Season 24/25 | The Official Match Thread | Swansea City vs Gillingham FC | The Carabao Cup

[bakajack]

Fulton has to go, put Abdulai in there, that's his position after all, I'm done with Fults, been a big fan of his for a long time, but he has to go now!

I agree totally about Fulton.

That doesn't mean though that for tonight at least I am going to stress about it and instead just be happy with the positives which were very much missing from the Boro game.

 

[Birchgrovejack]

Their first thought is can I beat a man, there's hope yet, but I got a feeling that Williams Is exactly like Russ, safety first, teams get out of this division by throwing the kitchen sink at it, not this cautious bollocks we've adopted.. too much PowerPoint bollocks is going on down there.. beat a man, cross, find space, anticipate anything.. Williams is doing the same as Russ, Statball..

Felt exactly like the dross we suffered under Martin tonight. Passing for the sake.of passing. Mind numbing safe football against a team camped in our own half 2 divisions below us. Players should have had creative freedom tonight, seems that the opposite happened.

 

[Niigata Jack]

I agree totally about Fulton.

That doesn't mean though that for tonight at least I am going to stress about it and instead just be happy with the positives which were very much missing from the Boro game.

I’m not stressing either my days of stressing over the Swans have long since gone, same old issues that we’ve seen over the various transfers window that these owners have over seen, Coleman says he’s in charge if he is then all that he said about ready for this window is bollox.
Levien is clearly still in charge when it comes to the final say!

 

[bakajack]

Felt exactly like the dross we suffered under Martin tonight. Passing for the sake.of passing. Mind numbing safe football against a team camped in our own half 2 divisions below us. Players should have had creative freedom tonight, seems that the opposite happened.

It could as much be a confidence thing. There were numerous times when the ball inside was on when the ball was out wide but the full backs or wingers (or players trying to be wingers) would go for the safe ball backwards instead.

When a team is winning it breeds that confidence and players will play that little further forward and look for the ball more and call for that pass between players as the spare man inside. Going for example from Naughton to Abdulai to Naughton because nothing is on is fine, but from there going from Naughton to Cabango to Grimes sitting in between the centre halves with no one ahead of him to move it onto because Fulton is about 50 yards up the pitch means starting from scratch again.

In that same situation when the team is more confident and Grimes is playing around the centre circle instead Naughton could look for that pass to him instead of going back to Cabango. From there Grimes has the range of passing to hit almost every man on the field even in the pouring rain like tonight (even Fulton!)

How much of it is instruction? How much of it is lack of confidence? How much of it is both?
Only LW knows that really, but a positive run of results I think will see a difference

 

[Bluenile]

It could as much be a confidence thing. There were numerous times when the ball inside was on when the ball was out wide but the full backs or wingers (or players trying to be wingers) would go for the safe ball backwards instead.

When a team is winning it breeds that confidence and players will play that little further forward and look for the ball more and call for that pass between players as the spare man inside. Going for example from Naughton to Abdulai to Naughton because nothing is on is fine, but from there going from Naughton to Cabango to Grimes sitting in between the centre halves with no one ahead of him to move it onto because Fulton is about 50 yards up the pitch means starting from scratch again.

In that same situation when the team is more confident and Grimes is playing around the centre circle instead Naughton could look for that pass to him instead of going back to Cabango. From there Grimes has the range of passing to hit almost every man on the field even in the pouring rain like tonight (even Fulton!)

How much of it is instruction? How much of it is lack of confidence? How much of it is both?
Only LW knows that really, but a positive run of results I think will see a difference

I agree with most of that, but I don't see a positive run of results on the horizon, not when playing that negative possession based game. I hope I'm wrong, but I think we are in danger of not winning any of our first 3/4 games, and if that happens then knives will be out, as we sit near the bottom of the table. Don't know what goes on in Luke's head, but he was waxing lyrical after the game, not helped by a fawning interviewer. You can fool some of the people some of the time etc . . . . . .

 

[Bluenile]

If Saturday starts with the dreaded Grimes/Fulton midfield axis it will clearly show that Williams doesn't have the nous to get this squad playing the way it can. Somebody will then have to rip his blinkers off and point him in the right direction, but probably surrounded by his own yes-men, unlikely to happen. I desperately want to be wrong, and sincerely want him to achieve success with us, but it shouldn't be a case of someone having to point out to the Emperor about his new clothes (Grimes/Fulton).

 

[sainthelens]

If Saturday starts with the dreaded Grimes/Fulton midfield axis it will clearly show that Williams doesn't have the nous to get this squad playing the way it can. Somebody will then have to rip his blinkers off and point him in the right direction, but probably surrounded by his own yes-men, unlikely to happen. I desperately want to be wrong, and sincerely want him to achieve success with us, but it shouldn't be a case of someone having to point out to the Emperor about his new clothes (Grimes/Fulton).

