The Swans once again ran a rudderless game that lacked any of the words that head coach, Luke Williams speaks about on a daily basis. Nothing can be learned from this game except there are now huge question marks over certain players who actually get paid to play football for Swansea City.
Swansea City produced a team of ‘players’ that took anything that Russell Martin or Steve Cooper produced and doubled down on one of the most negative first forty five minutes I’ve seen since I’ve watched the Swans at home. Players who cannot pass, attack, think, go forwards or even take responsibility against a Wycombe Wanderers side from League One who looked the far better side in the first half. No head coach wants to see his side play like that, surely this strategy of hopelessness isn’t in any methodology that Williams and his staff plan for all week ? The ineffectiveness of every single player on that pitch whether it be due to age, lack of flair or just intelligence this isn’t what any Swans fan wants to see.
Even when a half chance found its way into the area a lack of commitment was the end result. Eom falling over the ball, Vipotnik bullied out of the game or Grimes incessantly admiring his back passes to Abdulai who did the same. Tajon has little pace, if any, and debutant Florian, albeit a willing runner found nobody with his crosses. Across the back Nelson was a slightly better proposition but he and almost every player on that pitch gave the ball away continuously offering the visitors opportunities.
When Wycombe did score it was deserved, another lack of effort and spacial awareness saw Kone rifle home a shot to put the Chairboys one up. Naughton had a shot it was deflected, and not one effort on target was produced in the first half. It was a shocking and embarrassing display of ineffective and boring football.
Okay, you can point to the players on the pitch not having a lot of game time. However, that doesn’t produce play as we saw this evening in the first forty five. This is all they do every day. It’s either the coaching staff pulling every ounce of creativity from the players, or on that showing they just are not up to it.
That first half was lacking everything a football team is all about.
So, what did the Swans produce in the second half ?
The same side took to the pitch and Florian at last displayed what he is all about with pace and trickery. His influence created three good chances to score, none were taken. Eom still looked lightweight, and on fifty six minutes we saw Ronald, Tymon and Cabango come on for Eom, Tajon and Nelson. Would we now see some productive finishing ?
Well, no.
The tempo increased, Wycombe’s desire increased, a few good balls in to the box were left with Vipotnik on the wrong side of his marker, and Abdulai (above) resorted to falling over now and again and stopping moves forwards. It was an uncomfortable watch. The introduction of the three substitutes was pointless, leaving players on who just drag the side down and produce negativity and no physical intent, why bother ? The tactics don’t work, the belief isn’t there, and anyone who took time out to watch this game will have no faith at all in what is trying to be achieved at Swansea. Once again we see another rebuild based on cheaper options that may or may not work, and that was more than evident tonight.
This side would not have beaten three quarters of the EFL this evening. They have no impact and no initiative. Whatever Luke Williams says after this game will fall on deaf ears because it’s the same old ramble. After Saturday he has two weeks to work with some of his squad in whatever it is he wants them to do, and whatever that is we can only hope starts to tick at some point. That performance was absolutely shocking and an embarrassment.
A word for Wycombe. They grew in confidence as the game wore on, they showed some nice touches at times and put in the effort. Had they not scored and the game went to the next goalscorer I’m certain we would have been there at midnight. Wycombe took their chances, lived slightly dangerously but displayed that one thing those Swansea players didn’t have tonight. Belief and character. You see you can’t buy that in South Korea or from a Slovenian Euro 24 squad. It’s earned through hard work and common sense.
And nobody is displaying that at Swansea City at this moment in time.
Atrocious.
⚽️ Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux, 6 Kyle Naughton 6 (Liam Cullen 73), 5 Kristian Pedersen, 6 Nelson Abbey 6 (Ben Cabango 58), 5 Nathan Tjoe-A-On 5 (Josh Tymon 58); 4 Matt Grimes 6 (captain), Jay Fulton 5 (Joe Allen 73), 5 Jisung Eom 4 (Ronald 58); 5 Azeem Abdulai,4 Žan Vipotnik,4 Florian Bianchini 6
Unused Substitutes: Nathan Broome, Harry Darling, Gonçalo Franco, Ollie Cooper.
⚽️ Wycombe Wanderers: Franco Ravizzoli, Josh Scowen (captain) (Cameron Humphreys 58), Alex Hartridge, Matt Butcher, Tyreeq Bakinson, Joe Low, Gideon Kodua (Garath McCleary 57), Kieran Sadlier (Dan Harvie 57), Richard Kone (Dan Udoh 58), Declan Skura, Jasper Pattenden.
Unused Substitutes: Laurie Shala, Jason McCarthy, Jaiden Bartolo, Christie Ward, Jahiem Dotse.
⚽️ Referee: Ben Toner 6/10. Had not a lot to do.
Attendance: 6,076 : 298 away.