It wasn’t pretty but the Swans struggled for two thirds of this game before the introductions of Eom and Joe Allen. The former scoring the winning goal and Joe putting in what could be tackle of the season. There’s plenty more in his tank for sure.

The first sight on the Derby goal came on five minutes after considerable Derby pressure was a corner for the Swans. Unfortunately that was wasted but it was a signal for more Swans control and pressure. Unfortunately it was hard going and getting some positive movement going forwards was difficult. With the Swans selecting a side that was positive enough to gain a point at Leeds last weekend, you couldn’t argue with this selection again.

Leading up to the fifteenth minute it was pretty much a midfield mash up, both sides struggling to retain the ball or make something of it. A shoulder barge by Lewis O’Brien was deemed a foul and Derby had a free kick out on the Swans left on seventeen minutes. It flashed across the Swans goal but was too fast for any Derby player to get contact on. Again we saw miscontrolled ball by the Swans thereafter, they were very subdued unlike the voices coming from the East Stand.

Ronald nearly earned a corner on twenty one minutes. But the Swans play was limited. I would look up after making a note to see Derby in possession then Swansea in possession. And so it went on. It was a game with little to get excited about.

However, on twenty three minutes Derby had the best moment of the match so far when Wilson crossed but they couldn’t get firm contact on the ball in front of the Swansea goal. Again we were seeing Swans players muscled off the ball in midfield, unable to be consistent and every time the moved would break down. Ronald again the main offender. Walking pace wasn’t acceptable on twenty six minutes. The Swans were quite simply not very good to say the least. Every mistake led to Derby possession, every time they had the ball it led to them rolling about on the floor when challenged.

Fouls were the order of the day, holding, pushing and general foul play added to this poor game.

On the thirty minute mark there had been no shots on goal as the Swans continued to pass the ball to the opposition and they in turn fouled or did the same. The giving the ball away game continued. After Ronald got himself in free space after good control, he again gave the ball away. Highlight of the half so far was Liam Cullen displaying some strong hold up play, winning possession and then the ball was given away. There was nothing on the end of anything so far.

Some interplay with Ronald and Key led to an O’Brien cross which went out for a corner on thirty seven minutes. The corner was very capably passed in the air to Derby keeper Jacob Zetterstrom. It was getting hard for the larger Swans support than usual to get excited. On thirty eight we saw a golden chance for Derby when Wilson spun on the ball and shot close in. Harness in free space would have been the better option. That came from poor defending by the Swans.

Some threatening play by the home side on forty one minutes saw Josh Key put a cross in for a giant, it did though lead to a throw. The slow Swansea passing did see Ronald put in a cross for a diving header for Cullen but he was just beaten to the ball. Maybe the Swans were saving their energy for the second half ! That pressure led to O’Brien running straight into trouble as Derby slowly looked to waste time and get in at 0-0.

That sort of summed up the commitment of these sides on show. One minute additional time was announced. Tymon eeked out a chance and crossed the ball intending for Cullen but it well fielded by the ball boy (person) near to the corner flag. It was an extremely poor half, Derby had a few chances and if losing the ball and showing a total lack of any ability at all earns positives then the Swans were on top.

The half time stats tell you the story.

Derby kicked off the second half in attack mode. No changes but we all knew they would come. On forty six minutes a long throw from Derby, their preferred danger tactic somehow fell into the hands of Vigeroux in the Swans goal. What was noticeable was the Swans were now more positive in their build up, and clearly Key had been instructed to get forwards quickly. A lovely cross field pass from Darling to Ronald led to … I’ll leave it there, it’s even getting boring for me to repeat the same old line. Ronald was then fouled on the Swans right, the ball was coming in that’s for sure. Tymon took it, and yes … I’ll leave that there as well.

Ronald put a cross in on fifty one minutes but it went to a Derby defender. Key tried a shot and it was blocked, but the Swans were now trying to press. O’Brien played a nice ball to Ronald who crossed for a goal kick to the visitors. Derby were looking for a more airborne game looking to foul and hinder where they could. A good example when Vigouroux collected a through ball with a nasty foot left in by the visitors. The Swans were trying different options, but the latest on fifty three minutes by the Swans keeper ended up in the arms of Jacob Zetterstrom in the Rams goal.

O’Brien was now full of running forcing the visitors back.

Delcroix played a ridiculous pass to Darling down on the Swans left near to the corner flag. Then the Burnley loanee committed a foul in a dangerous position. Jackson headed his opportunity wide. Again this was another example of the complete unawareness of this Swans side this afternoon. Everything now was long for the Rams clearly having given up on the midfield battle. Long throws, long passes just aided the Swans as they were regaining possession. However, the Swans hunger wasn’t there.

