Maybe We Needed Change? Grimes Vs O'Brien

[Swans Jack]

I know I have created an appreciation thread for Lewis O'Brien after 1 game and it is too early but I do think with Grimes gone it has forced our hand to actually play as a team and not play through 1 player. With everything going on this is my thoughts of how it unfolded:

This is my thoughts only:

1. Grimes Team Talk - Rumored this did not go down well with him and team - even though we won

2. Williams Rumours - Performances Decline - Cos of Williams rumours and they feel leadership is going especially with Grimes team talk.

3. Weeks Of Crazy Talk - Williams talks crap, fans unhappy, we lose alot

4. Windows Open - Players not coming in, unrest and behind scenes issues.

5. Grimes Gives Up - Grimes performances have been declining and giving away ball more often than not, like many players. Visibally calling Swansea a shit team on camera at Cardiff. He has checked out. For what ever reason.

6. Grimes Wants Out - Players learn of this get annoyed and now feel 0 leadership on a and off pitch.

7. No Grimes = What do we do. We play with different style last week it didn't work. As 0 creativity.

8. Lewis O Brien Plays Today = Not every ball goes through 1 player ala Grimes. We are learning and adapting to play a different way.

We have a new captain who is learning to be that leader, new ish..... Style.

Conclusion.

The team is not the next best thing and I see alot of pain coming. We are lacking massive depth and of O Brien gets injured we might suffer. But with a new captain and being forced to play differently it might mean Grimes how ever valued and his stats might be, this might be what we needed.

Add onto that Cooper back fit and brininging energy this might mean the team finds their own feet. They have had a divorce from Grimes and now looking for a new partner. O Brien.

 

[Frenchjack]

O’Brien totally different to Grimes but yes forces us into something different. Reliance on one player is always a bad option we were just lucky his injury record was so good. Boys will settle again and we can then look to get a bit more passing around but the front foot football of O’Brien will make us a different animal

 

[Swans Jack]

O’Brien totally different to Grimes but yes forces us into something different. Reliance on one player is always a bad option we were just lucky his injury record was so good. Boys will settle again and we can then look to get a bit more passing around but the front foot football of O’Brien will make us a different animal

It was so nice not to see him sat in centre defence like Grimes. As I Brien said he5is not filling his boots, Grimes. He is a different player. Ad I'll take that all day. Again not getting ahead of myself, alot and I mean alot we need to improve across the field but their was a shimmer a tiny bit.. Like tiny of old swans when we was creative in second half.

 

[Dr. Winston]

For the last five or six years at times it has felt like the team has been run with the sole pupose of padding the stats for a player who a lot of people convinced themselves was irreplaceable and clearly capable of a higher level of football, even if the higher level of football showed no interest at all.

We probably could have done with a change of mindset two or three years ago (when Russy left was the ideal opportunity) but if the one thing that comes out of this window is that we are forced to play in more than one way then it's hard to see that being anything but a positive, even if it takes a while to bed things in.

There's still a fair way to go. We rode our luck at times today, and spurned it too, but we need to commit to this path.

 

[Swans Jack]

For the last five or six years at times it has felt like the team has been run with the sole pupose of padding the stats for a player who a lot of people convinced themselves was irreplaceable.

We probably could have done with a change of mindset two or three years ago (when Russy left was the ideal opportunity) but if the one thing that comes out of this window is that we are forced to play in more than one way then it's hard to see that being anything but a positive, even if it takes a while to bed things in.

There's still a fair way to go. We rode our luck at times today, and spurned it too, but we need to commit to this path.

Super Observations. We rode our luck, and we have a long way to go. Alot of pain and sadness but hopefully this will pay off.

Grimes for us has been that safety blanket. We have had it nearly all of our lives well, x amount of seasons. Managers are scared to drop him. His stats will argue and he is the captain.

Unless you are a maverick manager and want to shake it up, does a manager risk doing this, as the team will question why are you dropping our best Stat player and captain.

