S25/26 | The Official Match Thread | Swansea City 1 PNE 1 | Att: 20,233 | 24/02/26 | The EFL Championship | The Swansea.com Stadium

[Treehuggerjack]

I think people just get frustrated with Cullen because he has the ability and a player approaching 27 needs to be more consistent.
I like him, he's a top player when he is on it but certainly can frustrate.

He was good when he came on tonight.

Cullen at times feels pointless.
Tonight though he popped up with 2 good strikes which were blocked and a wonderful header.
Was very good tonight.
Well done!

 

[Swans Jack]

Far too intelligent a footballer to play RB.
He moved the ball far quicker and was very reminiscent of Leon Britton in that role tonight.

If we carry on with him at RB then it's just going to be wasteful.

Might be an option to see Stamenic play further forward in midfield, Galbraith as a holder.

Think your on to something with Stamenic further forward. He plays well in that role with his international team but think Matos seems him as a Fulton role.

 

[NWJack]

Just when you dare to dream, this team reminds you they are mid table.
Suspect starting 11, Matos got to own that. Worst 45mins we've had under him. None of the players aquited themselves well, so totally unfair to blame Walta with the standard from our experienced players around him. We need more goals in this team. Too many chances coughed up by everyone except Vip.

 

[magicdaps10]

Think your on to something with Stamenic further forward. He plays well in that role with his international team but think Matos seems him as a Fulton role.

Someone mentioned a while ago and I just thought tonight especially in the 1st half that Galbraith holding and if Stamenic was available then I think he would have really mixed it up on the front foot ahead of EG.

 

[J_B]

Back home, what were we doing in the first half? Entire team looked absolutely knackered and running through treacle. We couldn’t have complained if we’d been a couple down at half time.
Galbraith into his proper position, Nunes putting in his best performance to date, Key suddenly looking the fastest player on the pitch, Yalcouye playing intricate football and we were completely different.
Credit to Vigs for a fantastic save in injury time. If that goes in the game ends 0 - 2. Cullen is better off the bench, he rarely impresses when he starts and an outstanding cross from Nunes and Cullen does what he does. It was the least we deserved.

 

[Swans Jack]

On a side note, nice to Ben Davies in attendance.

 

[SwanseaBoy123]

Huge credit to Matos he got the changes spot on today. To quickly recognize the problem and making 3 changes at HT requires great tactical acumen and some huge cojones. Alot of other managers would have given it another 15 minutes to see how it goes.

Preston realized how bad our build up was with Fulton, Cabango and Burgess and just let us have the ball and when we inevitably lost it they would quickly counter and create us alot of problems.

Credit to Matos he recognized that and fixed our build up by bringing Yalcoue on and playing Galbraith at the 6.

It's just a shame the damage was already done. Giving ourselves only 45minutes to score 2 goals against a solid defensive outfit was always going to be a huge ask. I'm pretty confident if we scored that goal 15minutes earlier we would have gone on to win it.

Nunes is very raw and he will definitely have poor games here and there but he HAS to start over Ronald no doubt about it for me.

I've tried giving him some time now but I'm really just not seeing it with Walta. The alarm bells were ringing after his cameo against Sheffield Wenesday but I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Swans Jack]

Huge credit to Matos he got the changes spot on today. To quickly recognize the problem and making 3 changes at HT requires great tactical acumen and some huge cojones. Alot of other managers would have given it another 15 minutes to see how it goes.

Preston realized how bad our build up was with Fulton, Cabango and Burgess and just let us have the ball and when we inevitably lost it they would quickly counter and create us alot of problems.

Credit to Matos he recognized that and fixed our build up by bringing Yalcoue on and playing Galbraith at the 6.

It's just a shame the damage was already done. Giving ourselves only 45minutes to score 2 goals against a solid defensive outfit was always going to be a huge ask. I'm pretty confident if we scored that goal 15minutes earlier we would have gone on to win it.

