The loss at Southampton in the FA Cup with what many Swansea City fans believe was an ill informed choice of squad is bringing matters to a head at Swansea City.
Yesterday was a great opportunity to get Kyrell Wilson some experience, a confident in-form player for the U21 side player who scores goals. In defence we had Kyle Naughton and Cyrus Christie replacing the injured Harry Darling and Ben Cabango, and this after Nelson Abbey, a centre back was returned to his club Olympiacos. Clearly Naughton and Christie are not good enough for Championship football, and both we believe will move on from the club in the summer. Kristian Pedersen, another defender on high wages will also be moving on.
However that doesn’t help the Swans in the interim. We saw yesterday a laboured and ineffective Swansea City, not even or able to compete with a Southampton side who are on their way to being the worst ever Premier League side in history. If we put aside the poor defence we still had what Luke Williams believes to be his better attacking set up. Florian Bianchini and Myles Peart-Harris backed up by Matt Grimes, Ronald and Franco with Josh Tymon and Josh Key trying to get forwards as well is no different to most weeks. As time moved on in this game we saw Joe Allen and Liam Cullen involved so the ‘chances’ that were created were from regular first team players. So lets not keep referring back to the defence.
We hear that Harry Darling was taken to Southampton in some odd form of hope he would get himself match fit ! A ridiculous decision. Luke responded with, "Harry Darling has been here trying to get ready for the game, he travelled on the coach for four hours. He's a doubt for the derby because he is injured. I was trying to get him ready for this game. We did everything to get Harry Darling fit. Ben Cabango is still having treatment. I resent any suggestion I wasn't taking the game seriously”
So, let us have a look at that sentence. Harry Darling was injured, and may well be out for next Saturday, but he took the player along a week earlier in the hope he would be fit for Southampton. What are you saying ? You can see where we are going here with odd statements again from the head coach, words certain supporters continue to swallow even though they make no sense whatsoever.
This happened over the WBA links, he just added more nonsense on top of more nonsense. It simply isn’t good enough. Taking the strongest team he could doesn’t include Jon (below) who had possibly the worst game we’ve seen from a Swans keeper in years and years. He is not a stronger option. Then Zan Vipotnik who it is ‘alleged’ (unconfirmed) had a new baby with his partner over the weekend was then taken to Southampton and didn’t even get on the pitch ! If that is accurate and he and his partner do have a new baby then why would Luke take him to Southampton and not even play him ? He has other U21 options.
It is our belief that Luke Williams no longer has the heart for the job after a year in post. We also don’t believe that his assistant Ryan Harley offers the club a great deal nor George Lawtey. Ever since the start of this month we have seen a poor decline of attitude in interviews, alongside ever changing excuses as each one goes on. Then those results, that’s eight goals conceded in three games, and one scored. We must not be taken in by the head coach and his quotes. The side that played yesterday was three players or so short, Cabango, Darling and Vigouroux. Yes, it displays a lack of depth, but the decision making at the club when it comes to man management and players has collapsed.
And the six hundred plus Swans fans ( below) who travelled again to the south coast for the second time in two weeks were hardly rewarded with the passion they deserve. Williams wasn’t greeted with applause at the end of the game that’s for sure.
And it’s ridiculous to suggest that things are okay and fantastic at the club. They are not, and we now have new investors who have seen £350,000 or so given away by the head coach yesterday in a poorly prepared and ill considered team selection. Unfortunately for him, more people are seeing through the veil of Luke Williams. Next Saturday v Cardiff is a daunting fixture when you look at what his team is presenting to us as football.
If this continues and Luke continues to dodge bullets - and come up with some very odd management decisions it won’t be someone else calling his agent, it will be him.