again lightening had struck. But it hasn’t struck just one, it has bit four times in twelve games and that can only say that the mentality is a real issue amongst the team.
It comes down to the management and whilst Martin rages at Paterson there is a lot for him to reflect on as he looks at one win from five at the start of the season. Five winnable games at that.
We are yet to.play a Middlesbrough, Sheffield United, Norwich, Watford, Burnley to name a few of the sides that should be competing at the top end this season.
Luton will be an interesting clash against a team who have scored just once all season. Win and it calms the anger. Lose and maybe the pressure might ramp up ever more on the rather edgy looking Russell Martin.
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