Match Day Thread Swansea City v. Manchester City (FL Cup)

Swansea manager Francesco Guidolin:

"It is not a good moment for us. Little things are going against us, we are missing chances.

"Manchester City are a very good team, even though they changed their players around. But I am optimistic, as I saw my team play a good game.

"This is my job. With my experience, I know football is like this. it does not bring any added pressure for me. I have to work with my players, my staff and to pick up better results."

You are not good for us Guildo With your Experience it is not good enough.....Me say go now.....

 

One swallow doesn't make a summer.

 

I was back late last night after going to the game so here is my take, was staggered when I saw team selection, this was our clowns opportunity to go for an attacking formation and give it a go and let the players have their head, but true to form he plays a fullback in the right wide position and no attacking midfield player.

Despite that I actually thought that we did play quite well.

Nordsfeldt did ok and is a good replacement to Fab. At the back I have to say despite what I had heard about VDH he looked composed and played very well and formed a good partnership with Amat. Who seemed to revel in the senior defensive role and I thought he played well and there is signs of a partnership there. Guidolin will soon put a stop to that. Rangel did ok and we all know he will be a bit part player. Taylor what can I say about him, by a million miles the worst player on the pitch. He was shapeless going forward and he simply cant defend and gives wingers far to much room to get at him and the less said about his passing the better. Both goals came from the LB position. Then we allow him to take the corners he didn't beat the first man once. I have to say as well he looks at least a stone overweight.

The midfield did great and there is no doubt it was down to the return of Leon, who is still the best footballer at the club. Him, Cork and Fulton, worked tirelessly and things look good in there with the addition of Fer and Siggy. all 3 did their best to break up play and the passing was better. Routledge had an okay game, but we put him on the left and he is probably the only player at the club who cant use his left foot so no chance of a cross getting in to Baston. Naughton on the other side, worked well with Rangel but he is simply not a winger and doesn't have the ability to go by a full back and get crosses in to the box.

Baston looked busy and was impressed how quickly he got on to a poor clearance from the City keeper. He worked hard and there were signs he could be a good signing, but it is going to take time and he is going to have to get used to the pace and physicality of the PL, signs look good. He will be back to the bench on Saturday.

I have to move on to the manager. I totally disagreed with some of the starting 11 and his opportunity to try and play some attacking football, but he just can not move from that defensive mentality and just has to think defensive first. This was a cup game and a free chance to try and get some goals and play 2 natural wingers, but the word defensive must run through his veins. His substitutions, what can I say I got Fer for Cork as Cork will be needed on Saturday, I sort of get siggy for Naughton for the same reason. but when you are losing and chasing a game why would you take off a striker and replace him with a winger, yes I know we scored late on and I suppose that justifies it, but we were losing so surely having more of a goal threat on the pitch would be better and having both siggy and baston on there would have made more sense.

I could go on and on, I am even more convinced that Guidolin is simply not the man for Swansea, despite an improved performace, probably by many who he wont pick regularly. If we want to score goals and actually have any chance of staying in this league then we need to sack him sooner rather than later.

 

I think in a lot of ways it's a missed opportunity for Swansea
We were really poor in the first half,not helped by our calamitous keeper Cabalerro who seemed to make everyone jittery but I didn't feel that Swansea were playing with the confidence to have a real go at us and put that shaky defence under more pressure
Other than the little fella in midfield who looked quality the main objective seemed to be to pass sideways/backwards in an attempt to just have possession rather than do anything meaningful with it
After the break we looked a lot better when we dispensed with the young kid Angelino who looked way out of his depth and we increased the tempo
Probably just about a fair result I thought

 

... as the actress said to the Bishop...

 

Unfortunately for us our manager doesn't like any of our players to go over the half way line. we are a team now set up by an appalling manger to try and get a 0-0 despite it being a cup game. I believe if we had played with 2 wingers and got at you we could have got something last night. You had a slightly lucky deflection first goal, but they all count. It will be a different thing come Saturday when you have your full team out, expect us to defend and defend and efend and try and get a 0-0 again. then when you go 2 up we might have a go. That is what seems to happen under our manager.

 

Having read Trundles' summing up of the match I agree with most of it. Some additions, Nordvelt looks to be more positive when playing the ball out of defence than Fabianski. The warning signs for the goals were there in the first half when Taylor allowed the Man City wide players too much room to cross the ball. Amat,as was Ash last season, was pulled out of position covering for him as well. I thought Leon played well but tired in the second half. Fulton looks as though he could be Leon's successor and would like to see them play a half each on Saturday. Borja suffered, as all our strikers have, from poor service and support. Cork worked hard but as usual there was no end product. Overall I thought we played reasonably well. On Guidolin's tactics I can understand us starting defensively and then trying to grow into the game but it hasn't worked in the last two games so time for a rethink.

 

From a Man City fan: "Other than the little fella in midfield who looked quality..."

Dai take note, muppet.

 

Now I don't understand it, last night was a free game, really nothing on it, so he had a great opportunity to have a go try playing 2 wingers, try not being negative, it may just work, but to just start the same way as the last few games and be negative in a cup game makes no sense. Watching city last night if we had started with 2 wingers, I wish it was Montero and Barrow, we could have done some damage, but as per usual we looked like we were trying to win it on penalties.
By the way I know I said Montero, was he injured last night not even on the bench

 

I read he was doubtful because of a slight knock.

 

That little fella is Leon but our cock of a manager won't pick him in the league.

 

Do not WUM my post arsehole

 

As usual you are missing the point and fail to understand what i am saying.....
You agreed that Leon was muscled of the ball and my point is that if Leon is our best player in many eyes then for a player who is struggling to do 90 minutes these days and wont play most games due to he cant because he is coming to the end of his career shows the squad to be lacking and like i said If Leon is the best we have then we are in serious trouble.......

 

"As usual you are missing the point.." Oh dear god, the irony. Bear in mind you called Taylor as our best player.

 

OMG And many agree

 

Who?

 

Try reading the papers im not your lackey

 

Taylor the best player and Leon rubbish? Only in the world of Dai

 

And it speaks volumes that you think Leon is our best player Come on dont that tell you we are crap if a has been is our best player and that best player is not a patch of what he was...

 

If you pull your head out of your backside you would see that Leon's performances show that he is not yet a has been as he's still turning out the same high level performances that he always has.

Need to raise your WUMMING bar Dai.