Rob Davies
Boxing Day football hasn’t been kind to the Swans with just one win since 2015 and yesterday was the worst of the lot at the hands of Russell Martin.
I can’t go into the breakdown of each goal simply because it was so bad. I’m very close to the point of not being able to care either when the players quite clearly don’t.
We’ve seen over the years sides who lack quality, teams needing investment and suffering from injuries. But this is a team thar has had good money thrown after bad and the lack of effort particularly in the second half was telling.
It was our biggest defeat since being back in the Championship and reminds of that Boxing Day 2017 when Leon Britton was in caretaker charge and we got thumped 5-0 at Anfield.
There was just as much of a gap between the two teams yesterday as there was thar day six years ago and the need for a new manager has never been greater than it is right now.
Can we all say confidently that we will stay up at the moment? Absolutely not and without significant changes we run a very big risk of being dragged into the bottom three. But it won’t be kicking and screaming, it’ll be meekly accepting our fate like that eleven did yesterday.
Let’s nor forget the part that our former ‘saviour’ Russell Martin played this week. Unsettling, destabilising the squad all for the purpose of increasing the PR machine to further levels (if that was possible). He only left us because the ownership didn’t offer him a new contract. OK Russ.
Anyway the line-up was mildly attacking compared to recent games. Always a wise plan when taking on a team scoring plenty and unbeaten since September.
Rushworth
Humphreys – Cabango – Wood – Tymon
Fulton – Grimes – Paterson
Cullen – Yates – Lowe
Bar a couple of early chances that should have been converted by Lowe and Yates, it was a pretty one sided first half although Swansea did put up some fight to give hope that it wouldn’t be the comfortable win we all feared before kick off.
Those fears were soon realised when Joe Aribo’s shot deflected in off the returning Nathan Wood – welcome bach fella you’ve really picked up where you left off.
Edozie on the left wing was given poor Basbir Humphreys plenty of issues and despite some decent attacks it stayed 1-0 before the break. Could the Swans comeback against what is surely a shaky-at-the-back team managed by Martin?
Well the next goal was as laughable as could be and even last season’s calamitous defence would have been proud of the work as Wood played a pass too far for Rushworth. His air kick only set the ball to Edozie and he backheeled in for a second.
It then looked a tough afternoon and the second half was something best left forgotten as quire frankly it was an embarrassment.
Three further goals followed and it was no more than a rampant Southampton deserved on the day. Make no mistake this is a team floundering with a tough fixture list ahead.
We should never think we are too good to go down. Or thar going down would be a good thing because clubs find it very hard to come back. Derby are a far bigger prospect than us and they are finding it extremely difficult to come back.
A new manager is needed now. Not at the end of January when more precious points have been lost or the fanbase has lost more faith. Now is the time.
Sorry for the short match report but quite frankly it sums up how I and many others feel about this club that we all love so much.
We want our club back.
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NEXT UP FOR THE SWANS
