To say this wasn’t a Swansea City classic would be the understatement of the season in a very slow and yet again ponderous ninety minutes or so at the swansea.com stadium. For Swansea it was a game of loose passes, a total lack of energy and when it’s all summed up a demonstration of how mundane Russell Martin’s style of play can be when it doesn’t click.

The lack of width in the Swansea starting eleven, in fact at the club is now so evident the players who do get a game can only look inwards to pass the football. Today they struggled to do that. Birmingham City should have taken this game by three or four goals against a Swansea defence that stopped talking to each other when it mattered, and failed time and time again to sense any danger. Had Troy Deeney been fit for this one we have no doubt it would have been a goal fest for the blues.

The first half of this game promised a lot as both sides looked to make in roads in to each other’s defences. Nobody made hay but the sun did shine. Birmingham City especially had the pace of Chong on the left initially, menacing the swans defence. His cross for Juninho Bacuna seemed to be a certain opening goal but somehow he fired his shot over the bar, it seemed impossible to miss. The blues took heart from that as Swansea retreated in to their ponderous passing play across the midfield, and were rewarded with further chances by an immobile swans defence. Fortunately they weren’t taken, and at the other end Joel Piroe fired a shot at goal which was parried by Matthew Etheridge. Hannes Wolf eeked out a chance which was wasted, and a Korey Smith run at the blues defence ended up in a cul-de-sac.

The only real first half inspiration came from Olivier Ntcham but he was isolated and had to hold off challenges whilst his team mates watched, caught in some sort of daze.

Out on the swans right Cyrus Christie looked like he was uncomfortable at full pace, and his usual flair seemed missing. A healthy crowd and away support of well over 18,000 jeered and sang in the sun, but it was clear it wasn’t influencing the swans players. Matt Grimes as an example couldn’t get in to the game, without his usual sidekick Flynn Downes completely missing, his absence from the squad was unexplained before kick off.

Finley Burns looked comfortable starting again at the back with Ben Cabango and Kyle Naughton on his 250th Swansea appearance. Overall it really was a negative half for the swans, loose passes and a lack of desire was evident, or was it tiredness ? Hannes Wolf again struggled to take on his man or find space, and the withdrawal of Jamie Paterson just minutes before the game started most certainly would have unsettled Russel Martin’s plans for the game.

Ex Swansea player John Williams at half time wasn’t that impressed with the swans suggesting more energy and effort was required, and a more direct mindset, he obviously doesn’t get to see the swans that often, That has been the story of the season.

Joel Latibeaudiere came on at half time for Finley Burns, despite the substitution being completely missed by our old friend Anthony O’ Connell on Swans TV. The second half started slowly. Birmingham again taking the game to the swans who seemed devoid of any fizz or idea as to what to do. The blues dominated proceedings as the half wore on, missing a number of chances to go ahead. At the other end the swans created nothing. No pace or endeavour time and time again. Hernandez for Birmingham was lively, a shot going just wide, signalling possibly the reason why this Birmingham City side can’t score goals.

Nathanael Ogbeta replaced Korey Smith but nothing changed, Gordon hit the post for the blues when it looked easier again to score, and the pressure on the swans increased. The unsettled atmosphere in the crowd seemed tangible as the half drew in to the last ten minutes. Swansea were now creating nothing as Kyle Jospeh came on for Hannes Wolf.

It wasn’t even a rearguard action of sorts, the incompetence of Birmingham’s finishing was the prevailing issue, and the complete lack of awareness by the swans to do anything about it a close second. When a team toughs out a game they do so with spirit and fight, this swans side had nothing about themselves throughout this game. If there is anything positive to say about this performance we are going to say it wasn’t evident today. Swansea City were woeful today, they deserved nothing, and how they took a point is remarkable.

A tame shot by Piroe late on in the game summed up Swansea City today.

The next game this Swansea City side play will be against Cardiff City in the Welsh derby. This type of performance will not suffice at any level for that game. That game is in two weeks time, if the swans do find the enthusiasm to represent their clubs shirt appropriately they will be the first side to do the league double in a Welsh derby. Play like they did today and you may as well be washing your hair two weeks today, because another performance like this and you will be pulling it out that’s for sure.

Dreadful.

Swansea City: Fisher; Burns (Latibeaudiere 46), Naughton, Cabango; Christie, Ntcham, Grimes (C), Wolf (Joseph 80); Piroe, Smith (Ogbeta 63); Obafemi.

Subs not used: Hamer, Fulton, Congreve.

Birmingham City: Etheridge; Colin, Roberts, Gordon; Graham, Gardner (C), Bacuna (Richards 75), Sunjic, Hernandez; Chong, Hogan.

Subs not used: Jeacock, Oakley, Bela, James, Woods, Jutkiewicz.

Attendance: 18,620

Referee: Jeremy Simpson

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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