Russell Martin leads his side north to Blackpool today for another Sky Bet Championship league game. Having put their away day complex to one side against West Bromwich Albion last time out the swans now have a different type of challenge at Bloomfield Road tomorrow.
Swansea City were exposed in a forty five minute horror show regards their defensive frailties on Tuesday night against Fulham, and not least their inability to concentrate and do the basics right. And all that despite training day in and day out to do so. Russell Martin stopped short of alluding to the overall intelligence of his Swansea City side to remain in gear mentally and prevent the age old mistakes of this season occurring. But occur they did again, so maybe there is something more to the issue ? Maybe these players haven’t got the ability nor the football intelligence to carry this whole dream off ?
We’ve seen it many times this season, more times in the negative than the positive. However when it does happen there’s few who can argue against the essence of Martin’s belief in his football formula. And it is a formula, the ingredients may not be the best at this time, but the process is a lengthy and particularly difficult one to implement. We have to remember as well the finances at a club like Swansea cannot literally buy the dream. As Martin stated yesterday "We’re going to have to promote young players quickly at this club because we don’t possess the finances of certain teams in the league, so the academy has to be a big part of the long-term plan. This club’s academy has produced a number of players of real quality in recent years, and we can see from training and when we go to games that there are talented boys coming through.”
Having such talent as Cameron Congreve and the ever improving Joel Cotterill is as important as bringing in someone who may or may not fit the Martin system. That leads us to this weekends game in Blackpool. With limited choices squad selection is a given for this trip. However, the swans need to overcome another away day hoodoo as well, and that’s actually winning at Bloomfield Road. It was in April 1979 that the swans last won against Blackpool. The score that day was 3-1, and with all due respects to today’s Swansea side that particular team was seriously on the up and flying.
Bloomfield Road, Blackpool, not the happiest of Swansea hunting grounds
Since then eleven Blackpool v Swansea fixtures have occurred at Bloomfield Road, none have been won, That’s coming up for forty three years ago. Not wishing to put too much pressure on the lads tomorrow, but that victory remains the only one the swans have had in the history of this fixture. Most of Swansea City’s wins have come at home. The last win against Blackpool came in 2005, a thrilling 3-2 win at home. Swans fans will recall that win for the controversial Leon Britton winner and Lee Trundle following the ball in to the net in an offside position. It looked like he touched the ball on its way in, the linesman said yes, but crucially the referee said no. However, that was the start of eight fixtures between the clubs without a swans win. In fact the swans record against Blackpool away is so dire we will have to move on from the subject. Honestly it’s atrocious.
Leon Britton in 2005 was the deciding factor in the swans last win against Blackpool
Maybe that’s the true test of ‘character’ as the swans travel to their next fixture,? They live a life that is carefully managed, with dieticians, well thought out training and sleeping patterns, and the very best facilities. Character, for me that’s the missing ingredient this season, the football has flowed at times, but disappointed many far more times than it pleases. The strategy, formulas and tactics continue to be worked on, the glimpses of positivity are there. But it’s ‘overall’ character that’s missing, the whole ethos of that human ingredient ( character) and responsibility on the pitch is what I want to see more of.
If that’s achieved this weekend we may well see an end to a dismal time at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool, if it’s not evident, I think we all know which way this game will go.The rest of this season is a free hit for Russell Martin, let’s see those shackles shaken off and some real examples of his belief in his football dream.
If that can be achieved from here on in, we could see some seriously positive results before the season ends that’s for sure.
Team news, updates and fans information to follow later today and tomorrow.