S25/26 | The Official Match Thread | Stoke City 2 Swansea City 1 | Att: 23,089 | 13/12/25 | The EFL Championship | The Bet365 Stadium

[Andrew - North Hill]

I don't get that with final whistle. Tymon was down for 3 minutes. Far better later in the game but I will single out Key. By far the worst player I have seen in a long time. And not just that he had continued to cost us games.

As cameos go it was as bad as anything I've ever seen

 

[Copamundial]

A couple of points.
Didn’t deserve to lose

Pearson shouldn’t have been on the pitch

If we’re going to play a pressing game subs need to be made at the first sign of fatigue,

Ref was a shithouse.

Last but not least .,,Key is dreadful.

 

[Swans Jack]

Shouldn’t have lost that one, can take some positives from it. Don’t think Eom, Key or Ronald should be starting, but might have to make do until January.

Eom was weak today. We take the loss. Signs of good things in there. I'm a broken record but Key is fundamentally the biggest issue we have. Burgess isn't clean of that. But we seemed bit tired today. Let's take it to Wrexham which I think we will. No over reactions on my end.

 

[Treehuggerjack]

Well, we seem to be improving quite dramatically under Matos.
We still have some shit to get out of the system though.
Burgess loose passes (even though only one) it cost us!
Josh Key, that was a dreadful performance.
Has to trust Sam Parker if he wants Galbraith in midfield.
Think that’s one of our top priorities in Jan is a new right back.

 

[Swansea93]

We’ve seen promising signs from Matos, and this is all without his own staff in place too, not disheartened about our showing today nearly had a draw after being 2 down.

 

[Cooperman]

I’m still not sure if he knows his best eleven.

I’d be going with:
Vig
Galbraith
Cabango
Burgess
Tymon
Franco
Yalcouyé
Inoussa
Widell
Eom
Vip

Keep Key away from the eleven. Tymon and Eom can work down the left, Widell is a better option than Cullen, and Inoussa over Ronald.

 

[PenlanJack]

Inoussa and Widell must start, Galbraith needs to go into midfield and Cyril the Swan needs to play instead of Key

 

[Swans Jack]

Well, we seem to be improving quite dramatically under Matos.
We still have some shit to get out of the system though.
Burgess loose passes (even though only one) it cost us!
Josh Key, that was a dreadful performance.
Has to trust Sam Parker if he wants Galbraith in midfield.
Think that’s one of our top priorities in Jan is a new right back.

Keep Galbraith in right back. And if we have to sub. Bring on Casey or Parker. I'll be shocked if Key is given any opportunities after that game. His defending was shocking. His passing and he looks lost. Not for the first time. He has been like it for seasons.

 

[LeonWasTheDogs]

Shouldn’t have lost that one, can take some positives from it. Don’t think Eom, Key or Ronald should be starting, but might have to make do until January.

Eom shows moments although also slows us down (had Eom been still on the pitch he wouldn’t have put in a brilliant first time ball to Vip for our gaol).

Ronald, Cullen and Key aren’t up to it imo. Cullen would be ok in a 442 next to a Kieffer Moore type. Otherwise I stuggle to see where he can play. He can’t do the ball playing part of a number 10. He’s a striker/second striker.

Burgess is worrying me too. He started brilliantly but is fading fast. Tymon needs some help and a bit of a rest some time. Franco’s dropped off.

Vigeroux’s consistently good though!

 

[Pegojack]

Disappointing, but encouraging signs. For the last ten minutes we had them on the ropes, no way would that have been the case under the previous regime.

 

[sit_down_jack]

One of the best attacking performances of our season. Frustrating defensively at times but I think we’re improving overall.

Stoke have good players despite their recent poor form and are solid defensively, I think we did very well and performances like that should see us safe at the end of the season. We’ve made such a mess of the first half of the season that unfortunately survival needs to be the one and only goal.

 

[Swanjaxs]

A couple of points of order.
First point, we deserved a draw minimum from that.
Second point, Key should be left out of the match day squad for his own sanity.

 

[Swans Jack]

I’m still not sure if he knows his best eleven.

I’d be going with:
Vig
Galbraith
Cabango
Burgess
Tymon
Franco
Yalcouyé
Inoussa
Widell
Eom
Vip

Keep Key away from the eleven. Tymon and Eom can work down the left, Widell is a better option than Cullen, and Inoussa over Ronald.

Stamenic had off day. Inoussa showed more than Ronald and think he'll start. Widell needs to start. Send Key packing.

 

[Frankie Burrows Cap]

If Matos has anything about him as a Manager he should now realise that Eom Ronald Cullen and Key are not starters.

We looked far better with Inoussa Widdel and Yalcouye on the pitch

As for Key... he is should be rested for his own mental health if nothing else. He was appalling from when he came on until the final whistle.

People may say you shouldn’t feel sorry for footballers because of the money they earn, but from a human point of view I feel sorry for him.

Needs to be taken out of the squad for his own good as much as anything else. He’s not going to play his way back into form/confidence in the short term so having him in the Matchday squad is no good for him or the team.

 

[Cooperman]

Stamenic had off day. Inoussa showed more than Ronald and think he'll start. Widell needs to start. Send Key packing.

Stamenic and Franco are too similar and there isn’t room for both. One is a good option for the other off the bench.