Swansea City got their win which took them to fifty one points this evening at the Swansea.com in first half style against a very dull and uninspiring Plymouth Argyle. It should have been far more than the three goals with golden opportunities missed in the second half. However, that’s it, job done and the Swans will be playing Championship football next season. It’s not mathematically done, but with so many permutations left it may as well be.
It was a first half that the Swans dominated peppering the the Plymouth goal from the off and it took just four minutes for home side to go ahead. A pinpoint cross from Ronald slotted away by Lewis O’Brien started the winning formula in this game. His header was precise and well placed.,The next a great cross from a set piece by Eom which Harry Darling met to head home the second. The best was yet to come when Josh Key picked up the ball on the Swans right, he set himself up and shot from twenty eight yards beating the Plymouth keeper hands down with a wonderful shot, a contender for goal of the season. Those were the basic ingredients of the half, but it wasn’t the whole story. Plymouth were just not in the game.
Interim head coach, Alan Sheehan changed his line up slightly bringing in Zǎn Vipotnik, Eom and Joe Allen with Josh Tymon reverting to a left back role. The inclusion of Allen who once again stamped his credentials in midfield allowing Gonçalo Franco more freedom and the marauding O’Brien getting forwards at every moment he could. That wasn’t the end though, Ronald decided to use all of his efforts on the right and Eom on the left were giving Argyle headaches. Plymouth really never had an answer to the Swans strategy and formation and pretty much looked out on their feet as the half drew to a close.
The Swans came out unchanged but Plymouth made changes. Three on for them. What they were aiming for we would soon find out, the ineffective Obafemi and Randall. Plymouth had a corner on forty seven minutes, their first one of the game. A swinging cross caused some grief for the Swans keeper, Vigouroux but he collected at the third attempt. Joe Allen was finding the type of space that only comes with experience. A chance for Vipotnik, possibly the easiest he will have this season was lifted over the bar after a Tymon cross. He was in ‘absolute sitter’ range. And the score remained 3-0. Following that an O’Brien shot was deflected out for a corner on the Swans right. It was a lovely run by Josh Key. Eom took the corner, Ben Cabango flicked on but again Vipotnik was short to knock the ball home.
The Swans really should be 4-0 up.
The Swans were still on fire, it felt like a matter of time. Despite making good space Franco was being let down by his final ball but the Swans continued to build. Ronald then completely messed up a cross on fifty seven minutes. More composure needed, this the story of this half as we approached sixty minutes. Another lovely move between Eom and O’Brien saw Ronald cross which whistled across the area, O’Brien just missing the ball. That didn’t stop the Swans as once again they pressed, a double save from the Plymouth keeper, Hazard somehow just wouldn’t go in. The game was now being played in the Argyle half.
Another Josh Key run found Eom in the area but he stalled far too long and put his shot wide. We then saw Joe Allen replaced by Jay Fulton. Joe had a magnificent sixty two minutes. Really though by now the Swans should be at least five goals up. Another Argyle sub was made Hardy making way. The Swans really now needed to press home their absolute domination of the game. Eom then missed another sitter. Fed through by Franco he turned and shot over the bar.
Very frustrating for the home fans to watch.
Despite being comfortable there would be much for Alan Sheehan to feedback to his team from this game. The attacking flow was perfect, the finishing this half very poor. Evidence of this came on seventy minutes when Key found himself in lots of dangerous space, but what he was thinking he will only know. Just after this Ronald was brought down scathingly on the Swans right, the assistant right in front of the tackle did nothing, the referee booked the offender. The set piece came in but caused no real issues. We were now ready to see Florian Bianchini and Ollie Cooper. Off went Franco and Ronald, we had fifteen minutes to go.
It was always doing to happen, how many times have you seen a team go in at half time well down and the second half is a dour matter ? This wasn’t so much a dour half more a frustrating one with so many missed chances. With the electrics going off around me Bianchini broke but couldn’t find O’Brien as Sam Parker looked ready to come on. Kyle Naughton was to join him. Josh Key went off as did Eom with the night won. Despite those numerous efforts to get a fourth goal we would have all settled for 3-0 at the start of this game. It wasn’t to be Vipotnik’s night either, threaded through with an absolute glorious chance he waited too long to shoot. It was out for a corner. The ball came in and Darling met it but again the Pilgrims keeper saved. Bianchini wildly running at the ball and heading wide.
O’Brien though was still full of running jumping in frustration at Naughton’s safe play when he was in space. The clean sheet more a goal than an actual … goal. Fulton adding to the defensive mindset. The game drifted away as soon as Naughton and Fulton were on the pitch, their mission as it always has been to nullify and save games already won. The Swans travel to Sunderland on Friday with a fixture the next day. There’s five games to go this season, three away to Sunderland, QPR and Millwall and two at home against Hull City and Oxford United.
⚽️ Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux 7 Josh Key 8 (Kyle Naughton 79) 5 Ben Cabango (captain) 7 Harry Darling 7 Josh Tymon 6 Joe Allen 8 (Jay Fulton 63) 5 Gonçalo Franco 6 (Ollie Cooper 76) 5 Lewis O'Brien 9 Ronald 7 (Florian Bianchini 76) 5 Jisung Eom 7 (Sam Parker 83) 5 Žan Vipotnik 5
Unused Substitutes: Jon McLaughlin, Liam Cullen, Cyrus Christie, Hannes Delcroix.
⚽️ Plymouth Argyle: Conor Hazard, Bali Mumba, Julio Pleguezuelo (Victor Palsson 79), Kornel Szucs (Tymoteusz Puchacz 46), Ryan Hardie (Freddie Issaka 65), Michael Obafemi (Callum Wright 46), Mustapha Bundu, Darko Gyabi, Adam Randell (captain) (Jordan Houghton 46), Nikola Katic, Matthew Sorinola.
Unused Substitutes: Daniel Grimshaw, Nathanael Ogbeta, Joe Edwards, Muhamed Tijani.
⚽️ Referee: Stephen Martin 6/10 Nothing really for him to officiate. A poor away side and the game won after four minutes he had an easy night.
Attendance: 14,978