Season 25/26 | The official Match Thread | Swansea City vs FC Lorient | Preseason Friendly | The Swansea.com Stadium | 3pm, Saturday 2nd August 2025

[Neath_Jack]

Being unfair on Cullen, he had a good goal diasallowed too.

With one of the only chances that was created.

 

[Neath_Jack]

Lot of lazy nonsense in this thread, going for Fulton and Cullen.

What did Franco do first half, he was no better than Fulton. And Cullen had one chance from what I can remember and he buried it. Wipe your slates clean and say what you see as Roy Walker used to say.

 

[LeonWasTheDogs]

That’s what we needed. I didn’t watch the second half but it sounded like we upped the tempo and were better for it. We haven’t had many proper tests against good teams in pre-season, so maybe that first half was a reality check we needed.

Get our injured players back and I’m sure we’ll be nailed on for mid table again

 

[LeonWasTheDogs]

Lot of lazy nonsense in this thread, going for Fulton and Cullen.

What did Franco do first half, he was no better than Fulton. And Cullen had one chance from what I can remember and he buried it. Wipe your slates clean and say what you see as Roy Walker used to say.

I said last night on another thread that I think he’s the wrong type of player in the wrong system at the wrong time. In a 442 next to a good, strong number 9 he’d be banging them in for fun. There’s no way we’re switching to a 442. Oh, and we haven’t got a good number 9!

He’s not bad, but it’s hard to fit him in without sacrificing something. Play him as a striker, we miss the physical presence up top and thir centre halves have a day off. Play him as a 10 in a 3 man behind the striker and you miss the creativity of a modern number 10.

It’s not his fault of course. He works hard, finishes very well and plays with his heart on his sleeve.

 

[T8AD365]

That’s what we needed. I didn’t watch the second half but it sounded like we upped the tempo and were better for it. We haven’t had many proper tests against good teams in pre-season, so maybe that first half was a reality check we needed.

Get our injured players back and I’m sure we’ll be nailed on for mid table again

It was partly that but mostly that Lorient were 3:0 up and took their foot off the gas, as well as replacing almost their whole team

 

[ABSwan]

It was partly that but mostly that Lorient were 3:0 up and took their foot off the gas, as well as replacing almost their whole team

I agree with foot of gas, but they didn;t start replacing players until about the 60 minute mark.

 

[Blackpooljack]

That’s what we needed. I didn’t watch the second half but it sounded like we upped the tempo and were better for it. We haven’t had many proper tests against good teams in pre-season, so maybe that first half was a reality check we needed.

Get our injured players back and I’m sure we’ll be nailed on for mid table again

I think that is part of the problem year in year out, we play a load of lower league teams ( granted they all beat us this year ) and then finish off against a bit of quality. There should be a bit more inbetween the two before our final game.

 

[T8AD365]

I agree with foot of gas, but they didn;t start replacing players until about the 60 minute mark.

So we're just talking about the first 15 minutes of the second half then? In which time we failed to score (I don't remember us having a shot either but I may be wrong) and we only scored from a penalty which was won immediately after they made 3 subs

 

[jonboyswan]

So we're just talking about the first 15 minutes of the second half then? In which time we failed to score (I don't remember us having a shot either but I may be wrong) and we only scored from a penalty which was won immediately after they made 3 subs

You must have missed the sitter by Ronald then...we were far more aggressive from the get go in the 2nd half and didn't give the opposition the respect we did in the first half. I don't think the opposition eased up at all untill the raff of subs. I thought it was an enjoyable second half, lets not get negative too soon...

 

[T8AD365]

You must have missed the sitter by Ronald then...we were far more aggressive from the get go in the 2nd half and didn't give the opposition the respect we did in the first half. I don't think the opposition eased up at all untill the raff of subs. I thought it was an enjoyable second half, lets not get negative too soon...

The one he hit straight at the keeper? I did say I may have forgotten one

They're going to be playing PSG next season, while we'll be playing Charlton so context is very important in terms of the standard of opposition today. As someone else said, they were just sharper than us all over the pitch

 

[Bluenile]

Lot of lazy nonsense in this thread, going for Fulton and Cullen.

What did Franco do first half, he was no better than Fulton. And Cullen had one chance from what I can remember and he buried it. Wipe your slates clean and say what you see as Roy Walker used to say.

I saw that Fulton was an Undynamic piece of shite who shouldn't be within 100 miles of this club. But Sheehan likes him, which will mean that Sheehan will be sacked way before Halloween, never mind Xmas.

 

[Jackareme]

Signs of hope? When we brought Innoussa and Eom into the action we immediately (a) looked more dangerous and (b) forced the opposition to defend properly.
IF we can add a striker Kone/mcBurnie/A N quality other and move Widdell into the central area - we can be difficult opponents next week.
If we can field more than one proper CB even more so.
On a total tangent - I assume that L'Orient do their shopping in thee French speaking countries of Africa? Senegal Côte d'Ivoire etc. If so we should also be scouting these countries for emerging talent.
They had a veritable conveyor belt of skilful and athletic players - and I don't think they pay a lot for their recruits.