Match Day Thread Swansea City v Derby County

Swansea City v Derby County

Competition - Sky Bet Championship
Venue - The Liberty Stadium
Date - 1 May 2021
Kick off - 15:00


Following their hard fought 2-2 away draw to Reading - a result that guaranteed a place in the Championship Play Offs for the second consecutive season - next up for Steve Cooper’s Swansea squad is a home fixture against Wayne Rooney’s relegation threatened Derby County.

Last Sunday, Yakou Meite's header offered Reading hope of claiming the win they needed to keep their season alive but Jamal Lowe tapped in the equaliser.

Substitute - and MOTM - Andre Ayew put Swansea ahead late on only for Tomas Esteves to guide home to earn Reading a point in stoppage time.

The draw saw Swansea climb a place to fifth while Reading, who topped the table in the early stages of the season, stayed seventh and ended the Royals' top-six hopes.

Steve Cooper's Swansea will face either Brentford, Bournemouth or Barnsley in the play-offs.

The previous day, Lukas Jutkiewicz's second-half double ensured Birmingham City will stay in the Championship next season as they came from behind to beat Derby County, who remain in danger of relegation.

The result means Wayne Rooney's Rams are one place above the relegation zone, six points above bottom-of-the-table Wycombe and four points clear of second-from-bottom Sheffield Wednesday

They are also four points above Rotherham in 22nd place, but the Millers have a game in hand on the Chairboys, Derby and the Owls, who all have two games to play.

Including their first meeting in October 1925, the Swans have played the Rams on 45 previous occasions, winning 19, losing 18 with 8 games drawn.

In the corresponding fixture last season, Derby ran out 3-2 victors at the Liberty in a match watched by 16,230 spectators just 6 weeks before the first Lockdown:

Turning to Saturday, Cooper has confirmed that talisman, Andre Ayew, will not play ahead of the Play Offs, and I would not be surprised to see Cooper select a few ‘fringe’ players in order to both protect ‘regular’ players whilst at the same time give match ‘practice’ to players who may be called upon in the Play Offs depending on injuries and/or cards.

Given that Derby will be desperate for the 3 points, I think that they will be the hungrier of the 2 sides and will be up for it.

My heart says 1-1, but my head says 1-2 to Derby. I hope that my heart prevails

 

Thanks Taff. Its almost certain that he will play fringe players, so it will be interesting to see how that goes. It may be two sides looking to play well for different reasons. So its 1-1 for me.

 

I agree with Taff, Derby will be desperate and we will be making up the numbers. Saying that, some fringe players will want to impress but I think Derby will be going hell for leather at it, so 0 - 1. Let's not forget they totally outplayed us in the away game, so will fancy their chances.

 

Thanks Taff....yes no Ayew and possibly a selection of other players who will hopefully ant to show the boss that they are good enough....Derby need the points but they will be in a panic mode not to concede goals....could be to our advantage if we set up to go for a win instead of sitting back...anyway we owe it to the Millers and the Owls to give it a real go....two nil to us

 

Thanks as always Taff.
2-1 Swans.

 

Swans 0 - 1 Derby. 93rd minute winner.

 

I'd rather we went into this match with the intent of winning and not pay lip service . I'm sure Derby wouldn't afford us the same gesture if the roles were reversed, yes play a few fringe players but play to win

 

Our recent home form has been awful, 3 defeats and 1 draw, so it would be nice to end the season with a win. Swans 2 Derby 0

 

The referee at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday will be Darren Bond who will be taking charge of his 3rd Swans game of the season - he reffed the win at Luton and the home win over Watford.

The assistant refs will be Philip Dermott and Robert Hyde.

Dean Whitestone is named as the fourth official

 

Lucky mascot?...

 

I don't think we'll win again this season, and that includes the play-offs.





hope I wrong though.

 

After the week I’ve had where everything has gone wrong, let’s hope the Swans can cheer me up 2-0 Swans and if they can’t a Joe’s in gods country tomorrow will have to do.

 

Swansea City head coach Steve Cooper has made five changes for this afternoon’s clash with Derby County.

Morgan Whittaker is among those recalled to the starting line-up against his former club, with Yan Dhanda, Korey Smith, Ryan Bennett and Connor Roberts also named in the XI.

Wayne Routledge, Conor Hourihane, Jay Fulton, Marc Guehi and Kyle Naughton are the quintet to make way, while Andre Ayew is not included in the matchday squad as he recovers from a hamstring strain.

Freddie Woodman continues in goal, with Bennett and Roberts lining up with Ben Cabango and Jake Bidwell in the Swansea back four.

Smith links up with skipper Matt Grimes, with Dhanda completing the midfield triumvirate.

Whittaker joins Liam Cullen and in-form Jamal Lowe in the Swans attack.

Swansea City: Freddie Woodman; Connor Roberts, Ryan Bennett, Ben Cabango, Jake Bidwell; Korey Smith, Yan Dhanda, Matt Grimes (captain); Morgan Whittaker, Liam Cullen, Jamal Lowe.

Substitutes: Ben Hamer, Ryan Manning, Jay Fulton, Conor Hourihane, Wayne Routledge, Joel Latibeaudiere, Kyle Naughton, Ollie Cooper, Brandon Cooper.

Derby County: Kelle Roos, Craig Forsyth, Graeme Shinnie (captain), George Edmundson, Kamil Jozwiak, Martyn Waghorn, Tom Lawrence, Nathan Byrne, Colin Kazim-Richards, Matt Clarke, Jason Knight.

Substitutes: David Marshall, Max Bird, Louie Sibley, Eiran Cashin, Patrick Roberts, Lee Buchanan, Festy Ebosele, Kornell McDonald, Louie Watson.

 

Would have liked to have seen the likes of Ollie Cooper get a start, hope he gets a decent run out

 

Why not rest our speed merchant Grimes?

 

Whittaker should be raring to go!

 

Should have scored then

 

Poor touch by Whittaker ....

 

Scrappy game

 

Isn’t it just