S25/26 | The Official Match Thread | Oxford 0 Swansea 1 |Att: 11,413 | 29/12/25 | The EFL Championship | The Kassam Stadium

[Swans Jack]

7 wins to hit that 50 point mark. 21 Points. This season is about survival and then see where we go. 4 Home Games. 1 is a FA Cup. Build on home form and we'll get there.

 

[Swans Jack]

I think Charlton will go with Oxford. We'll end up 12-15th.

Norwich and Oxford for me.

 

[Mamaswan]

Well those last 5 mins seemed to be more like 10. A good and a deserved win for the Swans tonight but just wish we had managed a few more in the net to ease my blood pressure. Great away support. Glad we don't have to travel back tonight as staying with relatives a few miles away. Safe journey home Jacks.

 

[cadleigh]

Table sobered me. The 3 teams directly below us have a game in hand and 2 could leapfrog us, putting us back to 2 places above relegation

True. But we would still be 7 points above the relegation places and 9 points below the play-offs.

 

[Londonlisa2001]

I think Charlton will go with Oxford. We'll end up 12-15th.

Funnily enough I think we’ll end up tenth.

 

[JackSomething]

Big ask to win 5 in 7 in this league at any time, but if we can get a result on Thursday then we’re right back in the mix with the large group of ‘mid-table’ sides.

As others have said, it can’t be underestimated how important 2 wins against Oxford & 1 against Pompey have been, especially when you look at their other results in this period.

I accept both of them looked dire against us but that’s in no small part down to how we’ve set up - even if we haven’t been clinical in the final 3rd.

Credit to the decision makers at the club for pulling the trigger on Sheehan when they did.

Whether Matos is the real deal or this is a new manager bounce like last season remains to be seen, but like you said, it was vital to turn things around before so many fixtures against teams below us in the table.

 

[magicdaps10]

Charlton are in big trouble, dropping like a stone.

 

[Londonlisa2001]

Credit to the decision makers at the club for pulling the trigger on Sheehan when they did.

Whether Matos is the real deal or this is a new manager bounce like last season remains to be seen, but like you said, it was vital to turn things around before so many fixtures against teams below us in the table.

For now all that Matos needed to be was better than Sheehan.

We won’t be able to tell for some time if he’s the long term solution as our squad needs work before that can be known.

 

[magicdaps10]

Credit to the decision makers at the club for pulling the trigger on Sheehan when they did.

Whether Matos is the real deal or this is a new manager bounce like last season remains to be seen, but like you said, it was vital to turn things around before so many fixtures against teams below us in the table.

They done the right thing and didn't mess about.
I am still a bit wary on new manager bounce but I feel that we are now going out to actually play football rather than going out to make it difficult for the opposition without the ball.
It's gone from pragmatic to positive.

 

[bakajack]

Also this absolutely needs to be worth looking at too

 

[Londonlisa2001]

Also this absolutely needs to be worth looking at too

View attachment 7186

In many ways that table sums up where we are having an issue.

Look at the assists the others have (apart from the bloke at Derby) alongside their goals.

Vipotnik is a good striker but not so good at leading the forward line as a unit and creating for others.

 

[bakajack]

In many ways that table sums up where we are having an issue.

Look at the assists the others have (apart from the bloke at Derby) alongside their goals.

Vipotnik is a good striker but not so good at leading the forward line as a unit and creating for others.

In fairness thats also because half of his goals have had to come from him conjuring something out of nothing due to the (until recently) complete lack of attacking intent we showed as a side to get up and around him to support him. It's hard to get assists when no one else is running beyond him

The fact that despite having the 2nd top scorer in the Championship we have zero players in the top 20 for assists tells that story all too well

 

[Ringwood]

Very enjoyable night out up the A34..

More of the same please.

 

[Londonlisa2001]

In fairness thats also because half of his goals have had to come from him conjuring something out of nothing due to the (until recently) complete lack of attacking intent we showed as a side to get up and around him to support him. It's hard to get assists when no one else is running beyond him

The fact that despite having the 2nd top scorer in the Championship we have zero players in the top 20 for assists tells that story all too well

Agree. In fact, I should have added that some of the perceived weakness of Vipotnik’s play may be better described as a weakness in midfield and out wide. It’s hard to say sometimes whether it’s his lack of ability in holding it up for long enough for them to arrive or their lack of ability in getting to anywhere near the right positions. Or whether it’s due to us having no one able to play at 10.

We still lack creativity.

I’m not sure we solve it this season though. We may be better in finding a better wide option to at least create more that way. Inoussa looked promising at first but the past few games I haven’t seen that kick on and he’s not playing much better than Ronald.

I’d spend on a wide player or a 10 rather than right back I think and keep Galbraith there until next summer when we can have more of a sort out.

 

[Londonlisa2001]

Very enjoyable night out up the A34..

More of the same please.

I was about to say that’s a weird way to get to Oxford from Swansea until I realised!