S25/26 | The Official Match Thread | Swansea City 3 Blackburn Rovers 1 | Att: 13,897 | 20.01.26 | The EFL Championship | The Swansea.com Stadium

[Magic_Michu]

Ronald tried to take on two instead of rolling it across the edge of the box then

He gets slated for not taking players on and then gets slated for when he does take players on

 

[sit_down_jack]

Plenty of energy but creating very little and scores less, sits far too deep sometimes.

Widell was never a creative player for his old club by the looks of it. His assist numbers are pretty modest, think the highest he has in a season is 5. I don’t think he’s this creative 10 that people want. He’s a classic 8 who will win the ball and progress it well. I do agree about goals though, although I think he’s been unlucky not to score for us yet.

 

[Flash]

He gets slated for not taking players on and then gets slated for when he does take players on

People have made their mind up about him. I think apart from hitting the crossbar Saturday he’s played really well the past few games

 

[Swans Jack]

People have made their mind up about him. I think apart from hitting the crossbar Saturday he’s played really well the past few games

As a new player to the championship. And was pretty much left out of the squad under Sheehan. Widell has done fantastic in his short time with us. I have 0 doubt this time next year we will all be praising him as I feel he has another level to go up.

 

[sit_down_jack]

The quick turnover was evident tonight, we looked tired but got 2 goals in the second half after sloppily giving the ball away for theirs. That’ll only do our confidence good.

Really hope we don’t end up selling VP in this window. He looks nailed on for 20 goals this season. A definite 10+ million sale in the summer for us, if we want to do that.

Really liking Eom at the moment, I don’t think he’s too far from finding that end product.

 

[Cinio Dydd Sul]

He gets slated for not taking players on and then gets slated for when he does take players on

Good players choose the correct option at individual points during a game. Ronald rarely does.

 

[Flash]

Good players choose the correct option at individual points during a game. Ronald rarely does.

This is what I’m talking about

 

[bakajack]

He gets slated for not taking players on and then gets slated for when he does take players on

Its about decision making

He gets slated for shooting when he shouldn't shoot and for taking the weak option and passing it when he should be taking on his isolated full back 1v1 and for trying to take on two or three players when he has an easy pass on to a player in a dangerous position

 

[Flash]

Its about decision making

He gets slated for shooting when he shouldn't shoot and for taking the weak option and passing it when he should be taking on his isolated full back 1v1 and for trying to take on two or three players when he has an easy pass on to a player in a dangerous position

Or its confirmation bias. Easy to ignore all the good stuff they’ve done in a game and focus on the few mistakes a player makes. You could do that with almost any player and convince yourself they’re useless.

 

[swansvalleyjack]

One thing is certain, any semblance of the Swansea way has now gone, some of you might be enjoying what you’re watching but for me it’s just Helter Skelter football with players charging around the pitch, it may bring results but it’s not for me.

Any semblance of the ACTUAL ( and beautiful) Swansea Way went after Laudrup, maybe a bit with Potter.

Since then it's been s**t boring possession football ( across and backwards to be accurate) with little purpose other than to stack up stats. It's an insult for some to suggest that also might have been the Swansea Way. Swansea lost-our-way more like.

Why do we think attendances have dropped, it's not just results, it's being so bored with what's on offer.

Now of course we are lacking some extra quality players, but thank the f**k Vitor is changing the CULTURE. Energy, press, go forward by default etc.

Give me that any day over the previous slow and boring crap.

 

[Vetchonian]

last season many ( including myself) were doing the same with Vip....
now he is the top.scorer in the championship and gettimg better at other aspects of his game.

 

[Cinio Dydd Sul]

Or its confirmation bias. Easy to ignore all the good stuff they’ve done in a game and focus on the few mistakes a player makes. You could do that with almost any player and convince yourself they’re useless.

If you want to take subjectiveness out of it, look at his statistics.

 

[bakajack]

Or its confirmation bias. Easy to ignore all the good stuff they’ve done in a game and focus on the few mistakes a player makes. You could do that with almost any player and convince yourself they’re useless.

I don't deny the other stuff he does in a game, I have consistently praised his pressing, defensive play and everything else that makes up that side of the game.

When you look at the attacking side of his game, I praised him a few games back for the assist he got in the cup for Inoussa and the balls he was putting into the box where he was a real danger.

But tonight? He was involved in at least half a dozen high quality opportunities where he could drive at a full back, go outside them and put in a ball across the box or cut inside and look for a shooting opportunity or chance to play a reverse pass in for a runner.

And he made the wrong decision / got the execution wrong every single time.

In the first half he had the ball on the edge of the box and blazed a shot high and wide when the pass was on for an overlapping runner. He had another opportunity when he was in behind the defender, he put in a shot which was on target and the keeper saved however instead of such a shot being hard and low it was at the perfect height for the keeper to get a hand to it. He had a third opportunity where he had drawn two defenders to him, Franco and Widell were unmarked at the D on the edge of the box and instead of the easy pass for one of them to hit it first time he tried to take them on and over runs it to go out for a goal kick.

And I haven't even touched on his opportunities in the second half.
That isn't confirmation bias.

 

[eteb]

We are only 3 players short of being a promotion chasing team. Right back, right winger and No.10.

Early days yet, but Matos is looking a very good appointment. I am actually enjoying watching us play now.

Agree with this

 

[sit_down_jack]

Delighted with the three points but even after going to Specsavers I’m not seeing what some of you are.
Total lack of any control or structure to our game even an awful and badly depleted Blackburn had us on the back foot at times.

One thing is certain, any semblance of the Swansea way has now gone, some of you might be enjoying what you’re watching but for me it’s just Helter Skelter football with players charging around the pitch, it may bring results but it’s not for me.

I think this is a fair opinion, even if I don’t share it. Matos hasn’t played “Swansea Way” style football so far, but it isn’t supposed to be, and to me it is still entertaining to watch. We have played some nice football through midfield and in the final third, we just aren’t passing out from the back as much which I think is the right thing to do as Cabango and Burgess aren’t natural ball players.

I also think there’s a chance that we might see something closer to possession-based football with an emphasis on control as we progress. Matos has only been in charge for 12 games. I’d expect to fully see his football once we’ve had a preseason under him and he gets some of his own signings in.