It was hotly contested and came with controversy and drama, not least a penalty shout for the Swans late in the first half, but overall this was a fair result.
Cardiff started the better side and most certainly haven’t played the way they have over so many derby games in the past ten years. Once the Swans settled into their game it became one way traffic, and then of course Liam Cullen popped up with the opening goal. An element of luck may well have seen the home side take the lead, but you make your own luck, something Swansea for long periods thereafter failed to do. Cullen’s goal was a special moment again for him, the delight on his face said it all.
In fact Cardiff had their tactics spot on, they managed to keep Swansea at bay and started to make their own way into this game. It was obvious from early on that they were competent enough to defend against numerous Swans attacks. Eom looked out of place and pretty much unable to utilise his skills out on the right, and Ronald ran into trouble on numerous occasions. Their back up in Josh Key on the right & Josh Tymon out left were pretty toothless - with Cardiff using the space on the Swans left to threaten the home side. On three first half occasions we saw danger on that flank.
Jesper Daland, who we reported on yesterday morning is a gifted player for sure and has been a successful signing for Cardiff. In the Swans midfield Franco seemed lightweight and chased the game most of the time. Matt Grimes despite his wonderful passing stats again did as much as anyone to hold the Swans back, missing numerous obvious balls forwards on several occasions. That was compounded with the introductions of Jay Fulton and Azeem Abdulai in the second half. Abdulai is no use on the right hand side out wide, it’s a pointless exercise. It doesn’t suit him and we’ve seen enough evidence already this season that this tactic is just not working. He has no desire to take on his opponents, and frustratingly as we’ve seen already this season just wants to pass the ball backwards.
The substitutions in the second half lost the game for the Swans. Rubin Colwill was instrumental in everything Cardiff did, and Ollie Tanner made a huge difference. Their introductions got the visitors a deserved equaliser, and along with Ghazi showed more fight than we’ve seen from a Cardiff side in many years. Our opinion after some long chats yesterday was that the Swans weren’t very good, and not a patch on what we know they can produce. This lethargy that seems to overcome them throughout periods of games is still there. Harry Darling brought a foggy mixture of intent and stupidity, but was also not his usual self. Ben Cabango had a decent game but if the Swans want to prove something this season it will have to come from the coaching staff.
What possesses them to allow this drudge football as we saw yesterday is baffling.
Matt Grimes is the leader on the pitch and needs to be seen to be playing an active part in not only concentrating on his own game, but by being visibly proactive as a captain. Some say that isn’t his game but we rarely see a fired up Grimes, a player who can pass forwards but not enough. Josh Tymon was another disappointment with the ball like a hot potato when it came near him. In fact the lost passes, the wrong choices and total lack of ball control at times was as frustrating as we’ve seen already this season.
Erol Bulut sussed out Luke Williams in the second half and did everything right to force his players to think logically and attack with pace. And they stretched the Swans across the pitch. It worked and then the Swans were a big disappointment for most of the forty five minutes after the turnaround. Wild shots, a lack of composure and snatched efforts from sub Vipotnik, Fulton and Eom were exceptionally poor. The changes in the second half in our opinion lost the Swans this game. There are still question marks over Franco’s temperament to play at this level, and his physical strength. The same goes for Eom (below) At least Vigouroux between the sticks had a decent game and couldn’t be blamed for the equaliser.
Early days for Zan Vipotnik but today he didn’t show up for the time he was on the pitch, and he too, as mentioned blasted a shot wide. Again his strength and physical presence seemed second best. The system didn’t work yesterday as will happen of course, but the unforced errors and mistakes on the ball were at times unforgivable for such gifted footballers. It isn’t as much as back to the drawing board because Cardiff are no great shakes, and on this performance the same can be said for the Swans.
Many Jacks will be very disappointed today when they reflect back on that game.
And rightly so.
⚽️ Luke Williams post match : "The frustration comes from not finishing some of our chances. I felt we had good situations where we could have done better and, had we done so, I think we could have come away with all the points”
⚽️ Omer Riza on Tanner : Bulut was banned from the press conference : "Secondly, I think the injury is on the shin. I don't know where the shin pads are because no players wear the shin pads any more. They are this big gestures. Either the FA decide no one has to wear shin pads any more or wear them - I don't think players have to wear shin pads because of advertising hoardings by the way”
Well Mr Riza, it was your own clubs fans who caused that, and your comment above seems rather strange. They were your clubs fans (at a game they think is just another fixture) yeah right. They encroached on to that area and forced down the hoardings. That’s your clubs fans who injured your clubs player. Shin pads aren’t banned, what should be is your illogical thinking on an incident you and your clubs fans caused. Shin pads ? What is the bloke on about !
⚽️ Erol Bulut : Towards the end of the second half Cardiff manager Bulut mixed it with an old head in Kyle Naughton. A seasoned professional against a man who should know better. It was a ridiculous move by Bulut who was spotted by fourth official Keith Stroud not being very complimentary to Kyle. His sending off was as a result of his behaviour, aggressive posture and words used. Being waved away by a player and then making it worse with aggressive words and sentiment meant the clown of the dat award went to Erol - You sexy thing.
The push me, pull me incident : Big boy Colwill got involved with Harry Darling who had already seemingly kicked Cardiff keeper, Horvath in the back of the head right at the end of the game. Players were booked and the game - which we think was well handled by referee Langford in a very bonny way disappeared up its own players tunnel with the points shared.
⚽️ Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux; 6 Josh Key 5 (Kyle Naughton 78), 5 Ben Cabango, 6 Harry Darling, 5 Josh Tymon; 6 Matt Grimes (captain), 6 Gonçalo Franco 5 (Jay Fulton 67),5 Ollie Cooper 6 (Žan Vipotnik 67); 5, Eom 5 (Abdulai 58), 4 Liam Cullen 7 (Joe Allen 78), 5 Ronald.5
Unused Substitutes: Nathan Broome, Kristian Pedersen, Florian Bianchini, Nelson Abbey.
⚽️ Cardiff City: Ethan Horvath,6 Manolis Siopsis, 6 Jesper Daland, 7 Aaron Ramsey 6 (captain), Callum O'Dowda, 6 Calum Chambers, 6 Wilfried Kanga 5 (Callum Robinson 73) 6 Chris Willock 5 (Anwar El Ghazi 73), 7 Alex Robertson 6 (Rubin Colwill 59), 7 Yakou Meite (6 Ollie Tanner 69), 6 Perry Ng. 6
Unused Substitutes: Jak Alnwick, Dimitrios Goutas, Joel Bagan, Andy Ronomhota, Cian Ashford.
⚽️ Referee: Oliver Langford 7/10, but missed that handball. Operated and managed the game well and had he been card happy there would have been sendings off. Credit to him for that.
Attendance: 20,174