It wasn’t a dour draw as Swansea City again huffed and puffed to an away point at Huddersfield Town this afternoon. How terriers manager Mark Fotheringham can look himself in the mirror after putting all his team behind the ball for most of the game is only a question he can answer. However the swans had numerous chances to seal this game and then nearly shot themselves in the foot at the death.

Swansea started off in their usual style with their slow passing game at the John Smiths Stadium. Possession stats indicated that as much as the crowds lack of participation. However, the swans had numerous chances as a reward for their patience. Joel Piroe shooting from outside the area which the terriers keeper Nicholls saved. From the resulting corner Harry Darling flicked on and his shot went a yard by the post. The possession increased and the swans started to open up their opponents defence, the key man in most movements being Ollie Cooper. It was all Huddersfield could do to stay in the game with everyone behind the ball for the first half hour.

Olivier Ntcham hit a blistering strike which was blocked and the assault on the oppositions goal continued. Ryan Manning switched sides providing Jay Fulton with a headed opportunity which Nicholls saved easily. The midfield overload was working with Swansea dominating and when not retaining possession - regaining the ball.

The only question had to be can this really be the story of the game ?

Another cross saw Joel Latibeaudiere head wide which again the Huddersfield keeper saved. Then another shot from Matt Grimes was parried by Nicholls. You would also think that the home side had already settled for a draw and would take anything from the scraps they could obtain. Huddersfield were toothless and only gained possession when it was given away by the swans. When the terriers did press they met resistance and the home support were clearly not used to their side being so dominated.

However the score remained 0-0.

Taking thirty seconds to take a goal kick was a sign in itself that Huddersfield were remaining laid back, and happy with the way the game had developed for them.Then a Grimes shot on the volley screwed itself wide and again Nicholls in the terriers goal wasted time. The only opportunities Huddersfield saw were the cheap free kicks given away by the swans. Their only chance an offside header in to the very decent swans away support.

The game had the flavour of a 1-0 to the Arsenal about it.

Another obscurely given free kick from a questionable decision by the referee on thirty nine minutes led to the terriers best chance. The well placed free kick saw a golden opportunity in front of goal missed. That’s the warning sign we all know that appears in this type of game. Ntcham gained a yellow for kicking the ball away, was that a sign he had given up on the game and was ready to get on the plane to the Middle East ?

The home crowd booed at their teams poor efforts to get in to the game and again Manning gave away another cheap free kick. That was the fifth freebie given to Huddersfield. At last the match day referee got involved this time giving the swans a free kick for a foul on Cooper. With the half slowly crawling to an end Manning delivered in a lovely ball but no swans player came near to it.

That frustration was creeping back in to the swans game.

Manning claimed a penalty on forty five and they have been given for a robust challenge deep in the home sides area. The corner from that move was blocked, and to win this game the swans really had to up the energy in the second half.

The crossing became beleaguered and lacking in the thought as the half time whistle blew.

The second half started in the same vein with Ntcham and Manning linking well on the home sides left, Piroe again failing to control in the penalty area. The swans support gained in volume as they sensed something from this game. A wonderful move started by Steven Benda saw a Manning shot saved by Nicholls. It was a superb effort. The move itself spread across the pitch was mesmerising. If it had gone in it would have been goal of the season.

Swansea were happy to rebuild as we have seen all season, but their dominance was an embarrassment to Huddersfield. It could be said the over play by the swans or poor crossing from the flanks was equally as embarrassing for the swans at times, if not annoyingly frustrating. Huddersfield earned another free kick again from a Manning foul rendering his opponent out on the floor. Two minutes later the kick sailed in to nowhere as Manning broke from a loose ball and was fouled.A yellow card for Huddersfield’s Mbete. It really did feel as if the first fifteen minutes of this half bar that Manning effort was time you would never get back.

The lethargy was summed up by Ntcham’s wild ball on sixty minutes, there was clearly a sense of frustration in the swans ranks as well. Michael Obafemi came on for Joel Piroe who had been relatively ineffective in this game, the statement now being more pace surely ? The game was so slow it needed something. Huddersfield had displayed absolutely no intent so far, and Swansea’s lack of finishing saw the game still at 0-0. A speculative Ntcham shot sailed in to the away fans and Huddersfield made a double tactical switch. It was clear the terriers game plan was to get to the last third and if level push on for a goal.

