Cooper’s gritty swans passed another tough test yesterday as Swansea City dug in and won another three points against one of the leagues better drilled sides in Luton Town.

There won’t be any negativity coming in even if people are looking for it, it happened last season and it’s not going to happen again. Even if people are looking for it, it’s not happening - Steve Cooper ( 13th March 2021 )

It was always going to be a tough test for the swans and the way the hatters went about their business they will be annoyed with themselves for not taking something from this game. Nathan Jones and Steve Cooper two Welsh managers with their own ways of playing. One in Nathan Jones quick and direct but with clever running off the ball, the other in Cooper a more thoughtful passing game with that quick attacking strategy when an opening is made, it was always going to be close.

Nathan Jones raised in Blaenrhondda and born in Pontypridd, Cooper also from Pontypridd, a fact lost on the SKY commentators from this game. An attempt at calling Pontypridd, Pontypool was made, it says much of the type of people who get the top jobs in so called UK wide sport. Knowledge used to be a thirst for proper commentary folk, now it’s a mixture of ignorance and bliss.

Cooper said after the game
“We scored a good goal, there weren’t many chances in the game. At the moment, it’s a treadmill of keeping going and staying on it. It’s hard, pitches are difficult, conditions are difficult, the games are ramping up. So, it takes a lot to win games. “I am glad we showed quality at the right moment, but in terms of the commitment and attitude — after making five changes, some of which were forced on us — it was brilliant. It was a really tough game to play in, Luton don’t lose many games here and you throw in the pitch and the wind; it had the makings of not being a pretty game. “So the result and the three points is the focus and well done to the lads.

Something Cooper did say that should be poignant to swans fans and anyone else with an opinion is this “ There won’t be any negativity coming in even if people are looking for it, it happened last season and it’s not going to happen again. Even if people are looking for it, it’s not happening” And it is worth repeating, Cooper learns, and from that learning comes change, hard for some people to deal with.

In a very firm interview Cooper went on to say “ We scored a good goal, there weren’t many chances in the game. At the moment, it’s a treadmill of keeping going and staying on it. “It’s hard, pitches are difficult, conditions are difficult, the games are ramping up. So, it takes a lot to win games. “I am glad we showed quality at the right moment, but in terms of the commitment and attitude — after making five changes, some of which were forced on us — it was brilliant. The boys are giving everything for themselves and the football club. ”I will not let anything distract from that, because they are a great group who are giving their all every day to achieve for this football club.”

Conor Hourihane - It’s a massive three points on the road once again,” said the 30-year-old. “The clean sheet is great too — it’s so important because it gives you the platform to win games. Scoring the goal is obviously great for me. I started off on fire, and then went on a dry spell. It was nice to get another one — the gaffer said I was due one, so it was good to find the net again. Yan was fantastic in setting it up and putting it on a plate for me. We spoke in the changing room afterwards that he did the same for me against Rotherham. He sees those passes very well, and it was a great assist.”

Nathan Jones joins the blame game queue
"A number of factors, decision-making by both officials and players probably cost us really and that's the frustrating thing as I thought we were excellent for the majority of the game.
"We were front-footed… there were so many situations where we should have done better with. So much is disappointing, but there are so many positives, it's just hard to see them, as we've just lost the game 1-0. Pre-match it was spoken about the penalties they had lately which have been a tenth of the clarity of ours and yet we don't get them. The handball is down to interpretation, but the letter of the law, he’s moved his hand to the ball, so if you move your hand to the ball and it goes to VAR, it’s a penalty”

So, Jones spoke to his players pre match about this perceived lunacy about Swansea penalties ? Looks like the swans are getting to folk. Jones fell for that one then, already started off on the back foot mentally. His confused expressions may be say a lot about the man.

Although critical of the referee’s display, Jones also felt his players should have done better to avoid falling behind with just three minutes on the clock. Having gone close themselves, Luton then conceded the only goal of the game when Matt Pearson failed to cut out a long ball over the top as Yan Dhanda beat Kal Naismith and squared for Conor Hourihane to beat Simon Sluga in the Luton goal.

The swans surprised us here getting the result they did, almost believing the drivel written about the team of late possibly. One more win and it’s the play offs guaranteed as far as we are concerned. Cooper moves on to Bournemouth on Tuesday night, another game LIVE on SKY Sports before the encounter with Cardiff City at the Liberty next Saturday.

Luton Town: Sluga; Bree, Pearson (C) (LuaLua 83), Naismith, Potts (Cranie 45+2); Tunnicliffe, Mpanzu, Dewsbury-Hall; Clark, Cornick (Collins 70), Adebayo.

Subs not used: Shea, Berry, Rea, Nombe, Morrell, Ince

Swansea City: Woodman; Naughton, Bennett, Latibeudiere; Roberts, Grimes (C), Manning, Smith, Hourihane (Fulton 65); Dhanda (Lowe 65), Ayew.

Subs not used: Hamer, Routledge, Whittaker, Bidwell, Freeman, Cooper, Cabango.

Goals: Hourihane (3)

Yellows: Naughton, Bennett, Woodman, Roberts

Referee Darren Bond

Licensed from Reuters

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