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Reply | Swansea City v Coventry City : Match day thread
at 10:08 2 Feb 2025
When I saw the team announced I thought initially Key was going to play right in the middle of the midfield, then I looked again and thought no Key will play right wing and Ronald will play left wing that would make more sense.No we are playing five at the back, playing with three centre backs
No Christie, Key and Ronald all more or less playing on the right touchline..
Whose in the midfield just Franco and Fulton it would seem, three up top with Cullen dropping into the midfield and Bianchini and Ronald then trying to tuck into the middle.
To be honest I didn't have a clue, it was reminiscent of affairs after Martin would make his first tactical substitutions, moving players around changing positions, players having no idea where they were supposed to be playing. then changing things back with his next substitution five minutes later.
Shambolic the central midfield out numbered and out manoeuvred.
To be fair Coventry's front pair had quality, an understanding and given the supply of balls made life hard for the backs which we couldn't cope with.
I would say that when Cooper came on his work rate and movement gave players on the ball options that had sorely been lacking from the team earlier , did the same happen when Pearl-Harris came on or by then had Coventry dropped off to keep the he 2 goal lead secure?
Even trying to win the ball in the middle we would crowd it but then have no options but to try and to pass a couple of feet not getting out of the crowded area or play it too long, even decent passses out of the crowded area left the forward or man on the ball isolated because no-one then moved out of the crowded area having won the ball thinking their job had been done, absolute no meaningful movement to support the man on the ball.
Not easy to replace someone who has dictated play for so long but we seem to try and over complicate things. |
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Reply | Apparently he has signed 😂
at 19:56 31 Jan 2025
Seeing the season out with Allen while he is here replacing next season, still could do with another midfielder, hope we get one even if it is a recall. |
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Reply | Steven Gerrard
at 07:56 31 Jan 2025
"Alms for am ex leper!? I mean for the club, Mr Gerrard sir, to buy a few players sir, maybe a talent ,sir get us something tidy, sir, Half a talent then?, No maybe just couple of Shekels sir, we can get a league one player sir."
"GO AWAY! You had a new manager last year and a couple of players and you got new owners and you got new money, go and get them playing football now Mr Williams"
"Half a Dinar! That won't get us nothing this season, maybe that would buy us a player we could loan back until next season! Sir"
"How ungrateful to the new chairman he managed to get rid of the deadwood players!"
"Yes That's what the fans said, Sir"
"Teh! No pleasing some people!"
"Alms for New Players, Alms for the club!"
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Reply | January Transfer Thread
at 15:36 30 Jan 2025
Liked what little I saw of Joe Thomas before he was released, played only four games at Newport but could he fit in at right back letting Key move to the midfield instead of trying to do two jobs? |
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Reply | Swansea City : Matt Grimes to sign for Coventry City today : PLUS Transfer News
at 13:24 30 Jan 2025
If you don't get the ball to them then they cannot score, knowing how and when they are going to get the ball is how good forward can make descions about what they are going to do with the ball once they have it, good movement by the forward helps the providing player as to where he expects the forward to be. Works both ways. Good supply and good finishing go hand in hand in a team sport.
When understandings and anticipation are non existent
chances for good play go out the window both in defence and attack.
Yes goal scoring is an art but they cannot do it alone, without support or in the wrong areas of the pitch. |
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Reply | Swansea City : Matt Grimes to sign for Coventry City today : PLUS Transfer News
at 12:22 30 Jan 2025
Do you think the forwards get enough quality ball given to them that allows enough chances to be made?
Not defending Vipotnik but the supply is sparse to say the least, having said that you only need one goal to win a game, so here is the rub we cannot defend a lead
or even getting back on level terms, when we try to push home an advantage without consider the response of the opposition by make sure our defensive shape is solid,we don't.
Lack of concentration or shape directly after we score or minutes before and after half time, even at the start of games, we are not set up to defend leaving ourselves exposed. Then all we seem to be setup for is attack at all cost with no cover. We saw that against Millwall and even 2-0 up against Gillingham in the cup we went all out attack they got one back they should of had two, we scored in the last minute to make the result look respectable but we played some kamikaze football, same against Leeds to our cost and Norwich? |
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Reply | Swansea City : Matt Grimes to sign for Coventry City today : PLUS Transfer News
at 09:54 30 Jan 2025
Our ability to play through the middle quickly has seriously affected the quick supply to the forwards even when we have had players driving through the middle they often hold onto the ball too long instead of offloading quickly to change to point of attack, even when we have seen the quick release in the middle there has been a reluctance to go beyond the last man to give the wingers options through the middle until it is too late and the defence is set up. |
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Reply | Live music?
at 09:18 30 Jan 2025
Some of the legends are charging stupid money. |
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Reply | Swansea City : Matt Grimes to sign for Coventry City today : PLUS Transfer News
at 08:55 30 Jan 2025
When Downes was first here he always looking to turn in the midfield to get us playing towards the opposition's goal he did get caught on the ball through youthful inexperience but in a lot of cases he had a yard of pace and aggression to get himself out of tricky situations while looking for the quick ball away from congested areas very similar to Franco.
But
He ended up playing a more defensive role solely down to the fact he had the pace to cover the defenders forwards run, most noteably Manning, better than the slower Grimes who then caught up to then offer his services one yard away from Downes same as he would offer his assistance to Cabango and Darling.
Grimes needs better players around him to cover him and make him move forward from his default position, seen Allen, Franco, Naughton and even Pearl-Harris play balls into space that forces him forward often catching him by surprise but into enough space that even with his hesitation he can get beyond the oncoming pressing player.
We know he can play well.on the front foot but needs help.that is why Steve Cooper played five across the middle.
Grimes as some good qualities but also has his faults which seems to have been compounded by tactics used.
