Season 24/25 | The Official Match Thread | Swansea City 2 Sunderland 3 | The EFL Championship

[eteb]

A top 12 might be on. There’s no way we’re challenging for top 6 with this forward lineup though. We could carry one or two of them and they’d add a bit from the bench. But new striker, winger and number 10 needed as a minimum for top 6. A bit more quality in the fullbacks wouldn’t hurt as well. And a natural leader at the back. Oh, and more quality options in the middle.

Apart from that, we’re all set

Is vip slowly morphing into the player we were hoping?

I never thought I'd say that start of season but getting some goals
Now

 

[Smurph]

I think Williams and the team are confused what to do when leading home. They don't seem to want to counter when the opposition attack and they don't seem able to park the bus
.
It's a bizarre scenario. When you're 2-0 up the game opens up. It just makes us fragile and allows the opposition in

That's where the manger needs to step in an alter things tactically.

is Williams capable of that? the jury is out for me.

Look at the games we've won, majority of them have resulted in us hanging on for dear life for the last 10/15 minutes of most games.

 

[A4Jack]

That's where the manger needs to step in an alter things tactically.

is Williams capable of that? the jury is out for me.

Look at the games we've won, majority of them have resulted in us hanging on for dear life for the last 10/15 minutes of most games.

He blamed the players yesterday for their lack of winning mentality or belief. But that all comes from the top down.

What is it, two seasons with not even a point against a top six side?

And expecting our full backs to play narrow is an unbelievably risky thing to do in this division.

 

[Smurph]

He blamed the players yesterday for their lack of winning mentality or belief. But that all comes from the top down.

What is it, two seasons with not even a point against a top six side?

And expecting our full backs to play narrow is an unbelievably risky thing to do in this division.

Most games follow the same pattern along with his subs, you can more or less predict who is going to replace who as soon as the team sheet comes out.

I guess we will soon find out by October of next season if he has the skills need for a push for the top six.

 

[Ringwood]

A positive is we're still only being beat by a single goal which indicates the games we lose are competitive.

We are however shooting ourselves in the foot with this regimented substitutions.

If our owners have any ambitions they should see where the flaws lay and the squad quality and depth and who steers the ship going forward from a gaffer perspective

We should have enough to stay clear of a relegation scrap unless we suffer a lot of long term injuries.

Where is Parker and Govea in the mix? Highly thought of but no appearances of note yet bar injuries.

 

[WentToSchoolWith]

Is vip slowly morphing into the player we were hoping?

I thought Vip was excellent yesterday. His goal was slightly fortuitous, but his all round play was far, far better than I've seen from him before. Three or four times, he was used as an out ball from either Vigs or a defender, and he controlled excellently, only for no-one around him to offer anything in support.

There's also a lovely run he made off the ball at 1-0, Cullen shoots from outside the box, but Vip makes himself free and would be completely free on goal from about 15 yards out if Cullen sees him

 

[Dr. Winston]

I thought Vip was excellent yesterday. His goal was slightly fortuitous, but his all round play was far, far better than I've seen from him before. Three or four times, he was used as an out ball from either Vigs or a defender, and he controlled excellently, only for no-one around him to offer anything in support.

There's also a lovely run he made off the ball at 1-0, Cullen shoots from outside the box, but Vip makes himself free and would be completely free on goal from about 15 yards out if Cullen sees him

He had a good game. I also felt a bit sorry for Bianchini, who ended up having to chase back into our own half for possession on numerous occasions after he came on.

Our midfield, Franco aside, went AWOL for almost the entire second half. Grimes kept dropping deeper and deeper, spending most of the last 45 alongside Darling and Cabango, leaving a great big hole in the middle for Sunderland to move into with ease.

We need an outlet ball and the will to use it quickly. Too much dithering in possession, not enough movement off the ball. Every time they attacked you could see the runners finding space and they cut through us almost at will too often.

