If that’s the fayre that head coach, Alan Sheehan wants to give the Swansea supporting public then this will be the tale of the season. A ridiclious strategy from he eightieth minute of not being positive and refusing to play the ball forwards threw away two points today.
In fact after the Swans scored their second goal it seemed that the side had closed up shop.
The decision to play in this way after taking a deserved lead in the second half and looking to be able to close the game down was totally wrong. Ronald passing backwards, overplay for a ten minute period which brought about absolutely nothing bar better possession stats. It was clear that the Swans had the players to earn all three points but the negativity was shocking.
The first half started well but after an initial ten minute period the lack of pace and commitment saw some pretty poor decision making. Hull City saw the uncertainty and grew into this game slowly. Zân Vipotnik set the standard with a wonderful turn and shot assisted by Malick and you would have thought some lights would be coming on in Sheehan’s head. The defensive attitude even when winning 1-0 led to some very poor defending for the Tigers to equalise. A good but easily cleared low ball from Ryan Giles was met by Oli McBurnie who did what he does and equalised. Ben Cabango was either daydreaming or out to lunch leaving keeper, Vigouroux stranded for McBurnie to slide in and score.
That was deflating but anyone who has been following the Swans recruitment policy this season would be assuring themselves that this could still be three points. That happened in the second half after a lovely cross was met by Ronald (below) who again put the Swans a goal up. At 2-1 you would have thought the Swans would have gone for the throat. They didn’t, despite Adam Idah being deployed it seemed on the flank after replacing goalscorer, Vipotnik the cutting edge wasn’t seen after the Swans second goal. There was little effort to press when in attacking positions and little idea about how to kill this game off. Yes,the Swans can pass the ball about but when you are in so many good positions to create issues for your opponent you really have to take the game by the scruff of the neck.
It’s so frustrating to report on a game like this, and Hull City pressed on. All because of the Swans tactics they scored with twenty seconds to go. It was on the cards, already Vigouroux had pulled off some wonderful saves but those warning signs went unheeded. The very fact he gets man of the match is the clue there. Sitting back without composure, booting the ball skywards the equaliser came after more pressure and poor defending. Alan Sheehan cannot decide to defend a lead with so much time to go in a game. It’s absolutely ridiculous. That isn’t the type of football the Swans support want to watch. The aggression wasn’t there, the clarity in important moments wasn’t there and the refusal to take on an opponent when you can close off a game was frustrating.
How that negative mentality of a side with so much talent can be transmitted onto the pitch from the bench - when that talent can win games is a concern. Alan Sheehan has to ask himself a lot of questions about that performance, he needs to reflect on why with a suspect defence at times he allowed such a backs to the wall strategy to be introduced into the game. It doesn’t work, and today was the evidence. That simply must not happen again if this season is to be a success.
The only positive is surely Sheehan won’t do this again ?
⚽️ The Swans: Lawrence Vigouroux 9 Josh Key 7 Ben Cabango 6 Cameron Burgess 5 Josh Tymon 6 Malick Yalcouye 7 (Liam Cullen 71) 5 Goncalo Franco 5 (Melker Widell 90), Ethan Galbraith 6 Ronald 6 Zeidane Inoussa 8 (Jisung Eom 64) 5 Zan Vipotnik 7 (Adam Idah 64) 6
Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Manuel Benson, Kaelan Casey, Sam Parker.
⚽️ Hull City: Ivor Pandur, Lewie Coyle (captain), Ryan Giles, Charlie Hughes, John Lundstram (Darko Gyabi 84), Oli McBurnie, David Akintola (Regan Slater 63), John Egan, Amir Hadziahmetovic (Mohamed Belloumi 64), Joe Gelhardt (Joel Ndala 77), Kyle Joseph (Enis Destan 85).
Unused Substitutes: Dillon Phillips, Cody Drameh, Akin Famewo, Kasey Palmer.
Referee: David Webb : 5/10 : Didn’t see a lot when it mattered
Attendance: 15,152
Away 368