Luke Williams ahead of West Brom | Press Conference

[Smurph]

That can work, but it's not the only way.

In the last 10 years the team that's caused City the most trouble is Liverpool. They certainly didn't defend for their lives and hope for the best. They tried to get on the ball as much as they could and keep it away from them, then set about getting at them.

More than one way to skin a cat.

Liverpool under Klopp weren't a possession based team, they were successful against City because of the high press and the relentless need to get the ball forward as quickly as possible.

An inferior team like ours can't compete with Man City trying to play a possession based style of play.

 

[RodgerTheDodger]

Liverpool under Klopp weren't a possession based team, they were successful against City because of the high press and the relentless need to get the ball forward as quickly as possible.

An inferior team like ours can't compete with Man City trying to play a possession based style of play.

But Swansea are playing a much more 'pure' form than City play. A City player under pressure near goal will welly it every time, de Bryne especially loves the 45 degree chip forward across into space between the opposition midfield and back line, they get a lot of goals that way. They also get a lot of space because the opposition knows the City midfield will exploit gaps if they let them form. If they've got space they play it on the floor, if the opposition crowd them and so leave spaces elsewhere they lift it into that hole.

It's why City have so much space, for a back line, the ball being dropped in just in front of them with men running onto it is extremely difficult, so they don't let it happen, which means they don't have players free to block channels for the man on the ball.

It's how Swansea played under Laudrup when he was in his pomp.

 

[Smurph]

But Swansea are playing a much more 'pure' form than City play. A City player under pressure near goal will welly it every time, de Bryne especially loves the 45 degree chip forward across into space between the opposition midfield and back line, they get a lot of goals that way. They also get a lot of space because the opposition knows the City midfield will exploit gaps if they let them form. If they've got space they play it on the floor, if the opposition crowd them and so leave spaces elsewhere they lift it into that hole.

It's why City have so much space, for a back line, the ball being dropped in just in front of them with men running onto it is extremely difficult, so they don't let it happen, which means they don't have players free to block channels for the man on the ball.

It's how Swansea played under Laudrup when he was in his pomp.

We aren't playing football anything like Man City. There isn't anything pure about our game. The style of play is utter shit, it's boring and it isn't producing results.

 

[Niigata Jack]

Why as he always got that stupid silly smirk on his chops?

 

[Bluenile]

I know, but what I'm saying is, it's not as simple as that.

If we're playing Man City tomorrow and we decide we're going for it, we'll have Tymon overlapping Ronald at every opportunity and we'll have all our midfielders getting in the box looking to get on the end of crosses, sure, we might have some fun for the first 10 mins, but the reality is we are going to get twatted 10-0.

Brendan's Swansea used possession in the first PL season largely as a defensive tactic, especially against the top teams. His reasoning was you starve the other team of the ball, they can't hurt you. There is a logic to it. The difference with his side is he had better players at his disposal so we were able to hurt the opposition as well (Dyer, Sinclair, Dobbie, Borini, Routledge, etc). The current side doesn't have that sort of talent. It's a very, very inferior version.

We starved Wycombe of the ball for most of the game. We lost 1-0. As has been said, the most important stat.

 

[Bluenile]

Watched about 2 mins of that interview, couldn't watch any more. It's patently obvious that he doesn't see what we see, and nothing is going to change. Sorry Luke, but borrowed time and all that.

 

[CurtessECarr]

I'm still hopeful that LW has something more to offer but I'm far from convinced.
I'm struggling to see him motivating this team or giving them the proverbial kick up the arse that some need.
At the moment it's just possession with no purpose. I'm sure we've been here before.

 

[Gors Buster]

I reckon it started around Cooper’s reign but you can tell when we’re struggling when nobody makes themselves available to receive a throw, nobody asks for a quick throw/kick off the goalie after a catch and we don’t seem to take positive quick free kicks.
Bread and butter for a team high on confidence.

 

[Deleted member 1454]

We starved Wycombe of the ball for most of the game. We lost 1-0. As has been said, the most important stat.

I acknowledged that in my original reply. There's no excuse for having that much of the ball and not troubling the keeper against a League 1 reserve team. I don't think anyone would try justifying that.

 

[monmouth]

I reckon it started around Cooper’s reign but you can tell when we’re struggling when nobody makes themselves available to receive a throw, nobody asks for a quick throw/kick off the goalie after a catch and we don’t seem to take positive quick free kicks.
Bread and butter for a team high on confidence.

Mind you, we have been rubbish at throw ins since at least 1971. I can still see and hear Janner Thomas shouting "who wants the f*****g ball?" as he stood taking a throw. Answer, no one.

 

[3swan]

Mind you, we have been rubbish at throw ins since at least 1971. I can still see and hear Janner Thomas shouting "who wants the f*****g ball?" as he stood taking a throw. Answer, no one.

Strange how things trigger the memory.

Went to the away game at Halifax in 68. Heavy rain all game. He went to pick the ball up for a throw in and did something to his back.

The game was abandoned early in the second half.