Thought it was a very entertaining game - concede that we were not at our best, but some credit must be given to the Swiss for that; and the referee who was an absolute tool throughout - waving play on when Michu nearly got his head kicked off and then not letting him back on for 8 minutes!!!! Really hope he go's for a drink in Wind Street tonight! St Gallen looked like a very decent team and most of our errors were forced by them. They were very physical and closed us down all over the pitch like eleven demented terriers! But we won 'ugly' and think just about deserved the three points; although I really couldn't have argued the case if Gallen had claimed 1 point or 3! I think we expected them to be more defensive, but they attacked from the off and nearly caught us out a few times; let's remember that they also would have gone top of the table if they had won so it was all to play for! This is another chapter in our football education and I firmly believe we will learn from it; this game was a battle from beginning to end and tomorrow morning our guys will really know they have been in a game! A lot have given MotM to Britton, but I would give it to Michu for his sheer passion and refusal to give an inch - even after the nasty kick to the head he didn't back off from an aerial challenge and worked tirelessly to the end! The boy is a total warrior - think he would have played on even if his head had been kicked clean off of his shoulders!!! Have nothing but admiration for all the players who took part in that war of attrition - yep, we didn't play as well as we can but 3 points on the board is the best we could have hoped for and we got 'em!!! So don't judge the team too harshly; they played against 11 terriers and a moron in black tonight and earned an excellent victory - deserved or not is open to interpretation but all the record books will show is that we got 3 points and St Gallen got nought!!!
In all of the games ugliness I actually think there were some pretty outstanding moments in the 2nd half when Swansea got their passing game on. St Gallen gave very little space and breathing room but the players still managed to pass it around in tight spots. And not just pass it around but create one goal scoring oppotunity after another. There were definietely moments in 2nd half that reminded me of why I fell in love with the Swans to begin with. So a only a moderate ugly game from my perspective.
Yep - remember Terry Butcher with a blood soaked shirt and face playing on for England! Michu is like that but with far more talent - Butcher was just an average player with a bloody face - Michu is a warrior who will not give up regardless of a bloody face!
Think Michu's been playing like a man possessed this season. His attitude, work rate & general commitment to the cause, has been nothing short of astonishing. My Swans' player of the season so far...
Quite funny that at half time some underling had to run off to the club shop to get a shirt, and then print 'Michu' onto it!!!! For fecks sake - we are Premier League now, surely we should have plenty of pre printed shirts available! Commercial department - massive fail - get with the fecking programme!!!!!!!!!
JDG - MOM yeh right! sorry but doesn't do it for me - ever! I mentioned elsewhere that I think the problem is we are trying to blend in players Poz Amat Val Bony Canas Shelvey at the same time we have to use our squad -Val looked pretty good to me different from Bony or Michu as ML wanted but no-one knows how to play him in - He's looking for the ball behind the defender as he seems to have an eye for the openings. Still proud and loud though
I am willing to go a bit further, in my 30ish years of following Swansea, Michu is our best player Savour every second this guy is with us, it will not be forever and we will look back on these days and grown men will cry at the memory. Most people dont realise Michu wasn't actually cut by the high boot tonight ..... the man is so committed to the cause he sweats ****ing blood! FACT!!
Thought we did well to get over the line, because it always seemed 'they' were going to punish us (they being St.Gallen & the ref). Then again, they probably didn't deserve to win after that woeful penalty attempt. They did exactly as we were told they would perform like, prior to the match. Worked extremely hard, closed us down well, were quick & were very physical, with no less technique. Trouble is, their physicality verged on the cynical at times. There was no need for it, but they quickly realised that 'tool' of a ref was going to tolerate it. Dyer scythed down on the touch, get's a booking. Ben clearly clean balls a tackle for a corner, free-kick & booking too!! What the feck... We did tend to over-elaborate with build up play at times, when a simple ball/pass could've been the better option. Alejandro is prone to this, but it's early doors & the boy is clearly gifted, but needs to learn it's better as a team to keep it simpler & retain possession, than give it up cheaply trying too much. I also think it does not work well when he's on the pitch with Michu, as he wants to naturally drift inside & wander. Michu is already lurking there & it gets a bit too tight & cluttered!! Also in doing that, he's left a void out wide which inevitably get's exploited. Our midfield just seems unbalanced. Well just my thoughts on it... JDG frustrates the feck out of me. Thank god we didn't buy him. I was happier with the loan deal instead. He so flatters at times & then he scores that free-kick at Valencia!! But I'm sorry my default thoughts on him, will always harp back to his general half-hardheartedness in too many matches!! That pathetic attempt to take the ball against Arsenal is his undoing for me, I'm afraid.... Think Amat is slowly coming & I thought he did fairly well tonight. However, don't know where to start with Tiendalli. Think if we can't try Taylor there in place of Rangel, when injured, I would rather try one of the kids!! Recall Jazz or even give Alfei a shot. Surely they can't do any worse...
I'm certainly relishing every moment this guy's with us & he's also the perfect role model to any young footballer. He's got it all & I'm so chuffed he's still ours & I'm getting so much pleasure in watching him play for our fantastic club!! Also I'll never get bored of watching the finest Michu moment for me. Those 2 goals at the Emirates, they will go down in Swans folklore. Especially with the Arabic commentator, if you've ever seen?? Think he was having an orgasm describing them that day!! I certainly was....
Michu for me without doubt will be the greatest player ive ever seen in a Swans shirt and perhaps the greatest in our History . Never seen a player with so much,skill,goals,passion and work rate rolled into one. We are lucky to see him but his time to move on is getting near I feel, might explain his slightly more focussed and all action performance, cant help but think he is paying his dues before moving on in the summer. Back to the game. I am extremlt surprised that Tiendalli was so poor but of course I agree with others that he lacked a bit of protection in front of him. I understand he took a while to get into his rythem last season but he needs to get it sorted fast if he is to have any kind back up for rangel etc. Having seen his last 2 games it makes you wonder about why Jazz wasn't given a chance . I was thrilled with the signing of Dwight but the guy needs to earn his corn now, he knows how we play and he knows our system so no excuses to be so ragged, if his player in front is not doing the work he needs to tell them, its part of his job . We did well to get a win considering we were poor. The players admitted this ,so did the manager . I hope it works to our advantage for Sunday .
There's more to this, than the fact that some fans' think he's not getting protection ahead of him. I've seen an instant in both these last 2 home games, when the Swans have been under attack down his side & he's just been ambling back from a slightly advanced position. I'm actually watching him & thinking, I can't believe this, he's our full back, he's caught out of position & not 'busting a gut'!! Well I'm sorry, that's unforgivable, I don't think you'd have that from any of our young Welsh kids, who are probably 'chomping at the bit' to get their chance. They'd bust a gut for the shirt alone, not just for doing their job!!!... Apart from that, don't see what he offers going forward too....
Going forward, on his good days, Tiendali is one of our better crossers of the ball. But as it has been said his desire to recover in a bad situation leaves a lot to be desired.