A cross by Key on forty eight minutes was cleared and the Swans earned their second corner of the game, that came to nothing. Then a lovely Tymon cross was headed away for the Swans third corner in front of the East Stand. Tymon would take it. But the move ended up with the Burnley keeper fielding the ball. On sixty one minutes head coach, Alan Sheehan had seen enough. Vipotnik and Eom on for a quiet Franco and Delcroix. A change in formation with twenty eight minutes to go. Derby responded by putting a couple of crosses into the Swans area. Vigeroux was obviously fouled and spilled the ball however Fulton didn’t help. Derby had their first corner of the game. That was cleared.

Eom’s first contribution was to foul his opponent.

A much improved crowd was announced 16,501, all of a sodden the press was quicker and more impressive. A clear foul on Eom was ignored and from the break Wilson crossed for Derby which Jackson messed up. Another good chance for the visitors. A Derby player was booked as another long throw came in from the Swans right. Sixty seven minutes of the game had passed. The pace had increased incredibly now from what we had seen. This led to an O’Brien shot that went far and wide. Was I really joking when I said the Swans were reserving their energy for the second half…

Derby had another corner on seventy two minutes that led to another long throw. The scramble on the ball led to a Swans free kick. Derby continued their niggling. Tymon fought well after he had given the ball away and now we had fifteen minutes to go. More fouling on O’Brien as Joe Allen was seen making ready to come on. Derby were now defending deep. A cross too high for Eom who is very decent in the air went by the wayside. Joe Allen was on for Jay Fulton. Despite fairing better in the last few minutes Ronald was the weak link when going forwards. He’s a tryer, you have to give him that, but his basic ability is and has been poor. A snap shot on seventy eight minutes by Derby was well saved by Vigouroux.

Then it happened on seventy nine minutes, a lovely cross from Key just evaded Vipotnik, or it could have taken a slight touch as Eom sneaked in to put the Swans one up. The warning signs coming just a few minutes before. That signalled more fouling from the visitors, Harness the latest player into the referee’s book. A triple change for Derby was made on eighty two minutes. Derby players sprinting off the pitch. Derby tried it on even more with the game held up as they had twelve players on the pitch. Derby did press but similar to the Swans in the first half it was all coming to nothing. We had three minutes of playing time left, plus whatever the fourth official decided.

Then the best chance of the game for Derby, Jackson in on goal with a wonderful challenge by Allen just as the Derby player took aim. It was such a great challenge the North Stand stood as one in appreciation. We headed into five minutes of additional time. More desperate defending as Darling tackled hard. The corner was given but Vipotnik headed clear. On ninety one minutes Ronald was replaced by Cyrus Christie. Just another body at the back. Long throws now coming in from the half way line.

We had three minutes to play.

The Swans were happy to soak up this Derby pressure. The visitors continued to foul and lose their momentum as the additional time was now up. From Vigouroux’s kick the referee, Andy Davies blew up for full time. The substitutions for the Swans were the moments that ensured they would win this game. It was a great day for those who just want Swansea wins. The game was always going to be a scrap but the Swans really need to gather their thoughts after today. Their lack of cohesion in the first sixty minutes was concerning. However, Sheehan strikes again in what was a very difficult weekend for a large number of Championship clubs.

Play offs anyone ?

Swansea City take on Plymouth Argyle at the Swansea.com on Wednesday, kick off : 7:45pm

⚽️ Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux 7 Josh Key 7 Ben Cabango (captain) 7 Harry Darling 8 Hannes Delcroix 5 (Jisung Eom 63) 7 Josh Tymon 6 Jay Fulton 6 (Joe Allen 77) 7 Lewis O’Brien 7 Gonçalo Franco 6 (Žan Vipotnik 63); Ronald (Cyrus Christie 90), Liam Cullen 6

Unused Substitutes: Jon McLaughlin, Florian Bianchini, Kyle Naughton, Ollie Cooper, Sam Parker.

⚽️ Derby County: Jacob Zetterstrom, Kane Wilson, Craig Forsyth, Sondre Langas (Kenzo Goudmijn 83), Nat Phillips, Liam Thompson (Tom Barkhuizen 83), Marcus Harness, Kayden Jackson (Lennon Wheeldon 90), Matt Clarke, Harrison Armstrong, Ebou Adams (captain) (Nathaniel Mendez-Laing 83).

Unused Substitutes: Josh Vickers, Jake Rooney, Jeff Hendrick, Erik Pieters, Kai Robinson.

Referee: Andy Davies : 5/10 : Allowed Derby to foul Swansea players all game.

Attendance: 16,501
1,950 away

Artwork Swansea Independent : Stats BeSoccer