Season 22/23 The Rearranged Birmingham v Swansea Official Match Thread

[3swan]

Just home so haven't read what people saw.

First 20 mins we were asleep and I thought in for along night.

Suddenly we woke up and had some tempo to our game.

Second half we overplayed where a more direct pass would have put Birmingham under pressure. At least 4 times Manning was in acres of space to attack and the ball was either too slow or the wrong option taken.

Didn't think this was a game for Cundle, Cooper should have started.

In the end we were outmuscled, and allowed them to lump balls into the area. At the end I was just relieved they didn't get a third.

Very surprised there wasn't a red card tonight, lost count of the yellows.

Ref was poor, for both teams

 

[3swan]

Just to add.
Parked the car and a monsoon started. A short break so made a dash for the ground (well a brisk walk before any comments)

Got to a row of stewards for the usual search only for the senior steward? to shout stop searches and hold a line. By this time heavy rain again no reason given, apart from no brain and people getting wet.

 

[3swan]

Surely that was a penalty?

Haven't seen a replay but right in front of us. First thought was no penalty but if Manning had cut across the defender earlier it would have been

 

[JackFish]

Haven't seen a replay but right in front of us. First thought was no penalty but if Manning had cut across the defender earlier it would have been

Didn’t think it was a pen at the time either, looked like the defender had challenged fairly with his shoulder. But you’re right that Manning seemed to be in front of him just before that and could have gone down.

 

[J_B]

Didn’t think it was a pen at the time either, looked like the defender had challenged fairly with his shoulder. But you’re right that Manning seemed to be in front of him just before that and could have gone down.

It would have been a foul in the centre circle but they’re almost never given in the penalty area.

 

[T8AD365]

More of the same again tonight, too much ball retention between defence and midfield and not moving the ball forward quickly enough.

Number of touches tonight:
Wood - 63
Darling - 80
Cabango - 79
Fulton - 95
Grimes - 97
Piroe - 20

It's a common theme in every game, the CBs and midfield (Grimes especially) pass the ball amongst themselves and the striker is starved of service.
It's interpreted by many as "good football" but the opposition know they can let us keep the ball and just wait for a mistake, which has happened so many times since the start of last season.

After half an hour tonight, Swansea had had almost 70% possession but were 1:0 down and hadn't had a single shot.

Very frustrating as a ST holder, especially when Martin comes out after games like Preston last week and says he didn't mind losing a game like that because we had "wave after wave of attacks". That was a game in which we had 72% possession and only 4 shots on target, the same number as Preston. The guy's delusional and too stubborn to realise that his way of playing isn't as attractive or effective as he thinks it is

 

[airedale]

1.4 goals a game. It's so poor.

Defender target in the [loan] transfer window coming up?

 

[Captain_Sham]

In all honesty, given how we approached the 2nd half, there are no complaints alongside the disappointment. Some woeful showings from Wood and Piroe. Serious lack of attacking intent. Once they figured out where to attack in the last 10 mins, it seemed inevitable that they would score. A point is a point.

 

[3swan]

Cold light of day and my thoughts on last night’s game haven’t really changed.
It was a game worth watching even with the negatives that it brought, as there have been other games of why bother.
Apart from the first dismal 25 mins we battled against a more physical team.
That now aside, a more general view as we get close to half way in the season and the world cup break.
I’ve listened to most of RM post match interviews and even though I don’t seem to see what he sees there is an element of truth there as well.
His comments about young players again partly true, but some of them have enough games under their belts.
His comments about players being brave in accepting the different style etc., well I wouldn’t call it brave it’s playing and controlling the ball in a different way but the basics are still the same. Along with the more possession base that he wants always comes with the mistake that causes us instant problems.

This style needs higher tempo, we need that outlet turning a problem into a positive. Most of the time now a player either loses the ball or gives a wayward pass or to another player under pressure.
This can work, even though it can be heart stopping moments.
Without picking on players, we don’t have the squad to keep playing this style.
There are enough more direct teams in this division which will throughout the season, prove that we won’t imo get a playoff place. We will achieve a comfortable mid table position, but the second half will bring more if, but, and frustration.
I see improvement, but have to question are we building?
A couple of high tempo wing backs in January and it could all change, but they will be loan players so just a stop gap.
Players we have with perceived, speed aren’t being used or out on loan for their development.
So a final question, are we scouting the wrong players? Finance plays a big part of course, but the balance of the team is wrong for the current style.

Reading this back it sounds negative, but it’s where I see our position at the moment and imo facing reality.

 

[Pegojack]

My issue here is that the two goals tonight and the same with the two on Saturday all came from us seemingly sleeping at the back

Martin was a defender he needs to be sorting this out - we rarely seem to concede a goal that you can look at and say "fair play that was a good goal"

Certainly the first goal was a disgrace. Three Swans defenders marking each other or having a mothers union meeting or something, while the scorer was totally unmarked five yards away in the centre of goal on the six yard line, just waiting for the cross.
The second goal I can understand, they were putting some great corners in to the big thugs in the centre and once we failed to get first head on it, a goal was always a likely outcome.

 

[Nocountryforoldjack]

More of the same again tonight, too much ball retention between defence and midfield and not moving the ball forward quickly enough.

Number of touches tonight:
Wood - 63
Darling - 80
Cabango - 79
Fulton - 95
Grimes - 97
Piroe - 20

It's a common theme in every game, the CBs and midfield (Grimes especially) pass the ball amongst themselves and the striker is starved of service.
It's interpreted by many as "good football" but the opposition know they can let us keep the ball and just wait for a mistake, which has happened so many times since the start of last season.

After half an hour tonight, Swansea had had almost 70% possession but were 1:0 down and hadn't had a single shot.

Very frustrating as a ST holder, especially when Martin comes out after games like Preston last week and says he didn't mind losing a game like that because we had "wave after wave of attacks". That was a game in which we had 72% possession and only 4 shots on target, the same number as Preston. The guy's delusional and too stubborn to realise that his way of playing isn't as attractive or effective as he thinks it is

Any manager that comes out and days he didn't mind losing a game is a twat.

 

[monmouth]

I'm obviously finding watching us very frustrating, and the last few games actually annoying. I think we are committing massive self harm at the insistence of a football narcissist. A point up there is a good one, but it could easily have been 3. We showed that we can play with tempo and terrify the opposition last night if we want to. Martin's obsession with himself as a football messiah is holding us back.

 

[3swan]

Certainly the first goal was a disgrace. Three Swans defenders marking each other or having a mothers union meeting or something, while the scorer was totally unmarked five yards away in the centre of goal on the six yard line, just waiting for the cross.
The second goal I can understand, they were putting some great corners in to the big thugs in the centre and once we failed to get first head on it, a goal was always a likely outcome.

I'll question the thought process for the second goal.

Surely as a manager you think, what the last 10mins of a game will be if you are defending a 2-1.

It will be percentage pressure, and you look at their bench and think who they will send on.

Was taking Wood off (height) an error. Manning left to mark Deeney? even though Manning lost him completely leaving him unmarked. We're not the tallest team but totally dominated at corners in addition to poor marking.