Nunes is very raw and he will definitely have poor games here and there but he HAS to start over Ronald no doubt about it for me.

I've tried giving him some time now but I'm really just not seeing it with Walta. The alarm bells were ringing after his cameo against Sheffield Wenesday but I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

It's way to soon to judge Walter. He's barely been here a month or so. I just don't get Ronald. He is so hot and cold. Nunes was poor last game when he started yet tonight much better. The issue we have as a team we have 0 consistency with our Wingers and its been like that for a while. One minute Eom looks class the next he looks off. I said it earlier, maybe I would play Ward as RB on Saturday with Key on the right and Galbraith into midfield.

 

[SwanseaBoy123]

It's way to soon to judge Walter. He's barely been here a month or so. I just don't get Ronald. He is so hot and cold. Nunes was poor last game when he started yet tonight much better. The issue we have as a team we have 0 consistency with our Wingers and its been like that for a while. One minute Eom looks class the next he looks off. I said it earlier, maybe I would play Ward as RB on Saturday with Key on the right and Galbraith into midfield.

I'm just looking for the basics when it comes to Walta. I fully understand the situation regarding his lack of pre season and match fitness. But it's the little things like being unable to control a ball or make a simple pass which is concerning me.

Matos threw him a bit under the bus tonight starting him in a difficult game imo. Regardless I should still be seeing the basics be completed and I haven't seen that in any of his cameos so far.

 

[magicdaps10]

Yes, I got to mention Nunes. I think there is a very good player there and he looks to be our only winger that can beat a player.

Notice he went LW and Eom moved to RW 2nd half

 

[Treehuggerjack]

It's way too soon to judge Walter. He's barely been here a month or so. I just don't get Ronald. He is so hot and cold. Nunes was poor last game when he started yet tonight much better. The issue we have as a team we have 0 consistency with our Wingers and it’s been like that for a while. One minute Eom looks class the next he looks off. I said it earlier, maybe I would play Ward as RB on Saturday with Key on the right and Galbraith into midfield.

Walta is also essentially on his pre season.
I wouldn’t even judge him at all for now.
He’s showed glimpses of nice balls, good fast short play and absolute dog shit at the same time.
Maybe end of this or next season we will see if he’s any good.

 

[magicdaps10]

I'm just looking for the basics when it comes to Walta. I fully understand the situation regarding his lack of pre season and match fitness. But it's the little things like being unable to control a ball or make a simple pass which is concerning me.

Matos threw him a bit under the bus tonight starting him in a difficult game imo. Regardless I should still be seeing the basics be completed and I haven't seen that in any of his cameos so far.

Walta can't be judged on tonight's game. As a whole, I think it's a big step up from Allsvenskan to the Championship.

 

[LeonWasTheDogs]

I really like stanamic but Galbraith looked mustard in the middle.
Key played fantastic and if can continue like that and no major defending brain farts then him and ward can battle for RB

If there’s one thing I’d like to see come from tonight it’s that Matos realises our best midfielder shouldn’t be playing at right back. He can fill in in an emergency, but to keep playing him there after we’ve had a window to address that position is both baffling and killing him.

Key looked very lively and more solid in that second half anyway. Square pegs in square holes please.

 

[LeonWasTheDogs]

Cullen at times feels pointless.
Tonight though he popped up with 2 good strikes which were blocked and a wonderful header.
Was very good tonight.
Well done!

That’s because he is pointless at times. He’s a second striker, so when we play him in a 10 we miss the energy, positional sense and to a lesser degree the creativity our natural CMs and AMs have.

It’s a quandary. Play someone else and have more control or play Culls for the greater goal threat. If we played 442 it’d be a no-brainer, he’d start every week and get 15 goals a season. He probably needs to play more because apart from Vip he’s the only natural finisher we have,

 

[Magic_Michu]

On a side note, nice to Ben Davies in attendance.

I caught him on my camera numerous times looking very pally with Brett Cravett… if I was a betting man I’d say he’ll be coming home at the end of the season.