Williams probably thinks playing those 2 together is a safe ' solid' option, he's way off the mark. Fans are bored shitless, we have 1 or 2 who are attempting to entertain and this combo cannot continue. Fulton gave the ball away and was outa position several times against a dross LG 2 side.
Open yer fckn eyes Luke.
We've got till Tuesday to renew STs, I'm guessing thers plenty who's last minute decision is resting on Saturdays line up/performance.

 

[monmouth]

I’ve found us virtually unwatchable for 5 seasons and two games now, but this stuff is worse than anything Cooper served up. This absolutely must be Williams preferred style. Wasn’t he part of the ‘brains’ behind Martin’s self indulgence? He has chosen to play like this since he rocked up. I’m not sure why anyone expects different. We may have some flashes in games - as we did last season - but 90% of every game will be back and boring. The fact he is thrilled whenever we win in this fashion and never takes any risk of difference in this sort of game shows this to be the case. I ‘watched’ the second half last night and did emails and some other stuff, only taking notice now and again. ‘Swansea Way’ my arse. It’s crap and it’s bullshit.

 

[cmajack]

It could as much be a confidence thing. There were numerous times when the ball inside was on when the ball was out wide but the full backs or wingers (or players trying to be wingers) would go for the safe ball backwards instead.

When a team is winning it breeds that confidence and players will play that little further forward and look for the ball more and call for that pass between players as the spare man inside. Going for example from Naughton to Abdulai to Naughton because nothing is on is fine, but from there going from Naughton to Cabango to Grimes sitting in between the centre halves with no one ahead of him to move it onto because Fulton is about 50 yards up the pitch means starting from scratch again.

In that same situation when the team is more confident and Grimes is playing around the centre circle instead Naughton could look for that pass to him instead of going back to Cabango. From there Grimes has the range of passing to hit almost every man on the field even in the pouring rain like tonight (even Fulton!)

How much of it is instruction? How much of it is lack of confidence? How much of it is both?
Only LW knows that really, but a positive run of results I think will see a difference

How come it is so different when Joe Allen plays. The whole team plays at a different tempo when he starts. He picks the ball up and drives forward at pace. It really is as simple as getting Fulton as far away from the club as possible and either starting Allen or finding a suitable replacement for him. There has to be a better option somewhere in League 1 that can fill that midfield spot.

 

[Ringwood]

Simple... Fulton and Grimes game is not about surging forward, it's about not being box to box players and who are afraid of being caught out on the break if we lose possession high up the field. Think you could get away with one playing like this but we have 2 effectively playing as centre backs facing the wring way passing to each other.

Break the pivot up, get a more front foot midfielder in there and we have already seen the difference.

Abdulai and Grimes or Allen and Fulton should be considered over a Grimes and Fulton pivot.

It's glaringly obvious... but as someone posted, the Grimes Fulton duo is perceived safe yet offers very little to the rest of the side.

 

[Bluenile]

The problem is that it would mean another change of management part way through a season again. Also, I believe we're sacrificing strikers on the altar of "the method". We only have to look at Victor Gyokeres to see the quality players who struggle to get playing time with us. As someone said "passing for passing's sake".

 

[SwanseaJack]

Simple... Fulton and Grimes game is not about surging forward, it's about not being box to box players and who are afraid of being caught out on the break if we lose possession high up the field. Think you could get away with one playing like this but we have 2 effectively playing as centre backs facing the wring way passing to each other.

Break the pivot up, get a more front foot midfielder in there and we have already seen the difference.

Abdulai and Grimes or Allen and Fulton should be considered over a Grimes and Fulton pivot.

It's glaringly obvious... but as someone posted, the Grimes Fulton duo is perceived safe yet offers very little to the rest of the side.

I think the plan is to have Grimes Franco in the middle and then an actual CAM. I am of the same opinion as everyone else here, Fulton has to go. Its stagnant football in what should be the heart and engine of any team. Very much wished we had sold him to reading last year when there was all that interest...

 

[Cooperman]

I think the plan is to have Grimes Franco in the middle and then an actual CAM. I am of the same opinion as everyone else here, Fulton has to go. Its stagnant football in what should be the heart and engine of any team. Very much wished we had sold him to reading last year when there was all that interest...

Play Franco as CAM until another signing arrives, and then play Naughton as DM (we know he’s got a good pass in him). Might sound somewhat desperate, but I’ll do anything to break the tedium.

 

[SwanseaJack]

Play Franco as CAM until another signing arrives, and then play Naughton as DM (we know he’s got a good pass in him). Might sound somewhat desperate, but I’ll do anything to break the tedium.

Or just play Abdulai in his actual position. They guy has power and loves going forward. But agree think Franco plays that role until we get a deal over the line

 

[Swanjaxs]

Fulton fit Fulton play, let's all get used to it...