Boro v Swansea Competition - Sky Bet Championship Venue - Riverside Date - 27 August 2022 Kick off - 3:00pm Following their hugely disappointing home defeat at the hands of Luton, next up for Russell Martin’s stuttering Swansea squad is a trip to the North-East to play Middlesbrough. Last Saturday, Luton claimed a first win of the Championship season as the Swans’ home struggles continued. Following a poor clearance by Andy Fisher, Allan Campbell swept home from an early corner before Carlton Morris' first Luton goal finished off a disappointing Swansea. This was a welcome victory for Luton, who had stumbled through the opening weeks of the new season. But defeat was another bump in the road for Russell Martin's Swansea - who have not won in seven games at the Swansea.com Stadium - as the Swans produced a display short on attacking quality and saw their wait for a first home victory since early April continue. As a result, the Swans dropped to 19th in the table, while Luton climb from 23rd to 17th courtesy of their first league victory in five attempts in 2022-23. Whilst the Swans were losing to the Hatters, Reading were making it back-to-back Championship wins with a well-earned victory over Middlesbrough to move up to third place. Tyrese Fornah's first-half strike was the difference as the midfielder, on loan from Nottingham Forest, belted a low drive beyond Boro goalkeeper Zach Steffen for his first goal in a Royals jersey. It proved to be the only goal despite both sides having further chances. As a result, Boro are next to bottom - above only Coventry, who have played just twice because their home pitch is unplayable. The Swans have played Boro on 52 previous occasions, winning 19, losing 21 and drawing 12. In the corresponding fixture last season, Boro ran out 1-0 victors courtesy of a goal that was typical of how easily the Swans defence could be unlocked: Turning to Saturday’s game, Swans fans should have grounds for optimism given comments made by Russell Martin after the Luton defeat: “Between both boxes, we’re doing unbelievable stuff. Before today, we were really close to a successful start to the season. We have a really young group who haven’t been able to cope with the anxiety. I actually think two away games will be good for them.” However, I’m not sure I share that belief, particularly given that Boro have yet to win a game this season, and we all know what that means …… I’m going 3-1 to Boro. I truly hope I’m wrong ….
Turning to Saturday’s game, Swans fans should have grounds for optimism given comments made by Russell Martin after the Luton defeat: "Between both boxes, we’re doing unbelievable stuff. Once we attain 100% possession we're hopeful of getting a draw. If we can cut out the own goals, that is butt." 2 - 1 Boro.
No idea. If RM or the players can't see what's wrong with how we are doing things then why are they even involved in football ?
Thanks Taff. Forever the optimist here. We have two away games coming up against team who have struggled in their opening games. So that coupled with my comments of last week that we will perform better away from home this season I am going for a 1-0 win to the Swans.
Had a lovely day on Agioi Apostoli beach today, but believe it or not, we had to travel in our hire car for 20 minutes to escape torrential downpours, and for the first time ever we landed at Chania airport in the rain? I have been frequenting the Greek islands since the 1980s and never seen rain during the summer months....
With regard to Saturday's match, due to the fact that everyone has written us off, together with accelerated global warming on Teesside, I predict we will win 1-2. In football you often win when you least expect it (unless you're playing Man City).
Ok more optimistic. If we keep over 90% possession in our own half passing sideways and back and they miss thier 9 shots on goal, and the refs not a C... and Carol the weather woman does a streak, and the workers decide not to charge our fans for booze n grub. I'll go for a 0-0
Stoke City have sacked manager Michael O'Neill after a poor start to the Championship season, having won just once in five games. The 53-year-old was appointed by the Potters in November 2019, replacing Nathan Jones. The former Northern Ireland boss is the first manager to be sacked in the Championship this campaign. Assistant manager Dean Holden will take charge on an interim basis with Stoke visiting Blackburn on Saturday. In a statement, chairman John Coates said: "Michael joined us in November 2019 when the club was in a difficult situation and the job he did in stabilising our position in the Championship should not be underestimated. "Michael has worked tirelessly and with extreme professionalism, in particular in reshaping our squad and developing young players, but we feel the time is right to move in a different direction. I would like to thank him for his efforts and wish him every success for the future." Stoke were bottom of the Championship, having won only two of their opening 15 games, when O'Neill arrived but they finished 15th during a pandemic-interrupted 2019-20 season. In his first two full seasons with the club, O'Neill guided them to consecutive 14th-placed finishes in the second tier. Despite the signings of Dwight Gayle and highly rated Manchester City youngster Liam Delap, they have only beaten Blackpool this season. They lost their last league game against Sunderland, leaving them 21st in the table. The Coates family are seriously wealthy and as a result, Stoke can afford to pay off O’Neill. We are (effectively) owned by a coterie of individuals who were hoping to make a quick buck - rather than investing for long term growth…..
If things couldn’t get any worse ….. Robert (Bobby) Madley will be the man in charge when Swansea City travel to Middlesbrough on Saturday. Madley, of course, was the ref who, in a PL match 9 years ago, awarded Stoke a dubious penalty in injury time, adjudging that Routledge had handled the ball. Madley must have been the only person present that day who thought it was handball…. The former Premier League official last took charge of a Swans match in August 2021 – a Carabao Cup second round game against Plymouth Argyle which Swansea won 4-1. For the last Swans league match Madley was in charge of you have to go back to 2018, that being a top-flight fixture at Old Trafford which ended in a 2-0 defeat. This will be just the second time Madley has been the referee for a Championship match involving Swansea and, coincidentally, that was also a trip to the Riverside Stadium. On that occasion in 2011, Nathan Dyer, Scott Sinclair, Ashley Williams and Craig Beattie were on the scoresheet as the Swans left it late to come from behind and win 4-3. Last season, the man from west Yorkshire took charge of 40 matches including a League Two play-off semi-final match between Mansfield Town and Northampton Town. He handed out 136 yellow cards and six reds. Incidentally, one of those reds went to Morgan Whittaker – while on loan at Lincoln City – in a feisty game at The Valley which also saw Charlton’s Alex Gilbey sent off. Madley will be assisted by Daniel Leach and Geoffrey Liddle. Jonathan Hunt will be the fourth official
