The Swans started on the right foot and certainly deserved to win this opening home game of the season.
It was an engrossing first half between two sides who really wanted the win. Sheffield United driven forwards by Gustavo Hamer but creating little. The Swans on the other hand energetic with Franco and debutant Malick Yalcouyé and Ethan Galbraith all very busy. It was nice to see, and there was a snap to the Swans play.
The Swans created chances during the first twenty minutes. Josh Tymon with a shot which just went past the post, debutant Malick Yalcouyé shooting when he had options, and again the Malian just inches from a cross in from Ronald. Cameron Burgess met a header from a corner which should have been firmer, but the danger was cleared. Eom also had a shot from the Swans left. The chances were mounting up, Ronald was booked for a silly jump in on an opponent with the Swans very much in the ascendancy on twenty three minutes.
The Blades on the run up to the half hour seemed more than happy to launch the ball forwards hopefully. And utilise their long throw. It was very basic.
The Swans should have easily been two up but their failure to take chances was the reason, unlike Bristol City last week who smashed four at Bramall Lane on the opening day. Two water breaks and a few injuries would surely mean plenty of minutes added on in this first half. For the Blades, Harrison Burrows had a snap shot on thirty three minutes but it was deflected for a corner. From there a shot on Vigouroux’s goal also went out for a corner. Nothing from that move.
The ball was now frustratingly falling to the Blades, it was just luck but that was annoying the crowd. As it stood we saw little Swansea errors and plenty of guile and determination. The seats in the south especially, including east and west corners were disappointingly empty. The volume of the Jack Army rose and fell as the visitors forced their way back into the game. The Swans were ruled offside on forty two minutes as Eom broke, as was Tymon two minutes later. We had five minutes of added time.
The game was now in a bit of a lull but the Blades somehow earned a free kick with one minute to go in added time. That was cleared as the referee brought things to a close on fifty minutes. Tyrese Campbell who was pretty anonymous in this half was booked for dissent after a free kick by Hamer was cleared. It was an encouraging half for the Swans, plenty of tempo for the majority of the game, the heat by all accounts sapping the energy of the players. The lack of a goalscorer still evident as the teams left the pitch.
The second half kicked off with no changes.
What the fans now wanted to see was a gear or two up from the Swans despite the heat. Ethan Galbraith was industrious from the off winning those fifty fifty balls, a real dynamo in midfield. On forty seven we saw a free kick out on the Swans left. The ball ricocheted with shots from Josh Key, Eom and Burgess all defended. The Swans were on top. Ronald wanted the ball and was getting service. Despite that the crucial ball was lacking. This game was here for the taking. Yes there were a good few thousand seats unoccupied but the support was as noisy as ever.
Josh Key had an opportunity to get in a decent pass to Cullen on fifty three minutes but fluffed his lines. Galbraith continued to sweep up matters and Malick was now a target for the away side. Tymon was also busy, breaking before the hour mark dangerously but his cross let him down. It was looking like a double change was to be made as Eom squandered a very decent chance to put a ball into the six yard box, it wasn’t good and the story of the game for Swansea so far. The Swans ever creative continued to push on. Ronald was next with a lovely low cross from the Swans left but again that lack of instinct in the penalty area let the home side down.
We saw Melker Widell on for Malick Yalcouyé and Zeidane Inoussa for Eom. Both good attacking options, and timely too as ideas were running out in the Swans attack. Malick making a very notable debut. Straight away on sixty three minutes Key broke on the Swans right but the header from Inoussa was weak and straight into the visiting keepers hands. Key had a shot off target on sixty four minutes as time ticked on. Then a moment that will remain in Ronald’s mind for a long time, the Swans on the press, a shot blocked and Ronald steered a lovely shot beyond the Blades keeper. It was precise and a lovely thing to see.
The Swans went looking for more. Proof of the quality coming off the bench - Inoussa and Widell linked well with Melker taking a well placed shot, beating the keeper but so close to getting a second. On seventy four minutes more Inoussa magic which ended up with Cullen who was unable to get any touch on the ball. The pressure was on but the game needed a second goal to settle the Swans fans nerves. With subs on the Blades we’re getting more into the game, a few corners wasted. Inoussa was a constant pain with targeted tackles resulting in him injured for a few minutes.
The game moved on with just under sixteen thousand fans announced as present, that’s near to five thousand short of a capacity attendance. As stated pre match, thousands of seats were unoccupied. A penalty shout for the Blades went by the wayside on eighty five minutes as Swans fans kept everything crossed for the three points.
Ethan Galbraith was again dominant, a better option than those who have left the club this year with his positivity and alertness going forwards. On eighty nine minutes Jay Fulton replaced Ronald. We had seven minutes added time. The Swans were now set up defensively as the visitors got forward looking for that equaliser. The Swans were prepared to defend as the Blades worked tirelessly but seemingly without an end product.
This was a different type of defensive game though for the closing minutes. The Swans midfield is a very disruptive force, Galbraith, Franco, Widell, Yalcouye with Tymon ever present to assist from deep, it was a perfectly won 1-0 game. Sheffield United ran a lot with little end product, the Swans on the other hand just one player short now, oh for someone to knock those chances in. For those who attended today nice one, if fans can travel from Scotland, the north east, north west, south west and London to name a few places then the local population can do so as well. Not everyone is on holiday, and respect to those who cannot afford entry (see below) but there is plenty more who can.
⚽️ The Swans - Lawrence Vigouroux; 6 Josh Key, 6 Ben Cabango (C) 6 Cameron Burgess 6 Josh Tymon 7 Malick Yalcouye 7 (Melker Widell 62) 6 Ethan Galbraith 8* Gonçalo Franco 7 Ronald 7 (Jay Fulton 90), Jisung Eom 5 (Zeidane Inoussa 62) 7 Liam Cullen 6 (Bobby Wales 89)
Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Žan Vipotnik, Kaelan Casey, Ollie Cooper, Sam Parker.
⚽️ The Blades : Michael Cooper, Tyler Bindon, Gustavo Hamer, Callum O'Hare, Harrison Burrows, Djibril Soumare (Andre Brooks 76), Jack Robinson (captain), Tyrese Campbell (Tom Cannon 63), Louie Barry (Ryan One 76), Femi Seriki, Sydie Peck.
Unused Substitutes: Adam Davies, Sam McCallum, Ehije Ukaki, Sam Curtis, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Owen Hampson.
⚽️ Referee: Thomas Kirk 7/10, good game administration
Attendance: 15,816
Away TBC