Back to front would be the best way to describe this fixture. The Swans with plenty of momentum initially but very little in the way of any sort of standard in front of goal. Birmingham City won this as a result of poor defending and along with their second half performance deserved to win this game.

There was little about the Swans to suggest it was other than the strongest side that head coach Vitor Matos could muster for this cup game. The home sides intentions very clear from the off, breaking with pace on the right with Joseph Opoku and Moussa Yeo teasing his markers on the left. It looked like a more fluid Swans side than we had seen for most of last season. Elijah Just as expected in an advanced midfield role /left sided behind Adam Idah. The Irishman had two good chances in the first half an hour as did Opoku. Elijah took a mini second too long and really should have scored with a bending shot which guided itself just past in the Blues goal. Cameron Burgess had a headed opportunity thereafter but his execution was weak - and as the half had six minutes to go Elijah swung a shot wide.

The visitors displayed very little on the front foot but most certainly contributed some tidy passing as they promised little more than a minor threat to the Swansea goal. Lawrence Vigouroux solidly punched away a dangerous ball on twenty minutes, but bar that Chris Davies side were far less concerned about getting a goal. If there was room for concern Swansea fans will point to a few errors by the aforementioned Burgess. Melker Widell with his energy and desire never stopped closing down blue shirts and when the ball needed some smooth passing Marko Stamenić cleared matters up.

On forty one minutes Jay Stansfield got on the end of a long throw in right in front of the East Stand which Vigouroux tipped over the bar. It really was the first time we had seen anything from Birmingham City that you would credit as a clear chance. But of course the Swans poor defensive ability which we have seen for a few seasons now appeared again on forty three minutes. A hopeful ball forwards saw Burgess stumbling all over the place - it was knocked to a blue shirt and Priske got on the end of even more calamitous defending to score. Getting ahead of his marker in true striker fashion and nudging his effort beyond Vigouroux. Ben Cabango doesn’t get away with it either. For all the good work, albeit unrewarded it was the central defence conspiring to have a complete lack of awareness and control that conceded this effort.

Regardless of the time of the season or fitness this hasn’t been addressed to anyone’s liking.

Yeo had a long range effort that was poor after a late corner for the Swans. Crisp Swans passing was more like overplaying right on the whistle, all too much when little would have been more. After forty eight minutes of football we had seen the Swans take the initiative, explode at times with pace, but unfortunately lacking on six occasions in front of goal. With just a 72% passing accuracy and 52% in the opponents half, plus the defensive error that led to the goal it was clear what needed to be done by Vitor Matos at half time. Disappointed yes, but we had more to come.

The second half saw a slow and borderline disinterested start by Swansea City. The referee too. He gave an offside against Adam Idah and the free kick was taken ten metres inside the Swans half. It was not an enchanting start. What Chris Davies had done was push up his midfield then retain his forwards in a high press. It most certainly worked and smothered the home sides attempts to pass and move the ball. When they did mistakes occurred too frequently. Birmingham could have gone two up compliments of Carlos and that would have made this game really testing. The Blues were now first to everything. Swansea were mere spectators.

Elijah was now preferring a left sided approach to the game.

Elijah was struggling to pass a ball as the Swans brought on Fulton, Zan Vipotnik, Josh Key and Leo Walta as Widell, Idah, Lissah and Yeo made way There were two decent chances as we hit fifteen minutes to go, Ben Cabango should have scored but his shot was met by a magnificent save from James Beadle. Stamenić too should have done a lot better with his effort. The drab Swansea performance was now affecting the crowd, it was uninspiring. The Blues had a chance on seventy six minutes but it was blasted well over the bar. The players were looking visibly tired, the substitutions hadn’t helped that much at all. Space was developing as the Swans attempted to push forwards but that left opportunities to counter attack.

Stamenić had his shirt pulled in the area but nothing was forthcoming. The visitors now relying upon time wasting, a Leo Walta free kick was right on the head of Burgess and really he should have scored. It was such a good ball in. The last roll of the dice saw Eom on for Stamenić it was clear the intention now was literally try and overpower the Blues in midfield and attack. Walta it has to be said has the touch of an angel on the ball. Tymon then put a cross in for Vipotnik but his header was weak.

Burgess went down on eighty five minutes and it seemed even then this game was beyond an any sort of Swansea effort. He went off and because the Swans sub allocation was up they were down to ten men. Vipotnik’s badge was seen clearly hanging of his chest, (there’s a problem with them you know) It summed up much of this game.

We had five minutes to play but the Swans continued their poor form, passes cut out and poor attempts at crossing. It wasn’t a shambles but it was an obvious insight into this sides fitness and more importantly determination. However, no matter how you look at this it wasn’t a good performance. The first twenty five minutes or so yes, but after that it was a slow descent into the Swans of old. Too slow on the ball, poor passing all round and for the first time since 2022 the Swans were out of the League cup at the first attempt.

Stoke City away next Saturday but there is much to do as Chris Davies worked out Vitor Matos tactics in the second half and earned what most will say was a deserved win. If you don’t take your chances then this is how it is going to be.

⚽️ Swans: Lawrence Vigouroux; 7 Filip Lissah 7 (Josh Key 63) 6 Ben Cabango (c), 5 Cameron Burgess 5 Josh Tymon 6 Marko Stamenic 6 (Jisung Eom 81) 5 Melker Widell 7 (Jay Fulton 63) 5 Elijah Just 5 Moussa Yeo 5 (Leo Walta 63) 7 Joseph Opoku 7 Adam Idah 6 (Zan Vipotnik 63) 5

Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Tiago Parente, Stephen Welsh, Ronald.

⚽️ Blues: James Beadle, Christoph Klarer (captain), Phil Neumann, Carlos Vicente (Scott Wright 95), Paik Seung-ho (Demarai Gray 64) August Priske (Luis Vazquez 72), Jhon Solis, Alex Cochrane (Lee Buchanan 46), Tomoki Iwata, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Jay Stansfield (Ethan Laird 72).

Unused Substitutes: Ryan Allsop, Patrick Roberts, Dael Fry, Kristoffer Lund.

Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo 5/10: Clearly hasn’t read up on the new rules for this season.

Attendance: 11,283
Away 1,870.

⚽️ Take away : A tough start with little to impress in front of goal, defending is still an issue as evidence today. One shot at goal for Blues and it wins the game. Lissah was one of the better players as was Opoku. Idah had some nice touches. Overall Chris Davies outdone Vitor Matos with a basic second half tactical change. There seemed to be nothing coming from the bench to change it.

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