A brilliant start from Swansea City this afternoon dived into another order from the menu of disastrous football. Starters of no idea after fifteen minutes, with a main course of incompetence and a big desert of stupidity. They are now equal third bottom with Portsmouth who the Swans play at home on Tuesday 9th December (7:45pm) after a home game next Saturday against Oxford United (3pm)
People were still walking to their seats when a few touches after kick off saw Zān Vipotnik cleverly chip Baggies keeper, Griffiths to put the Swans up after ten seconds. An assisted pass by Ethan Galbraith picking out the Slovenian who seized on his opportunity to score. The Swans went on to dominate the play, inter- passing their way around the Hawthorns which was a delight to see. On twelve minutes Galbraith took an opportunity from some twenty five yards out after a Franco assist smashing the ball into the West Brom net. The ball was going so quickly all the keeper could do was parry it on its way to goal.
2-0 up and flying.
Thereafter though a shocked WBA got more possession and space as the Swans lost their early desire and struggled to retain the ball with the Baggies far more dangerous. They were making chances and getting shots off but thankfully they were of little threat to Vigouroux in the Swans goal. When two shots were on target the Chile number one scooped the ball up. That was pretty much the pattern of play.The baggies pressing and the Swans defending.
As the half hour came and went the Swans did get forwards earning a corner, then a comedy moment involving Phillips and keeper Griffiths nearly saw Inoussa get in for a third. At the Swans end Vigouroux was taking everything. However, frantic possession from both sides saw the ball changing hands with little effect on the game. The home crowd were booing the players as the game evolved, the Swans really needing to press on further and remain composed. The Baggies were getting first to second balls and from there it was a case of unplanned hit and hope passes.
The long throw was employed on forty five minutes by the Baggies as we saw another two minutes to play with West Brom continuing to press. The Swans strategy and thinking was very poor. Stand out players were of course Galbraith, Vipotnik with some firm defending from Cameron Burgess. The loose balls were not being picked up by the Swans and this enabled more issues when some confidence on the ball was needed.
The Baggies brought on four substitutes for the second half. A sign of desperation or a complete change of plan to beat Swansea City ? Either way it would make for a pulsating second half. Alex Mowatt the Baggies captain was at the centre of the new players before the restart Cajoling them to get involved with motivational words. He was very enigmatic. They looked like they meant business.
Vitor Matos stuck with his starting eleven but you had the feeling Inoussa needed to be more involved to last the half. Ronald and Widell were in the wings waiting. The Swans had to be right on it for the next forty five minutes. This was the first time this season we had seen a Swans side go in at half time with a lead. The strategy and intent from the Baggies paid off on forty six minutes when Heggebo found himself in space with the Swans ball watching. His shot went straight through Vigouroux’s legs. It really could have been prevented.
The Swans were now flying into tackles, this was very much the start the away side didn’t want. Especially with claims that Franco was elbowed by Chris Mepham in the build up. On fifty minutes the Swans hadn’t got into the Baggies half. Balls forwards were just punted efforts by the Swans and pretty much like those long periods in the first forty five Swansea had no cohesion or clue how to stop the home side. Then on fifty one minutes a corner was hauled in from the Swans left. Again the Swans were ball watching as a shot by Heggebo into the ground bounced up and beyond Vigouroux.
That was 2-2.
Swansea had no clue as to retain the ball, find their men or even pass it.
We saw Melker Widell and Ronald on at fifty four minutes for Inoussa and Eom. The Swans were now running about chasing shadows and looking really poorly organised. Again Ben Cabango looked clueless on the ball as he gave the ball away twice in the space of a minute. There was nothing there at all. No direction or plan. Favourites to win the game now were West Bromwich Albion.
On fifty eight minutes West Brom somehow earned a free kick just on the edge of the area. It looked very innocuous. The wall was lined up as Alex Mowatt stood over it. His strike was deflected out for a corner. The Swans were really hanging on. Every pass was now going astray, Ronald couldnt get on the ball. Widell got on the end of a lovely ball from Galbraith but made a complete hash of it. The midfield was under the control of the home side as a glancing header just went wide with Vigouroux beaten. Unnecessary fouls were being conceded. One from Key saw him booked and the resultant set piece ended in Cabango booting the ball anywhere to rid the Swans of danger. Vipotnik was now off for Adam Idah.
The poor passing continued, Franco unable to control the ball. Currently we were seeing the shocking demise of a team who had nothing to show. No ball control, no anticipation and literally no endeavour when a calm head was needed. We were seeing what we had seen all season, a side devoid of anything positive. Just hanging on. A long Baggies throw on sixty nine minutes was headed clear but Heggebo just couldnt get on to the loose ball. The control of the home side was complete as the Swans looked headless with every mistake leading to a goal opportunity for West Brom. Everything bounced off a Swans player, no two touch passing just balls lumped forwards to nobody.
We had eighteen minutes to go.
Balls were coming into the Swans box relentlessly as we saw Liam Cullen and Jay Fulton come on for Marko Stamenic and Josh Key. With fifteen minutes to go the thousand plus Swansea fans were remaining in good voice as an attack by the Swans ended up with Vigouroux. It was that bad. Franco went forwards with the ball and pathetically dived when tackled. The Swans continued to give the ball away leading to shots on goal for the Baggies. It really was bad. It was all a pointless effort. To build towards goal you had to at least make more than two passes. Then we saw a wonderful save from Vigourox from Heggebo, then a header which went straight at the Swans keeper. When Swansea had control of the ball they rapidly gave it away again. More shots on the Swans goal from poor decision making and thereafter this led to a Liam Cullen booking. On eighty four minutes the Baggies again waltzed into the Swans area. A defence at sea watched as Molumby calmly passed the ball into the Swans net.
3-2.
Goals continue to be conceded and the absolute shower continues. Adam Idah did get forwards but passed the ball to a Baggies player. This Swansea side cannot put any foot right, they are completely away with the fairies when in any lead or needing to defend. The words have all been said. The home side should have doubled their score today, and how they didn’t is again baffling. They were pressing from the start of the second half and were doing the same in stoppage time. Vitor Matos now knows what this is all about.
Swansea City are shocking.
Everywhere they go.
⚽️ Tonight as it stands
⚽️ Baggies : Josh Griffiths, Chris Mepham, Nathaniel Phillips (Krystian Bielik 46), Callum Styles, Jayson Molumby, Mikey Johnston, Alfie Gilchrist (George Campbell 46), Aune Heggebo (Ousmane Diakite 92_, Isaac Price (Josh Maja 46), Samuel Iling-Junior (Karlan Grant 46), Alex Mowatt (captain).
Unused Substitutes: Joe Wildsmith, Krystian Bielik, Daryl Dike, Tammer Bany, Charlie Taylor.
⚽️ Swans: Lawrence Vigouroux 6 Josh Key 5 (Liam Cullen 76) 5 Ben Cabango 5 Cameron Burgess 6 Josh Tymon 5 Marko Stamenic 6 (Jay Fulton 76) 5 Goncalo Franco 4 Ethan Galbraith 7 Jisung Eom 5 (Melker Widell 54) 4 Zeidane Inoussa 4 (Ronald 55) 4 Zan Vipotnik 6 (Adam Idah 64) 4
Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Ricardo Santos, Kaelan Casey.
Referee: Tom Nield : 6/10 No real complaints bar the penalty decision on Inoussa in the first half.
Vitor reaction