S25/26 | The Official Match Thread | Swansea City 1 WBA 0 | Att: 17,416 | NYD 2026 | The EFL Championship | The Swansea.com Stadium

[FearOfAJackPlanet]

I wonder whether the Baggies wll end the game with 11 men?

Them going down 1-2 players looks like a distinctly viable path to victory today.

 

[Ringwood]

Albion are dross... we are dominating the play yet creating nothing as expected. Ronald is not showing enough for Key and Widdel is isolated with Franco and Stemenic to deep.

Eom, Vip, Galbraith and possibly Wales need coming on as this is heading to us being picked off 0-1

 

[PenlanJack]

Yalcouye was the best player out there, started to turn and drive with it with confidence.. he looked the most likely to break them down.. Galbraith and Vip are likely to come on, hopefully it's at least 0-0 when they do

 

[Jack2jack]

Based on the first half my 3-1 prediction looks a bit optimistic, but we'll just edge this 1-0 I feel.

 

[Swans Jack]

Probably the best half we’ve played under Matos. Probably this season actually.

Great interchanging in t(e middle and up front. Yalcouye is excellent. Widell’s energy is great. And Inoussa is improving.

Great half from Key as well. He has driven us forward on a few occasions.

Just need a little bit of luck so that some of the interchanging pays off. It’s been very close a few times.

Same again.

I think that's proberly best performance as well we have shown this season. Surely they will have a player sent off and get VP on and get win. Be gut kick if we don't after that first half.

 

[bakajack]

Half time thoughts:

Vigouroux - two routine saves, not much for him to do
Tymon never quite clicks with Inoussa the same way he does with Eom, expect more in 2nd half
Burge and Cabango have been solid
Key started timid, grew into the half. Expect him subbed if there is even a slight concern about ankle
Stamenic has been steady and solid
Yalcouye has been very impressive, just needs more ahead of him
Franco has drifted in and out of the game, not offering much creative impact
Inoussa see above. Needs to offer a little more in my opinion
Ronald see above. Also needs to offer a little more in an attacking sense
Widell has done well in an unfamiliar job as a false nine. Relentless press but is not a forward

I expect to see Eom, Galbraith and Vipotnik relatively early in the 2nd half, Wales I expect to come on too for Ronald

 

[Swans Jack]

Watching Highlights. Suprised Styles is still on the pitch. Yellow for foul on Ronald and he swung his arm at his face.

 

[bakajack]

Watching Highlights. Suprised Styles is still on the pitch. Yellow for foul on Ronald and he swung his arm at his face.

If the ref has seen that arm swung out in to the face to stop him getting onto his own flick on I think he might have been in trouble

 

[DJack]

Probably the best half we’ve played under Matos. Probably this season actually.

Great interchanging in t(e middle and up front. Yalcouye is excellent. Widell’s energy is great. And Inoussa is improving.

Great half from Key as well. He has driven us forward on a few occasions.

Just need a little bit of luck so that some of the interchanging pays off. It’s been very close a few times.

Same again.

What I also liked was Stamenic quietly covering a gap when a player drove forward...particularly when Key did one of his charges up the wing Marco quietly slotted in behind - underappreciated for his support work.

 

[Swans Jack]

If the ref has seen that arm swung out in to the face to stop him getting onto his own flick on I think he might have been in trouble

Styles was very lucky. With his bruised eye and his puffing look like he was partying last night .

 

[bakajack]

I like Widell greatly but he has put in several huge shifts over the past week. I expect him to come off about 55-60 mins in for Vipotnik and get a rest ahead of Sunday

 

[Londonlisa2001]

What I also liked was Stamenic quietly covering a gap when a player drove forward...particularly when Key did one of his charges up the wing Marco quietly slotted in behind - underappreciated for his support work.

Stamenic is a good player.

I’ve said before I think he may turn out to be our best signing this window.

 

[FearOfAJackPlanet]

We've played a lot better than I expected. Great energy and desire; too much for WBA to handle at times, and they've got a few players on bookings as a result. If Widdell can be a player that can consistently play at this energy level week in week out, then I'd say he'll likely become more valuable to us than Galbraith.

Saying that, they've troubled us in the box more than we've troubled them, so same old story there.

Think this could be a good game for Eom come on, as I think his energy against this tiring, yellow-carded baggies team will reap rewards.

 

[WentToSchoolWith]

Half time thoughts:

Vigouroux - two routine saves, not much for him to do
Tymon never quite clicks with Inoussa the same way he does with Eom, expect more in 2nd half
Burge and Cabango have been solid
Key started timid, grew into the half. Expect him subbed if there is even a slight concern about ankle
Stamenic has been steady and solid
Yalcouye has been very impressive, just needs more ahead of him
Franco has drifted in and out of the game, not offering much creative impact
Inoussa see above. Needs to offer a little more in my opinion
Ronald see above. Also needs to offer a little more in an attacking sense
Widell has done well in an unfamiliar job as a false nine. Relentless press but is not a forward

I expect to see Eom, Galbraith and Vipotnik relatively early in the 2nd half, Wales I expect to come on too for Ronald

Yalcouye has to start in our best midfield imo. He's the creative midfielder we need, and is honest to God one of the smoothest footballers I've ever seen. I'd go Stamenic/Yalcouye/Galbraith, or Franco if Galbraith needed at right back. Really like Widdell, but feels like his physcial ability allows him to play pretty much anywhere

 

[Swans Jack]

Sub for Swansea?