S25/26 | The Official Match Thread | Swansea City 1 Portsmouth 0 | Att: 18,163 | 09/12/25 | The EFL Championship | The Swansea.com Stadium

[Jackareme]

I agree, Stoke will be a good test against a decent side. It’s hard to argue against 6 pts from 2 games, but I thought our lack of playing through the thirds of the pitch, with precision passing was a concern. We couldn’t really string 5 passes together, before hitting long hopeful balls. I had the Portsmouth commentary on, and he observed “Swansea go pass pass pass in their own third, then hit it long. not like the Swansea I used to know”
But as mentioned, the new manager hasn’t even had his 3 amigos to oversee the training yet. But please, I hope we get back to pass & move as the weeks go by.
Definitely progress though.

The Swansea he used to know hadnt beaten Pompey since 1960

 

[Whaleoilbeefhooked]

Watched the BBC Wales news this morning and fell about laughing. The female newsreader said "football news now, both Wrexham and Newport are in action tonight, blah, blah, blah". Yes, and Swansea? Fantastic victory last night? Nothing, not a word, nada.
Unfeckinbelievable

Drives me absolutely effn bonkers. I’ve even emailed bbc and itv. Both didn’t even have the courtesy to reply.
”We hate Cardiff and we hate Cardiff, we are the Cardiff haters !”

 

[Whaleoilbeefhooked]

The Swansea he used to know hadnt beaten Pompey since 1960

FYI he was talking personally.

 

[jackharris]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1998796098014687484

 

[Pegojack]

Whoever christened the new manager Vic Tomatoes, thank you, take a bow, that's a stroke of comic genius

 

[Swans Jack]

He mentioned against West Brom that we sat too deep in the 2nd half, but then he's brought a CB on at home to see a game out twice now. What message does that send to the players?

Attacking from open play there is absolutely nothing again especially against 2/3 weakest sides in the league at home.

I touched on the underlying number in my other post and they are very similar to Sheehans last 4 games.

To be fair. Your not gonna go and throw on attacking players when we are winning and 5 minutes to go. I understand your thoughts, but it's game management. He doesn't want to sit deep but you also don't open gaps up. Galbraith came off for Casey as he was tired. You will never get a team who will fully commit if they are winning at end of the game. Sheehan took it to the extreme. He asked us to sit back from the start.

 

[Cinio Dydd Sul]

It's a new manager of course we're gonna see an increase in effort that should be a given. I'm talking about style of play I've not seen an improvement in any aspect of our game.

You mention underlying numbers, but even that really is grim reading as well. Yes I know it is such a small sample size, so nothing definitive can be taken from it.

But still had a look just to see if the numbers were as bad as what my eyes were seeing.

Touches in box/90 under Matos (first 4 games) = 16.5.
Touches in box/90 under Sheehan (last 4 games = 17.25.

Total Sot Under Matos = 16
Total Sot Under Sheehan = 14

Xg/90 Under Matos = 0.65
Xg/90 Under Sheehan= 0.6

Total Big chances Under Matos = 6
Total Big chances Under Sheehan = 3

Sheehan last 4 games average league position = 13th

Matos first 4 games average league position = 19th.

This is great observation and shouldn't be overlooked. But all that matters currently is results and Matos has them in the last 2 games by getting greater workrate out of the players and also seemingly giving them more freedom to shoot.

Hopefully, in time (and with his staff) the play will improve, and its going to need to because scoring worldies every game isn't sustainable.

 

[jackharris]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1998704966588928154