 

[Pegojack]

He had a good game. I also felt a bit sorry for Bianchini, who ended up having to chase back into our own half for possession on numerous occasions after he came on.

Our midfield, Franco aside, went AWOL for almost the entire second half. Grimes kept dropping deeper and deeper, spending most of the last 45 alongside Darling and Cabango, leaving a great big hole in the middle for Sunderland to move into with ease.

We need an outlet ball and the will to use it quickly. Too much dithering in possession, not enough movement off the ball. Every time they attacked you could see the runners finding space and they cut through us almost at will too often.

From my position in the East, it was very noticeable how many times in the last 15 minutes Grimes had the ball in his quarterback position, looking for an outball but failing to spot and chip a ball over the top for Eom, who was making darting runs forward and virtually crying out for a high ball to run onto.

 

[Swansea93]

Probably the worst I’ve seen Grimes in a long long time yesterday.

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

No but if they both play like that every game then they'd be on over 100 PTS each surely?

I've seen Leeds in a few away games on TV for example and funnily enough Preston coped far better with them today than we did.

Leeds also lost away at Blackburn. Sunderland as well.

You're absolutely spot on.

Too often we roll out the red carpet.

The culture at the club stinks and let's be honest has done since Cooper left. I hated Cooperball but the one thing his side had was a massive pair of cojones. The last 4 years have been pretty pathetic mentality-wise.

 

[A4Jack]

Leeds also lost away at Blackburn. Sunderland as well.

You're absolutely spot on.

Too often we roll out the red carpet.

The culture at the club stinks and let's be honest has done since Cooper left. I hated Cooperball but the one thing his side had was a massive pair of cojones. The last 4 years have been pretty pathetic mentality-wise.

Yeah you're right mate.

It's a sad state of affairs that I can't imagine anyone else throughout the three divisions in the Football League have failed to achieve even a single point against the top six in the past two/three seasons.

Sick of everyone praising gallant displays at Sheffield United, Burnley etc. A loss is a loss

 

[Swansea93]

Can we get 4 wins from the next 4?

 

[LeonWasTheDogs]

Is vip slowly morphing into the player we were hoping?

I never thought I'd say that start of season but getting some goals
Now

I hope so, but not on yesterday’s evidence. A handy finish for his goal though. He was anonymous for the rest of the match, but far from the only one.
Some people who know a lot more than seem to see stuff in him, so hopefully he’ll come good.

 

[Gors Buster]

That's where the manger needs to step in an alter things tactically.

is Williams capable of that? the jury is out for me.

Look at the games we've won, majority of them have resulted in us hanging on for dear life for the last 10/15 minutes of most games.

I’m still fuming about Saturday but I don’t blame the manager.
We don’t have the players to go up a gear or to hit teams on the break.
All the top teams have that but we seem like we have nowhere to go, so when the chips are down and we’re under pressure, we end up making mistakes and/or going backwards.
The absence of threat must be a massive boost to the opposition.
Perhaps my memory is rose tinted but teams seemed very reluctant to push forward when we had Dan James (and Grimes always had a pass on).
For me, top of the pops in January would be pace and guile out wide.

 

[Smurph]

I’m still fuming about Saturday but I don’t blame the manager.
We don’t have the players to go up a gear or to hit teams on the break.
All the top teams have that but we seem like we have nowhere to go, so when the chips are down and we’re under pressure, we end up making mistakes and/or going backwards.
The absence of threat must be a massive boost to the opposition.
Perhaps my memory is rose tinted but teams seemed very reluctant to push forward when we had Dan James (and Grimes always had a pass on).
For me, top of the pops in January would be pace and guile out wide.

The manager must take some of the responsibility, he sets the team up makes the substitutions etc.

If Grimes is dropping in to the back four under his own steam the manager needs to hook him, if he's doing it under instruction then Williams needs to have a word with himself.

Come this time next season and we haven't pushed on after a decent summer window then surely questions will be asked.

Hopefully we have and Williams is doing well, I like him and want him to succeed.