Andrea Orlandi scores the only goal of the Swans final pre-season game - a 1-0 win over Den Haag at the Liberty
Orlandi scored the only goal of the game after a good first half performance that saw him being a constant threat to the Den Haag defence that was unable to cope with the width offered by Orlandi and his fellow wide man - the outstanding Shaun MacDonald.
MacDonald is very much living up to his billing as Swansea's brightest young prospect at the moment and is improving with every performance that he makes in the first team. His contribution to the game tonight was worthy of a man of the match award had there been one for the evening .....!
This was very much the second string at the moment with a few regulars in action - Garry Monk and Ferrie Bodde to name but two and the Swans were in total control of the game from start to finish. There was predictions in the paper today that maybe Den Haag will struggle next season and on this performance they may well do that although it is always hard to read much into friendlies - particularly in the second half with so many changes being made.
Bodde in particular as well pretty much ran the show in the first half with a controlled display and some great forward moves as he seemed determined to get one over his former team mates and he rightly left after 55 minutes to a standing ovation not just from his new fans at Swansea but the ones that used to follow him when he wore the green and yellow.
The Swans starting line up looked like this
Dorus
Tate Monk Serran Bessone
MacDonald Britton Bodde Orlandi
Scotland Brandy
A difference in formation at home saw the Swans enter a 4-4-2 formation and Scotland and Brandy both had great chances in the first half to grab goals to push their own causes for the Valley line up but the chances were spurned as the Den Haag keeper was keeping the Swans at bay.
MacDonald and Tate were also denied by the keeper as the Swans carved out several quality chances before Orlandi eventually broke the deadlock. There were several names in the line up that would have liked to stake their claim for a Charlton start and Orlandi, Serran, Bessone and Scotland probably secured themselves a place on the bench bare minimum with their displays tonight.
A half time score of 1-0 to the Swans was deserved and the end of the game as a real spectacle with the inevitable second half substitutions constantly disturbing the flow. Although, in fairness some of the subs made a real impact on the game as they tried to force their own way into the thinking. A late cameo from Jordi Gomez lit up the latter stages with some lovely touches whilst Mark Gower's five minutes or so on the pitch may just have kept him ahead of Orlandi in the starting line up.
The only other factor to consider for Saturday is any further victims of the virus that has gone through the club but this was the end of a very solid and very productive pre-season for the Swans and now the friendly stuff is over the real campaign starts on Saturday and I for one just can't wait
If you're all going to Charlton clap your hands...........:clap: :clap: