Thought we played really well today, we did not desevre to be 2-0 down at the break, i mean, the first was a slip by Davies, plus Ash being off the pitch, and was just one of those things. Chico got a foot to the ball, but it bounced favourably for Stoke. The second was poor defence, but not by our defenders, but our midfield not tracking runners, JDG and Leon hold your hands up. But other than those 2 chances, we were all over stoke, and not helped by a **** ref, that seemed to have a loving for Stoke, I mean Ash got booked for a 50/50, there were otehr 50/50's that he kept giving to stoke, just look at the early Rangel foul, where their player had a huge chuck of Rangel's shirt, yet Rangel got penalised. And don't get me started on that attrocious handball call for the free-kick, that actually hit Rangel's chest, then onto the arm, so not deliberate, therefore not a freekick. Which then led to the corner, which led to the most appaling penalty call I have seen. I mean, for it to be handball, its got to be intentional, that was ball to hand, his arm was down his ****ing side ffs. The ref was shocking, I hope to god we put a complaint in, and we all thought Mike Dean was bad, this guy took the biscuit. But all in all well impressed by the lads, played well from 10 minutes onwards, as Stoke came out the blocks quicker, was also nice to see us continue to play even after taking the lead. Your having a laugh right? 2 of our yellow cards were shocking, Chico for his stupid ffall after your player pushed him in the throat. Yet Chico got carded, not your player. Ash got carded for a 50/50 which should have gone our way, as your player run into Ash's legs, the ref was piss poor all game. And time wasting, don't start on that, you lot were time wasting from the moment you went 1-0 up, go check your throw ins and goal kicks where your players would walk to the ball, then whilst in-between their feet, check their hair, their socks, their teeth, or whatever else they could do to run down time.
the ball came off routs elbow before leon turned it arounf the post, it was one of those where you sometimes see them given and sometimes don't. the bigger question is why the ****ing corner was retaken in the first place !! I feel we were conned ,we got cards for time wasting and they got **** all , ash got a card for a genuine 50-50 ball, in fact it was more ash just helping the ball on and the player running into him . The big question was were we going to roll over and die, no we ****ing wernt and that deserves credit IMO . I know what dragon is referring to but being as every time myself or him mention things like that it gets nothing but abuse so we can just keep that off the forum . What I will say is that this hard fought point was in spite of the manager not because of him Leon britton and Bony had great games,even though leon lost it for the first goal he had a blinding performance today . Bony tells you everything you need to know about us this season, a bit of directness and wide play makes all the difference to him and most of the team, the Spanish way of always going through the middle will take longer to have its effect and is at best hit and miss . well done swans, it shows the players still want it, time to ditch the euro league perhaps as we cant battle on 2 fronts
A shot brushed the arm of an unsighted Routlege and that b*****d referee couldn't get the whistle in his gob quick enough. The commentators reckoned it was very soft. Mixed feelings about this game. We dominated the first half without overly threatening and two pieces of crass defending cost us although I thought the first goal was a bit unlucky. What annoys me so much is that we took that train wreck of a team, Stoke, apart in the second half. They were totally useless. So why didn't we play like that in the first half? Second period, we looked like we wanted it. If the other lot hadn't been gifted a penalty they would have been lucky to get nil!! We bossed them everywhere and fully deserved the three points. If I was Michael Laudrup, after I'd congratulated the lads on a brilliant comeback, I'd be demanding to know why they didn't play like that in the first half. Too much to ask for 90 minutes like that? Then I'd answer with my usual observation - get the fitness levels right because professional players are paid to play for 90 minutes, not 45. Couple of comments. Bony was awesome. Yes he missed a couple of slightly better than half chances but he was always in there trying and battling. When he got his goal (great JdG cross by the way) he went up another gear and battered the Stoke defence winning lots of headers and generally bruising them. A travesty that his second wasn't the winning goal. Next comment Lamah. He was very tidy, had some nice touches and a couple of runs. But we have to have more than that. He needs to get involved far more, stamp himself on the game and contribute much more. But he is improving and with more confidence he could be good for us. Final word on that disgrace of a referee. He gave a ridiculous penalty by following the letter of the law and penalising the softest of unintentional touches. On that basis, why didn't he red card Ireland for deliberately making contact with an opponent's face in a melee? The law is equally clear on that but he chose not to apply it. I hope Laudrup raises hell about it but he probably won't. Sometimes he's too polite for his own good - and ours!
