The EFL Championship Season 23/24 | The Official Match Thread | Swansea City v Southampton FC | The Swansea.com Stadium

[PSumbler]

Swansea City 1 Southampton 3 - Swans blown away by inept first half performance

Russell Martin's return to SA1 ended with a comfortable first forty-five minutes where the generosity of the Swans midfield was exposed for all to see and rare

jackarmy.net

 

[cadleigh]

So to summarise:
- Russell Martin has put together an amazing streak of results by dropping the style of play he forced on us for two seasons (despite Ian Walsh claiming that he was watching 'classic Russell Martin' today)
- Luke Williams' Swans were "blown away by inept first half performance" when he tried to get them playing the same way we did under Russell Martin. But when he abandoned that second half, we actually looked the better team of the two.
I just don't know what to make of all of this...

 

[Darran]

Well I think if we show the gutsy spirit we showed in the second half we’ll be ok and it’s a new start in August.

 

[Dillwyn the Dog]

I mentioned this theory a week or so ago.
Theres no reason I can think of for why Jay would still be on the pitch otherwise.

Let’s do the unthinkable for once and hook Grimes. I’m not saying Fulton is better but just for once let’s try a different dynamic.

 

[Dillwyn the Dog]

Williams broke up the Grimes Fulton partnership. Hopefully he has noted that we look a better side without the deep backward playing duo

As I said earlier I it would harm to take Grimes off for once. Nobody should be a guaranteed playing every minute of every game and he’s had his fair share of stinkers. Both were guilty of surrendering the entire midfield to Southhampton during the first half .

 

[K23]

We have something approaching the team and shape he should have picked to start. Those changes were needed much earlier. It's crazy, but score our chances and we could have won in the end. I don't think they created any as clear cut and missed.

Let's hope there's some lessons learned here.

Agree with that about team and shape. We went 4 at the back and more importantly, 3 in midfield so we weren't being overrun. Grimes in the holding role and Allen and Patino both dispossessing players and then passing the ball forwards. Whether or not Saints took their foot off the gas is irrelevant, fact is, with that shape. we at least looked like a football team, albeit one that unfortunately couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo today.

 

[Swanjaxs]

Southampton should have been out of sight after 20 minutes, the ease they played all around us was quite embarrassing, will take the impoverishment second half though, play like the first 45 minutes against Leicester and Lids and it could be a cricket score.
First half 1/10 second half 8/10...

 

[Londonlisa2001]

First half was an abomination, second half much better but hard to tell how much of it was caused by Southampton just putting up their feet.

The midfield pairing of Fulton and Grimes is shockingly bad and causes a lot of our problems.

Yates is a coward. That’s twice in as many weeks as he’s bottled out of scoring in case he hurts himself.

and we have no pace or creativity.

Other than that, great.

 

[Swanjaxs]

First half was an abomination, second half much better but hard to tell how much of it was caused by Southampton just putting up their feet.

The midfield pairing of Fulton and Grimes is shockingly bad and causes a lot of our problems.

Yates is a coward. That’s twice in as many weeks as he’s bottled out of scoring in case he hurts himself.

and we have no pace or creativity.

Other than that, great.

Yates literally had a tap in against Birmingham last weekend but crapped his nappie when he saw the keeper making a token gesture to put him off, today it was hurting his knee against the far post that gave him the ick, Joe Jordan he ain't...

 

[Londonlisa2001]

Yates literally had a tap in against Birmingham last weekend but crapped his nappie when he saw the keeper making a token gesture to put him off, today it was hurting his knee against the far post that gave him the ick, Joe Jordan he ain't...

The thing is, he’s not up to this level, but I’ve previously praised his effort and desire. No longer. I thought last week and this was absolutely shocking from him.
Need to cut our losses and try to get rid. I’d rather we played one of our youngsters.

 

[Swanjaxs]

The thing is, he’s not up to this level, but I’ve previously praised his effort and desire. No longer. I thought last week and this was absolutely shocking from him.
Need to cut our losses and try to get rid. I’d rather we played one of our youngsters.

Spot on, he actually looked embarrassed after this latest act of cowardice today, for every goal he'll score he'll pass up five...

 

[Skippyjack]

I agree with the criticism, this is a million pound machine that's been living in comfort for years, underperforming and has ample resources that many clubs around the world look on in envy.. have we actually had a decent/convincing performance this season?.. don't think we have.. yet we have coaching staff/players who are talking as if they're in control and Premier League standards.. not a f*cking chance.. the only person on the bench who has seen top level performers is Margetson.. a lot of reality checks are needed.. fans, players, staff.. because that first half we should've been buried 7-1 at least.. millions you're all on remember.. infrastructure, scientists, you name it, it's there.. there's a cost of living crisis going on, and because we're not in the top league, the City isn't benefiting from the exposure and isn't helping the economy.. f*cking spineless performance that 1st half, and im not blaming Williams.. because its only his 2nd game.. but come on, cant pass 5 yards FFS in that first half

 

[Niigata Jack]

Williams broke up the Grimes Fulton partnership. Hopefully he has noted that we look a better side without the deep backward playing duo

I can't really see a future for Fulton or Grimes to be honest, if its a choice of either then Fulton has to go cause Grimes can be effective moreso when playing further forward, I've always sung Fultons praises but he needs a fresh challenge from us and us him, unfortunately.

 

[sainthelens]

One lasting memory I'll take from yesterday is Yates missing/shitting away that chance. Too many liabilities and he's top of the pile.

 

[bakajack]

Fulton is a tryer and has been with us for some time, but right now it feels like he has no direction or positional awareness. He goes missing when the midfield battle is on and the game as a whole just seems to pass him by when Grimes as the holding midfield and playing the role of a conductor needs him the most.

When he decides to show some bite he almost always does it in the wrong way and gets himself a cheap booking. Much of the time when we do break the opponents press and he ends up with the ball he is always looking for the quick and easy pass back either putting us under pressure or breaking the whole momentum and letting the other team get back into shape which beats the point of breaking the press in the first place.

Paterson was also guilty of this a lot in our first game under Williams against Birmingham but has shown more forward intent since, he got a goal yesterday and was incredibly unlucky not to get two or even three.

Right now I want to see us try playing with Cullen up front, Lowe out left and Bolasie out right with Paterson and Patino supporting Grimes in midfield. Lowe will always give 100% but a striker he is not and he has pace which right now we are seriously lacking on the wings to play how Williams wants to play