Swans Record First League Win
WALSALL 1 SWANSEA 3 |
Click Here For Match Pictures It has been a strange old start to the season. Two weeks ago we lost a game we dominated for all bar around 10 of the 90 minutes. Last week we had 16 shots on goal and yet failed to find the net in a game we dominated for the whole 90 minutes. While this week we probably put in the worst performance of the three and walked away with three points with some ease. Did somebody say it was a funny old game? Sure at times today there was the fluent passing football that we have seen the past two weeks but there was also smatterings of a weak defensive performance and, if truth be said, we didn't really wake up for the first ten minutes of the match where I felt that we looked several yards off the pace. Having said that, we now have a '1' under the win column and the season starts here..... Much has been spoken in the past seven days about the difference between performance and result and today that was highlighted. At the back we were shaky from the first minute to the last and it has definitely highlighted the need for a no nonsense central defender whilst the influence of the injured Marcos Painter I do believe was sorely missed. The defensive frailties seemed to stop Rangel advancing forward as much as he has done in the two league games prior to today and that in itself took much away from us as an attacking force although there were some great moves during the game. The previously mentioned absence of Painter forced Roberto into a slight shuffle with Kevin Austin in at left back in place of the former Birmingham player who had been talking about the number of tickets his family needed to see him play - famous last words? Doris Rangel Monk Lawrence Austin Britts Pratley Ferrie Robbo Duffy Scotland To say Swansea were slow out of the blocks was an understatement. We gave the ball away cheaply in the opening exchanges and we created our own problems with poor defensive clearances and seemingly just not being with it. It was no major surprise when Walsall went ahead on that basis. Ferrie uncharacteristically gave the ball away in central midfield and as it was fed to Walsalls right a cross across the area was converted at the back post by Martin Butler. The Swans were a goal down. That scoreline didn't last long as Robinson cut inside ten minutes later and fired a shot at goal that somehow found it's way in. For those that haven't seen it think Robbo's goal in the play off final and it's not dis-similar to that. 1-1 became 2-1 to Swansea ten minutes later when a sublime piece of vision from Boode found Scotland and he turned inside and shot home despite the 'best' efforts of Ince in the Walsall goal. Swansea were ahead and it's only right here to make reference to the pass that led to the second goal again. Ferrie Bodde has an unnerving ability to know where a player is without looking up. A close watch on him through a game will see him make passes without even glancing at where a player is. It doesn't always come off but when it does it tends to be a very incisive pass and quite often will lead - directly or indirectly - to a goal scoring chance. I would say it's a fair assumption that Swansea were the better side for the remainder of the first half although that doesn't mean they were without their danger at the back. Doris was called upon on more than one occasion to try and rescue a potential defensive disaster and, thankfully, he succeeded on every occasion. In turn we were not without our chances in the rest of the half and let's not also forget the cynical hacking down of Pratley when through on goal that incredibly only bought a yellow card for the offender. No changes at half time and no real change in pattern to the second half. Swansea started slightly lethargically but soon got into their stride without ever looking totally comfortable at the back. It has to be said that Dennis Lawrence was not having 'the best of days' and it seemed that Walsall were keen to exploit that side of the defence - seemingly realising that the Rangel/Monk side was having a better day than the Lawrence/Austin side. Darryl Duffy was slowly coming into the game and had had one goalbound effort blocked when he again found himself advancing down on goal before being hacked down from behind. The referee will not have many easier decisions to make this season as he pointed to the spot and showed the inevitable red card to the offender. Andy Robinson stepped up to score his second and Swansea's third to effectively end the game as a contest. With a man advantage, Swansea tried to take advantage with their passing game and on a couple of occasions almost pulled it off but everything as well seemed less comfortable than it should have been because of the problems at the back. It does sound as if I keep referring to them but they were a real threat to our three points today. Craney replaced the tiring Pratley, Anderson replaced Britton and KOL was a late sub for the hobbling Ferrie Bodde - hope that's nothing serious - as the Swans ended the game comfortably. Man of the match for me? Nobody really stood out today in my book so it comes down to goals and Robbo got two of the three so therefore he takes the nomination for this game. The summary simply says not as fluent as the last two games but good enough to secure the first league win and it's onwards and upwards from here as we head for three successive home games in cups and league. WHO ARE WE? Click Here For Match Pictures What are your thoughts? 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