A first sign of Huddersfield’s intent was a shot by substitute Duane Holmes flashing past Benda’s post. Cabango the culprit caught out with two players to mark. The swans misplaced passes crept back in to the game. Cooper this time when in space inexplicably passing the ball wide of his team mate Latibeaudiere when a well drilled shot was called for. on seventy minutes Armstrong Oko-Flex, Luke Cundle and Kyle Naughton replaced Cooper, Ntcham and Harry Darling all Swansea subs racing on and off the pitch, a signal of intent they believed this game was there to win.

The game became scrappy as the home side sank deeper and deeper, all behind the ball, Fulton had a shot and Oko-Flex took his man on but the danger was cleared. The last fifteen minutes until December 10th were with us. Huddersfield Town made their substitutions slowly clearly sticking with their point or maybe something on the break. Again the swans built from the back. It was now a game of chess as Oko-Flex taunted the terriers back four. A Manning corner was poor but from the clearance another Swansea move broke down. It was now time for Jamie Paterson to come on for Latibeaudiere.

The final throw of the dice.

The cheap free kick giveaway this time from Cundle presented Huddersfield with a free hit at goal, from the move the ball deflected away for a corner. Could the swans defence switch on this time unlike at Birmingham ? They did and Obafemi who broke with all the pace in the world blew another great chance to set up a team mate to get in on goal. A wonderful move saw Obafemi hit the upright and you were getting the feeling this wasn’t to be the swans day. Poor corners from the away side again followed with desperate terriers defensive work. For all their dominance the swans were flagging and Paterson most certainly looked the most dangerous player on the flanks.

In desperation Oko-Flex went down desperately in the area and was yellow carded as the game entered the eighty ninth minute. Then the obvious, the predictable happened. Steven Benda pulled off an extraordinary save and the rebound cleared by Nathan Wood off the line. If Huddersfield had scored at that point we may as well stop watching football with the tactics they employed today. We entered seven minutes of injury time and the terriers were alive. The corner ended up with Benda but ince again the swans nearly threw the game away at the last.

At the other end Oko-Flex combined with Obafemi and another corner was the result. It was as had happened all game a wasted opportunity. And then Manning has a chance in the area, his shot blocked in desperation. The corner again went wildly away and the referee gave another corner. Then a third corner. Desperately cleared away yet again. Huddersfield employed the boot it anywhere tactic. They will go down if that’s their signature for games come December.

Huddersfield came to their own ground for a point today, regardless of any thought on that the swans again should have won this fixture. Mark Fotheringham showed no ambition and no desire to win this game. They had all of their side behind the ball for most of the contest, and if that’s satisfactory for the home fans then their ambition is fairly low for their team. The Huddersfield manager and players celebrated at the end as if they had won the game, extraordinary to watch. The swans are seven points from top spot and in eighth place overall but only separated from a play off place on goal difference. The four recent draws a tale in themselves of how frustrating this season has been to date.

The next time the swans play will be in four weeks time, during that break there is a World Cup and a few friendlies for Swansea City. Maybe a bit if work on finishing ,crossing set pieces and energy will be worked on ?

Huddersfield Town: Nicholls; Lees (C), Helik, Mbete (Spencer 75); Kesler-Hayden (Holmes 64), Kasumu (Mahoney 86), Rudoni, Ruffels; Thomas, Rhodes (Ward 64), Jackson (Diarra 86).

Subs not used: Bilokapic, Ayina.

Yellow card: 🟨 Mbete 60

Swansea City: Benda; Wood, Darling (Naughton 70), Cabango; Latibeaudiere (Paterson 78), Fulton, Grimes (C), Manning; Cooper (Oko-Flex 70), Ntcham (Cundle 70); Piroe (Obafemi 61).

Subs not used: Fisher, Stevens.

Yellow cards: 🟨 Ntcham 40 & Oko-Flex 89

Referee: Ben Toner 5/10 : Seemed lost in his own world.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

Swansea City Polls