An expectant crowd gathered in SA1 for this championship encounter. The game not quite a derby in most swans fans minds was though exciting and threw up more goals than some would have expected. It was a head to head fixture, quite literally, which eventually saw Swansea City run out the winners.
The first half played out as most would have predicted, Swansea making the most of their possession on the ball but a well organised Bristol City defence managed any real threat throughout the first half. A snap shot from Michael Obafemi and a variety of snatched chances was all the swans could produce over the opening forty eight minutes. When it did come to well worked out opportunities first Hannes Wolf then Cyrus Christie faltered on their delivery in to the Robins area. Despite the good swans possession the end product was poor.
It was as the half wore on that the swans started to get sleepy, misplaced passes gave Andy Fisher in goal extra work to do. He came rushing out of his box to save his defences blushes. Towards the end of the half another misplaced passing movement allowed Bristol City another golden opportunity which Andreas Weimann took to put his side 1-0 up. Manning couldn’t do much to impede Weimann or he would have most certainly been handed a second red card of the season. The finish was perfect giving Fisher no chance. The thirty year old Austrian displayed pace, intelligence and desire to beat the swans offside trap.
Bristol City go one up
Again we saw a Swansea side passing well but after twenty minutes the intensity dropped off, and the ability of a swans player to take on an opposition player was obvious. We rarely see it. Swansea when in a dangerous position often chose to pass back or sideways when some flair and pace was needed. It was a frustrating half yet again, the strategy is fine but it does rely on players to remain switched on continuously, and sadly it didn’t happen in the first half. The debut of Finley Burns though was reaffirmed as the right choice as he played out a steady and composed first half. The eighteen year old on loan from Manchester City looked accomplished and assured in his work.
Finley Burns on his Swansea City debut
It was the second half which set Swansea hearts racing and the vociferous east stand cheered on a very different more purposeful half of football. Even though Bristol City had chances in the second half, especially after some poor awareness from new goalkeeper Andy Fisher on the ball, the swans took control. The passing was slicker and Christie started to impose himself more on the right hand side of the swans formation. On fifty four minutes his persistence paid off when a cross come shot found Michael Obafemi. He ghosted in on the blind side of the Bristol City defence to equalise. And yes, as he said in the week he loves to score goals.
Swansea equalise through Michael Obafemi
The goal displayed a player who has eventually bought in to the Swansea ethic. It’s taken time but he is now reaping the rewards.,His confidence is sky high and he played a game against the robins which was pacy, slick and despite the odd loss of the ball in possession he also looks a far happier player. Minutes after he scored Obafemi was yellow carded for a hard challenge on Bristol City keeper O’Leary, some would say wrongly, which led to the keeper being replaced by Daniel Bentley.
It was the introduction of Olivier Ntcham for Finley Burns in a switch of formation and strategy that ensured the swans took the points. The Swans took the lead four minutes later as Manning's drilled cross reached Christie at the back post. His initial effort was saved by Bentley, although he headed the rebound into the net to put Swansea 2-1 up, and that was his first goal since June 2020. Christie is now not only contributing to a more attacking threat at wing back he is providing assists, and now he is scoring goals.
It doesn’t matter how they go in
Obafemi and the pretty ineffective Jamie Paterson ( by his standards ) were replaced by Korey Smith and Joel Latibeaudiere late on so the swans could see the game out. However there was to be one more twist in proceedings when a trademark Joel Piroe goal made it 3-1. His left footed effort beat Bentley in the fourth minute of injury time and was his first goal for eight games. It wasn’t an overwhelming display by the swans and they did survive a few scares, mostly of their own making. However, once again Russell Martin has displayed character as well as his players in coming back from defeat. What swans fans will want now is a little bit more consistency.
Swansea City: Fisher; Burns (Ntcham 75), Cabango, Manning; Christie, Downes, Grimes (C), Wolf; Paterson (Smith 89), Piroe; Obafemi (Latibeaudiere 85).
Subs not used: Hamer, Fulton, Dhanda, Joseph.
Goals: Obafemi 54, Christie 79, Piroe 90+3
Yellow card: 🟨 Obafemi 56, Christie 90+2
Bristol City: O'Leary (Bentley 63); Vyner, Kalas, Klose; Dasilva, Massengo (Williams 60), Scott, Pring (Wells 84); Weimann (C), Semenyo, Martin.
Subs not used: Cundy, Idehen, Benarous, Conway.
Goal: Weimann 42
Yellow cards: 🟨 Klose 59, Dasilva 69
Referee: Keith Stroud 7/10
Attendance: 19,162
Swansea Independent player of the game : Cyrus Christie, with Michael Obafemi a close second.