There have been numerous well made points this weekend on the South Wales derby game. Everyone has an opinion, some more lucid than others for sure, but over all not one Swansea City fan will be happy with Michael Duff’s approach to such the Cardiff City game.
Starting a derby without players who know what the game is all about was a huge mistake. Leaving out three of last seasons goal scorers both in Swansea and in Cardiff was exceptionally naive. Liam Cullen, Ollie Cooper and Ben Cabango for example may not be the most applauded of Swansea players but their omission was another in what is fast becoming a series of Duff managerial mistakes.
Anyone who witnessed the second half conversation between Matt Grimes and Duff will see two people who clearly were not interested in the information exchange. Grimes especially. That small capture in time told me there’s a little bit more than just a poor performance underway on the pitch. And sometimes a picture paints a thousand words.
There seems to be nothing developing from the learning of the past five games, and I also include the pre season shift which had huge question marks written all over it. In the six league games in charge we have satisfied ourselves that losses by the odd goal can be repaired. However, not after last night, despite Cardiff’s second goal not being a penalty. That’s by the by, the application of the players, and the implementation of what is being described as ‘tactics’ were like a leaking boil of puss on what is normally a keenly contested fixture.
I could be wrong, but speaking to several people in the know on Swansea matters this afternoon I think that Michael Duff is yet to earn the respect of the players in his charge. That’s more than evident in the commitment we are witnessing over the six games we have all seen. If that is the case then already this season with Michael Duff as head coach is almost lost. How he can claw back any lost respect in a dressing room of players who have in the main been brought up on a specific style of football I don’t know.
Of course, we could all be wrong on that. Time will tell.
There most certainly seems to be a desire to dismantle the very fabric of the Swansea City way with players now too scared to pass, and as we saw last night happy to lump the ball forwards to the opposition. If you’re not convinced then listen to those level headed Cardiff fans who are still shocked at the way the Swans approached this game. It was made far too easy for them.
Having players making their debuts in a derby is one thing, for them to be able to even understand the importance of it in a few days is another. Neither Josh Tymon nor Kristian Pedersen should have been on the pitch last night. The omission of Welsh players by the manager, and the inclusion of his ‘own’ signings was foolhardy. In fact when you look at those signings made throughout the summer, bar Jamal Lowe, not one has even a tenuous link to the club. That in itself is proof of the dismantling process we are witnessing under Michael Duff. He has now made three references to Russell Martin in post match press calls, all negative, and all as an excuse for his own failings this season.
Now thats a manager in Martin who always went in to those derby encounters set up to win the game, not to negatively try and not lose it. That’s why he won all four of the derby fixtures, and made history on the way. We can only hope that Michael Duff has the potential to turn this around. It is early days and there wont be two easier fixtures ( I know ) in a week than those coming up in the form of QPR away on Tuesday night and Sheffield Wednesday at home on Saturday. There has to be some improvement because we are already hearing that things are not looking that good within the confines of Fairwood and indeed the Swansea City dressing room. Football can turn toxic very quickly, and not having a united front within a football club will most certainly see its structure crumble to dust in a very short time indeed.
We hope not, but there’s little proof to see or say otherwise.