We have seen some poor performances this season from Swansea City, and todays annihilation at Burnley was right up there. The swans didn’t turn up, they didn’t care and they couldn’t process a team who had far more than they did in energy and desire. It was a real ‘thumping back down to earth bump’ that once again will test the credentials of Russell Martin over the coming days.
It was a different type of test for Swansea City as the teams took to the pitch in a swirling gale at turf moor. The atmosphere and tremendous support from the Jack army was immense. If on,y their side could have showed the same commitment. Typically the swans started with their usual possession based game, but immediately from the first minute it was clear their complete lack of pace was going to be an issue.
And competence.
It was almost as if Burnley were testing out the swans over the first ten minutes before Nathan Tella on the Burnley right took the game by the scruff of the neck. His pace completely destroyed any thoughts Ben Cabango had of a quiet afternoon. Backed up by Vitinho (Victor Silva) the Swansea defence was at sixes and sevens. Burnley’s pace first bought Matt Sorinola a yellow card and the exposed Cabango looked way off the pace as he was led a merry dance by Tella all half. Tella continued with his one man display before Jay Fulton fouled him in midfield and was lucky to stay on the pitch.
Another yellow.
Why Swansea went hands on with the opposition time and time again in this half - giving away free kicks and being carded continuously is beyond explanation, however you can be rest assured it wasn’t in the game plan. This Swansea aside has little or no pace and that was exposed when Vitinho sneaked in at the back post to put his side one up. Joel Latibeaudiere was also exposed on the Swansea right, persistently fouling and earning himself a yellow card as well. Josh Brownhill took a pot shot from twenty yards which Steven Benda saved wonderfully. To be honest at this point being two down was a bonus for the swans.
Burnley’s attacking flair earned them their second goal when Jay Rodrigues scrambled home the ball after more sleepy time cursed the swans defence. Sorinola’s defensive attributes are a good zero out of ten. It was a half of comedy football from Swansea but nothing should be taken away from the home side. Their more competent strategy and pace saw the sides go in at half time with Burnley good value for their lead.
With the referee reviewing first half added time Swansea City’s collapse at the back was made complete. Another foul up by Ben Cabango who was having an absolute nightmare lost the ball leaving Burnley time to pick the best pass out and Zaroury fired home the third goal.
This half showed many weaknesses in this swans side this afternoon. Slow and ponderous with little idea of what they should be doing and key players like Obafemi, Piroe and Ntcham completely invisible. Russell Martin had a lot to sort out at half time. It was quite simply the worst half of the season. And we’ve had a few.
Michael Obafemi failed to appear today at Burnley
Any hope the swans had for a second half come back not dissimilar to Luton last season relied upon the starting line up who Russell Martin sent out for this second half. No changes, a clear statement that these players had got themselves in a mess, so go and get out of it. The fourth clarets goal put paid to any thoughts of Burnley becoming the new Luton La La land with or without Ntcham. If we could put anything else to this match review it would be that Swansea City have to draw a line under this defeat. It was appalling, the attitude of the players was totally unfocused, and only Russell Martin will know the reasons why.
Not one Swansea player came out of this game with any credit, from the captain who looked lost in his very own supermarket all game to Cabango who we have never seen put in such a poor performance before. Play like that between now and November and the closest to Qatar he will get is Cathays. To see him turned inside and out for ninety minutes was an embarrassment. And final mention for red carded Joel Piroe, he definitely needs a rest, there will always be questions like ‘Why are Morgan Whittaker and Kyle Joseph elsewhere on loan when all we have is Liam Cullen’ It really isn’t good enough, but it has to be put behind us as Tuesday night is a home game against Reading, and time then to put this right. After that it’s the derby game, and if the swans put in a similar performance next weekend they will all be chased back down the M4 and never be allowed to forget it. It may be okay to perform like that fifty miles up the road, but it most certainly isn’t going to be acceptable in the west of the principality.
And those players and the coaching team had better not let their focus drop, today was simply awful, and unacceptable.
Burnley: Muric, Vitinho, Harwood-Bellis, Beyer, Maatsen (Egan-Riley 85); Cork (C) (Bastien 76), Cullen, Brownhill, Tella (Gudmundsson 62), Zaroury (Benson 76), Rodriguez (Barnes 76).
Subs not used: Peacock-Farrell, Taylor.
Goals: Vitinho 15, Rodriguez 30 & 57, Zaroury 45+2
Swansea City: Benda; Wood, Naughton, Cabango; Latibeaudiere, Fulton, Grimes (C), Sorinola (Stevens 75); Piroe, Ntcham (O Cooper 62); Obafemi (Cullen 62).
Subs not used: Fisher, Darling, Cundle, Oko-Flex.
Yellow cards: Sorinola 23, Cabango 34, Fulton 38, Latibeaudiere 40 🟨
Red card: Piroe 74 🟥
Referee: Stephen Martin 7/10 : made the right calls at the right time.