Very quiet atmosphere at the Lane tonight. Must be a combination of the Cup final and MacKay losses respectively.
We score a goal from a move down the left, then refuse to come down that side at all, focusing heavily on the right, instead.
We've been good out of possession largely apart from their goal. We need to make the pressure and crosses pay, sometimes Chadli and Townsend aren't on hand to provide the out ball we need and that has to change second half, and the latter has given the ball away a few times too. Mason, Bentaleb and Townsend all seem a little trigger happy again as well. We need more of the play like the passage at the end of the half where Kane peeled off his man into the box and was only just called offside. If we vary the more intricate stuff with the crosses and distance shooting we've seen so far then we might get something, and as long as we keep up the pressure and defensive concentration too.
We've dominated possession and territory, but most of our chances have been from distance and we've given Kane no service or support. The defence has looked a bit shaky on the break and the goal we conceded was awful. An ok performance, I guess, but lacking sharpness, in my opinion.
We look a little tired to me especially towards the end the half. It doesn't help that we have 3 former players in Swansea all trying to make a point or 3.
Bit light on the injury time there? Ah well, I think we should be ahead but when you defend that badly for the equaliser you can't really have too many complaints. Swansea have been making things diffiult for us and caused a couple of problems with Routledge's runs and balls over the top. We seem to have recognised that we're not going to get too many sweeping attacks going though and are using the width and the odd long shot pretty well. Would be really disappointed if we don't win this, there's been the odd bad pass but for the most part we've moved it really well and looked the better side, just need a few more quality crosses going in.
http://www.livefootballol.com/channel/tv3-sport2-acestream.html Acestream link. Danish commentary but all the English ones were terrible quality and were crashing. This seems solid and best picture by far.
Comedy defending from our best player and our best defender for their goal. Trying to figure out why we can never keep a lead today led me to look at how we defend. When we attack, Swansea packs the box, blocks and gets in the way. Most of our team stands around ten yards outside the box, letting their players isolate our defenders. I'd thought the problem was that we got caught up the pitch in the past. Today it's that no one seems much interested in getting between the ball and the goal. That half summed up our frustrations this season, if not our season. Some nice passing, a good goal, lots of the ball, but far too willing to expose our back line. So the score is level. Oh well. At least there was some good football at times. COYS!
What a goal by Townsend! Thought he'd blown it. Hope Oliver goes back for the booking. Did well to play on, though.
Brilliant from Townsend. Really brilliant. We all know he's capable of it and that's why he's worth persisting with.