But hidden in all of this, we got to comfortable. That old blanket was getting old, and wanted new home
The blanket was tearing at the scenes and didn't want to share with anyone else, only wanting the ball to be played to him and passes that have not much impact.

So the blanket decided to find a new home. We was taken a back but found a different blanket and though it's different and may feel different. In the long run it will keep us warm and freshen up the house

 

[Neath_Jack]

It’ll take this team a while to get used to not playing the short ball to Grimes all the time, but it’ll hardly be reinventing football saying that. Patience is going to be needed I guess.

 

[Swans Jack]

It’ll take this team a while to get used to not playing the short ball to Grimes all the time, but it’ll hardly be reinventing football saying that. Patience is going to be needed I guess.

Not gonna happen over night and we are not Re inventing the wheel. But it's a start. We needed change. Rip that plaster off.

 

[Swansea93]

Think we got way to reliant on Grimes, and the team being set up to suit Grimes, this will now hopefully force the players to actually be themselves and have more confidence in driving forward.

 

[Swans Jack]

Think we got way to reliant on Grimes, and the team being set up to suit Grimes, this will now hopefully force the players to actually be themselves and have more confidence in driving forward.

Still think it's gonna take a while and we will see some pain, but I agree. We relied to much on Grimes. And with his own performances dipping and him wanting out, it shook it all up. Again. Take what you want from rumours, but it's said Grimes was shocked to see the turn out for players sending his wishes. As only small amount said goodbye as they was angry.

 

[rockinj]

Think we got way to reliant on Grimes, and the team being set up to suit Grimes, this will now hopefully force the players to actually be themselves and have more confidence in driving forward.

“Setup to suit Grimes” is a spot on comment.

There is an always a danger of this when a player becomes too powerful.

The classic example of this was the England team with Gerrard, Lampard etc. They were not cohesive as a team.

With Grimes (who I rate) we didn’t have the personnel to make it work and therefore you have to adapt. That’s why we were so successful in the glory years previously we had players who complimented each other and we were not one dimensional.

I’ve said it before I think Williams is a more pragmatic person than Martin. I would not be surprised if we have a little run now.

 

[Pentyrchjack]

Yes much needed change from walking backwards football.

Thought Naughton threaded some really useful through balls into the attack too, bit like pressing the triangle on the PlayStation controller when playing FIFA.

 

[Swans Jack]

“Setup to suit Grimes” is a spot on comment.

There is an always a danger of this when a player becomes too powerful.

The classic example of this was the England team with Gerrard, Lampard etc. They were not cohesive as a team.

With Grimes (who I rate) we didn’t have the personnel to make it work and therefore you have to adapt. That’s why we were so successful in the glory years previously we had players who complimented each other and we were not one dimensional.

I’ve said it before I think Williams is a more pragmatic person than Martin. I would not be surprised if we have a little run now.

Good comparison with Gerrard and Lampard. I won't start the debate between Williams and Martin. I get where you are coming from though. Martin had 1 way or no way. Williams, well I still have no confidence, but I get what you mean. Also I think I was blinded by Grimes. Look he isn't the devil lol nor is he terrible. But we for season upon season, was to scared to rock the boat and drop him. Due to his stance in the club and a managers being sucked into stats his off field captain ways and worried that results will dip if we drop the captain. Also spot on with glory days. We always had players, but again can be debatable one, not reliant on 1 player. Yes, there was a player who outshone. But not everything was played through 1 player like Grimes. I could pull up a million clips and show you, goal keeper to Ben, Ben to Grimes, Grimes to wherever. Same play each week. Always going back. Today we did tend to go back sometimes and it will be there, but I'm happy to see Ben more vocal and other players as well.

 

[FearOfAJackPlanet]

We now have someone wearing the number 8 shirt who plays like a number 8, not a number -8.

 

[Jack2jack]

Well yes and I hinted as much in the matchday thread, we were to predictable. We needed a C change and I think we might have got it, as said above it'll take time but overall I think well be better off without Captain Stat.

 

[Swansea93]

Less passes, less possession, more long balls and 3 points, that’s the only stats that matter.