Just want to add my "well done" to the lads as well. It would have been easy to fold up after that first half but they got stuck in, played their football and deserved the win. That they didn't get it was nothing to do with Stoke. It was entirely down to an "inexperienced" (I'm being very kind here by not saying incompetent and biased) referee who, in my opinion, is not fit for purpose. His decision making stunk throughout. It was his third? PL game and it showed. Unfortunately, he probably possesses the arrogance of his kind and thinks he had a good game. Think again, mate. I hope he watches the game through, then curls up with shame at his performance. Surely the assessor picked up on it and, with luck, we won't see this character back in the PL for some time. Then again, probably not. Just like the police, this lot look after their own. To add insult to injury, I'm probably now going to have to listen to that prat Hughes blather out that his team deserved a draw.... if not more. A few million people could tell him otherwise.
Thought Shelvey had a great cameo. Didn't put a foot wrong - even his Holyowwd balls came off, and brilliant work to set up Bony for the third.
Nice words Ivor, its clear to me that we are not getting any kind of luck of late ,which all teams need at this level , it was however such a ball breaker for the players,i hope it drives them on to do better next game ,though Fulham will be no push over either with the strike force they have . The defence has been a worry to me for a while now, we need to be more solid and stop with the stupid errors,i know they arnt intentional but they are happening far too often to be coincidence , time to play taylor there and give us a defensive platform until results get a bit better. What can you say about the referee ? we were conned plain and simple ,not just the penalty but plenty of other things went on in the game ,stoke players dived for free kicks and got them everytime ,very cynical from them,i now hope they go down,sour grapes ? maybe but our lads deserved 3 pts today so I feel I have a right to be sour with that awful ref on the field
Nice to see positive comments here. Daiswan, you are a disgrace to say"you cant support something if we are rubbish" that explains why you are a Liverpool fan and not a Swans fan This from a guy sitting in his armchair who writes post mortems that don't bare any resemblance to the actual game and the atmosphere the fans were feeling... Do me a favour you don't have a clue what the match was like.....I don't boo myself but there was plenty of it at before halftime i can tell you. we played well in parts but the reality is we were not good enough to beat a poor stoke side who could put 3 goals past us...yet another 2 points dropped at home and that is the bottom line...
Yep - there was booing at half time. And I hope those plastic w****rs weren't cheering when Bony popped in the third. Wa**ers, every one of them. Anyway, on to the game. What a game!! That was one of the greatest games I've seen that the Swans have played in - one that you will remember in 20 years time. From excitement to disappointment to despair to fear - and that was only until half time! From expectation at half time to hope to joy to premature Jack elation - back to disappointment and that useless effing ref!! The game had everything and I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought we were outstanding at times - we played as though it was a Derby (one week too late though!!). Caught out early on due to a Ben Davies slip, Walters took his chance cooly. That left us a bit flat and Stoke did us like a kipper for the second goal - again, Ireland took a cool finish. The second half was rip roaring stuff - a geat comeback and the Liberty rocking. We did all the hard work, Bony got his goals and then..............I couldn't see the handball so will wait and see MOTD tonight before I slate off the man in black. What a game! Not as good as coming back from 0-4 down against Rotherham to 4-4, but I was there in 2013 when we had a great 3-3 draw against Stoke City.......................
pgf -the refs a dick - commentators over here were screaming it was never a penalty! - Glad I did watch after all!
we was not outstanding we did not beat a bottom side yet again. we played well in parts so cut the bull out that we were outstanding as the crowd who were actually there at the game and not armchair fans thought it was another poor display at home that we let a poor team go 2 goals up and could only manage a draw...If that is what you call outstanding then i suggest instead of sitting in your armchairs try and make a game or two and i guarantee that you won't think we were outstanding at all....the atmosphere leaving the liberty does not resemble outstanding it was diabolical and we were relieved to get a draw..
I thought it was Stockport we came back from 0-4 down against. IIRC Fairly late season and we were unbeaten at home. 4-0 down with 20 to go and got 4 in 15 minutes. Should have won it as well. Still rate it as best game I've ever been to.
The ball was handled. some refs give it some don't...no excuse the ref gave it..Our own fault and we reap what we sow for letting them have the chance with the game won..
To paraphrase and bastardise a Thatcher saying, being correct is just like being a fan...if you have to justify it, you are neither. Why do you always end up continually justifying both Dai? Whats that tell you?
Dyer, Shelvey and Bony were decisive today Great commitment and winning mentality . I also liked the work ratio of Pozuelo. As a Swansea fan I am naturally frustrated by the outcome, and by a penalty, which should never have been given, yes, but the performance in the second leg was so heartening that I'm convinced that Swansea City will come good .
Yes it was Rotherham, it took me a week to dry out after the downpour that night, I was on the old open east terrace. Even the prisoners joined in the cheering
