Injuries stifling Blackpool and Swansea City unity is massive
Tuesday, 14th Feb 2023 11:04 by Swansea Independent

Matt Gill faced the press this morning in a pre match talk on Swansea City. Tomorrows game against Blackpool is a huge fixture for Russell Martin especially. A Swansea win is crucial for him.

Blackpool have ten first team players injured or unavailable for the meeeting at the Swansea.Com stadium tomorrow evening ( kick off 7.45pm) The Swans on the other hand are really only waiting on Joel Latibeaudiere who again has proven his recovery rate from rather nasty injuries is incredible.

Indeed the missing ten players for the Seasiders is concerning for them considering they are also bottom of the table and need all the help they can get. Lewis Fiorini, Keshi Anderson, Shayne Lavery, Jake Beesley, Marvin Ekpiteta, Charlie Goode, Curtis Nelson ( possibly available ) and Liam Bridcutt, Kevin Stewart and Tom Trybull are all out of this fixture. Nelson is the anomaly, but it’s one hell of a list to add to the clubs current relegation threatened season.

Swansea City will assess Joel Latibeaudiere and Liam Walsh again impressed for the U21 Swans in a 2-2 draw with Cardiff City on Monday night. Assistant head coach Matt Gill commented this morning. Walshy has come back in brilliant shape, but he needs minutes under his belt. He was excellent last night in a really good game for the U21s. He has come though that fine and it means he can be involved with us on Wednesday”

Blackpool boss Mick McCarthy has complained about the fixture computer and its ability to throw up long trips in midweek for teams. “Whoever thought it was a good idea for Blackpool to play in Swansea on a Wednesday night is a complete clown,” he said. “Maybe it’s the computer, is it? Maybe it’s the computer that’s a clown. Could no-one have had a look at that and go ‘oh yes, let’s go and make Blackpool travel down there on a Wednesday and they’ll be back at daft o’clock on Thursday morning to prepare for Stoke on Saturday”

Swansea City of course encounter these bizarre trips as much as any team, in the Swans case it’s almost every midweek game away, McCarthy maybe getting his excuses in early ? In any event this is a huge game for Russell Martin, the slide cannot go on at the Swansea.Com tomorrow evening and many now are not convinced this whole strategy is working for the young manager. Youngest team (dependent on selection) in the league the Swans may well be, with the least used players but this game is huge for the club with another seven coming up before the international break in March.

Matt Gill also pointed out the relationship and very close bind all the coaching team have with each other. Especially over the last two or three weeks. “ We are obviously very close, we are friends, but I think it’s really important I support him in the tough moments. The reason I enter some of the press conferences is to show that support. Previous managers have mentioned about the loneliness of the job. All the staff are together”

On the bad run of two wins in sixteen Gill said, “There has been some disappointing results but performance wise, that period coming in to the new year we had some dominant displays”

The Swans have to eye this game as three points, and hopefully we will see a resurgence in what has been a pretty uninspiring few weeks.

Here are some midweek stats for the championship.