We know we needed more in the midfield hence bringing in the likes of Downes, Franco and Allen even bringing back Ollie Cooper back Martin brought Fulton out of his intial exile.
Hope we can keep Franco and not lose him like we did Downes. [Post edited 1 Feb 7:52]
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Reply | Live music?
at 23:55 29 Jan 2025
Mile and the Mechanics and Joe Bonamassa both I'm April, apparently a hood Rush tribute band I'm Merthyr sometime this year but haven't had time to follow it up so not sure if I missed it. |
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Reply | Grimes fails medical !!!
at 15:46 29 Jan 2025
My first response was no!!!!
Done like a kipper.
Think we are ready for a change. |
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Reply | Swansea City : Matt Grimes to sign for Coventry City today : PLUS Transfer News
at 13:40 29 Jan 2025
Not a good look for the future, Cullen lack of pace is similar to Grimes, will Allen have more than half an hour in him, will Fulton be our Grimes clone in positioning.
Will we see the constant tippy tippy football which get closed down very easily instead of the quick play and movement that gets players and the ball into space enabling us to get forward.
I quite like Bianchini movement playing off Franco and the fact he looks to lay the ball off quickly and moves to offer options to go forward although out on the wing with no options in the middle or no players going beyond him to recieve a return pass leaving him getting caught trying to play the ball with too many touches very similar to Cullen and Key. Having players making themselves available with well timed runs or interceptions has sadly be lacking, which funnily was exactly what Grimes provided for the equaliser against Norwich.
As Dr Winston stated we need at least two players who can step into that midfield and get the midfield functioning properly |
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Reply | Swansea City : Matt Grimes to sign for Coventry City today : PLUS Transfer News
at 13:05 29 Jan 2025
Under Duff we played Grimes, Platino and Paterson and the way we set up meant they rotated to an extent and they all at points in games offered alternatives to Grimes making it harder to target the midfield effectively and we were quite sussessful going forward but would be considered defensively weak then Duff set them up defensively against Leicester and came undone because we didn't mark players correctly by others in the team Platino was made the scapegoat.
But what I was getting at was Grimes gets targeted in the midfield, with Allen in the team and Franco it is not so easy to target the midfield until those players fade.
Obviously the spaces left by Tymon and Key is also targeted, more so Tymon.
Areas of the team are being targeted and we have to realise when that happens so the teams cannot expose any weaknesses.
Presume Williams will go for Franco, Fulton and Allen but what will happen as they fade and will one of them be asked to drop in between thw back two or will other tactics be used.
Not the , we will leave the midfield light and when that is targeted we will try and plug the hole with fullback leaving the opposition the flanks to target instead leading to chaos in our teams as has been seen. |
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Reply | Swansea City : Matt Grimes to sign for Coventry City today : PLUS Transfer News
at 12:13 29 Jan 2025
This one may come back to bite me but I really don't see the loss of 30 year old Grimes as being a great problem unless we don't get in someone suitable for the job, someone who can take decent corners, distribute the ball quickly to the left or right be it forward or when needed backwards to facilitate a quick attack forward. A player who can match opposition midfielders for pace to keep control of the game even when the opposition up their intensity, the ability to bring the ball under control with one touch be it for himself or his team mates, and speed of thought to be able to make the right decision with passing and movement giving his team mates space and options that drive the team forward more often.
The worry is willl our players be allowed the option to play the game to ensure we stop leaving ourselves exposed because of how the coach expects players to play.
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Reply | January Transfer Thread
at 11:50 28 Jan 2025
Totally agree, did tout the idea of Key moving into the midfield but that was on the understanding a full back need to be found instead of Key. Parker maybe but that would leave us short of a winger, any partnerships seen this season are quickly disappearing and need reestablishing quickly , the spine of the team will also need strengthening. |
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Reply | Are we now in a downward spiral?
at 07:19 28 Jan 2025
Time for the rest of the players to take responsibilities, hoping there is enough quality and desire by a relatively young group of players to stand up together as a team and prove we aren't a one man team. |
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Reply | What does Grimes transfer request tell us?
at 07:02 28 Jan 2025
So if Grimes goes what happens in the midfield and the defence? It would seem that the attempt to have Tymon and Key drive into midfield from the wingers just hasn't worked as both have ended up going down blind alleys which in its self wouldn't be a problem they had dragged opposition players but not having suitable support to lay the ball of neatly to the pivot the midfield because he is not there, he is sitting too deep and players being on the wrong foot to get the ball forward effectively they dwell on the ball too long, similarly Cullen asked to come deep ends up so with our fullback and winger as a close triangle again drawing opposition players in leaving space in the middle but again the no sign of Grimes. It leads to players trying to make something out of an impossible situation.
In the past we have seen the likes of Ntcham and Celina drop deep taking too many touches with them facing the goalie and getting caught on the ball, it looked as if Bianchini had got it right when coming deep laying the ball off neatly with one touch and yet he got caught out on the touchline facing our goal, the ball back to Tymon wasn't on, we would be able to get the ball down the line to the winger because he was facing our goals the only option would be infeld but again no one was there so no nice neat triangles were available you could say maybe Franco was at fault for not coming across to fill the gap amd Pearl-Harris could drop in to cover Franco but we are digging holes or more making holes for ourselves.
Shapeless at time but we will be OK we have Fulton he will bloom as never before released from the shackles of trying to play like or with Grimes which he cannot and looks very much like a poor midfielder when he does try to emulate, instead of a dynamic forward thinking ball winning midfielder once he learned how to mark properly although I think it is too late from him.
Hope we get some fresh blood into the midfield time to have players all round the pitch taught how to mark players, know how to put press on the ball reciever and how ensure cover when needed working as a team not as individuals. |
| | RichardO
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