Swans head coach, Luke Williams really needs to deeply reflect on his late in the game decision making after this win. It could have been another story of throwing it all away again. Despite that the Swans scored, not only once but twice with Florian Bianchini and Zǎn Vipotnik earning the points.
The Swans started the game without Ollie Cooper, out for three months with a stress fracture, Eom who is in recovery still from his MCL injury playing for South Korea will be out for some weeks still. Also, Sam Parker, Josh Ginnelly, Kristian Pedersen as players who could or would have made the squad today.
The first quarter saw Matt Grimes come close to scoring, and Harry Darling on fifteen minutes missing an absolute sitter of a header in front of goal. The next corner flicked on by Peart-Harris and clipping the crossbar. The luck was still not with the Swans. To this point the home side had shown very little in attack with the Swans dominating possession and making chances. More opportunities came and went, Peart-Harris whipping a cross from the Swans left which Vipotnik and Ronald missed.
As most teams do Oxford were happy to ride their luck with the Swans toothless in front of goal, just as Millwall did last weekend, but of course we all know the game plan there. This would change as time moved on.
On twenty one minutes Joe Allen whipped in a cross which was cleared out on the Swans left. Then Franco had a speculative shot which sailed over the bar. We now had twenty two minutes gone. Again though we were seeing the Swans make good use in the first two thirds of the pitch, but passing and composure was letting them down where it mattered. This happened to Franco twice choosing wrong options in as many minutes. Then on twenty six minutes Grimes crossed dangerously but four Swans players were all watching the ball, it was another effort that really needed some commitment on the end of it. Next it was Vipotnik with poor control.
Frustrating.
Vigouroux in the Swans goal was getting the boo treatment from the home fans, apparently because he played for Swindon in some small town rivalry. A quick break was had on twenty nine minutes for the U’s keeper to receive some treatment, and we were away again for the final fifteen minutes of the half. The home crowd seemed happy with the lack of effort and chances so far. Again Josh Key broke free and his pass was again not gathered by Franco. Another here we go again moment for the Swans when Sibley put in a poor challenge on Grimes. The opposition, as we have seen all season preferring to kick the more dangerous Swans players.
On thirty five minutes a good move sadly broke down again with Franco giving the ball away on the Swans right, for all his good, he wasn’t having the best of games to date. Peart-Harris crossed next, low and hard, it was easily defended. The at last ! the Swans scored. A tap in for Vipotnik. Key was the main man in the movement forwards, a pass on to Ronald, deflected for the Brazilian to cross and leave Vipotnik the easiest of chances.
That silenced the home crowd who were pretty much all about booing than supporting their team.
Oxford had a shot on forty minutes, it was the closest they had come, Vigouroux gathered easily. This was more about the Swans keeping control in midfield and being able to dominate the middle third. That Oxford opportunity came from the Swans being unable to control matters. A bright Swans move forwards on forty three minutes led to Franco reliant on placement more than power which the keeper scooped up. He was now beginning to pull a few strings and his quality is undisputed.
Right on the cusp of the half 19 curled a shot which looked like was beating Vigouroux but Darling somehow headed away for a corner. The U’s were showing some attacking desire and from the corner Rodrigues headed towards goal from two yards out but it bounced over the bar. The only chances though that the home side were given were coming from Swansea midfield errors.
Referee Michael Salisbury brought the half to an end on forty eight minutes.
The second half took on pretty much the same flow as the first. Swansea were looking troublesome, and had numerous chances to increase their lead. The passing at times was sublime as the away side pressed down the flanks. Substitutions would play a key part in this half for sure. Early on the U’s Mark Harris missed a decent chance, as the flow of the game was a bit more equal. Oxford though looked pretty much lacking in any ideas to break the Swansea defence. With Vipotnik busy up front he had a few opportunities to increase the lead. With Liam Cullen coming on for Joe Allen who was limping, the thought there was to squeeze the midfield and offer them a more sharper player to close down.
Both Peart-Harris and Tymon had opportunities as did Franco but that elusive goal was not found. Luke searched for more making substitutions which would impact on the game. In which way we would find out. Ebiowei tried and failed to bring matters level. Then a through ball from Franco put Bianchini in on the Swans left, he took the shot on and drilled his effort into the Oxford goal. 0-2 now, surely this game was won ?
The Swans looked comfortable with that second goal. Then a head scratching decision from head coach, Luke Williams. Peart-Harris, Franco and Tymon were replaced by Abdulai, Christie and Naughton. It’s okay looking towards Tuesday and the home game against Watford, but from this moment the Swans looked unsure. The three defenders turned into this ridiculous attempt to convert Abdulai into a winger. On the three occasions he got forwards he either froze or made the wrong choice. He looked tired despite having fresh legs. Christie looked far from match fit and that showed when Oxford pulled a goal back through Dane Scarlett. Ball watching and a lack of organisation contributed to this goal as much as Oxford did scoring it. We now had six minutes of edge of the seat football, and it was totally unnecessary.
Oxford really should have drawn level in injury time via a header from Leigh, Vigouroux was beaten all ends up as his header just bounced wide. This was proof enough that some of the tactical in game management really doesn’t work at times. Those three subs all encouraged the home side to press forwards, and despite a bit of luck for the Swans they really could have thrown the win away.
It will of course bring some confidence to the squad going into Tuesday’s home game. However, we need more tactical awareness for Williams, because today his decision making nearly cost the Swans, and that isn’t good management.
A mention for the Jack Army today at Oxford.
⚽️ Oxford United: Jamie Cumming, Ciaron Brown, Elliott Moore (captain), Josh McEachran (Will Vaulks 60), Mark Harris (Dane Scarlett 60), Louie Sibley (Idris El Mizouni 47), Ben Nelson, Owen Dale (Malcolm Ebiowei 60), Tyler Goodrham, Ruben Rodrigues (Greg Leigh 83), Peter Kioso.
Unused Substitutes: Mat Ingram, Sam Long, Hidde Ter Avest, Will Goodwin.
⚽️ Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux, 6 Josh Key, 7 Ben Cabango, 6 Harry Darling, 6 Josh Tymon 6 (Kyle Naughton 84) 5 Matt Grimes (captain) 7 Joe Allen 6 (Liam Cullen 56) 5 Gonçalo Franco 7 (Cyrus Christie 84) 5 Ronald 6 Myles-Peart-Harris 7 (Azeem Abdulai 84) 5, Žan Vipotnik 7 (Florian Bianchini 71) 6
Unused Substitutes: Jon McLaughlin, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Nelson Abbey, Aimar Govea.
Referee: Michael Salisbury : A really good afternoon from the official. Very reflective and let the game flow. 7/10.
Attendance: 11,454
Away: 1,512 sold out.
⚽️ Oxford head coach Des Buckingham:
"I didn’t think we were very good at all for very large periods of the game. Despite not being very good with the ball, we have still created three very good goalscoring moments before Dane scored. We are so much better than what we have shown. We need to make sure we believe we are good enough to do what we do at this level. We have had a really good six to eight months. We knew this year was going to be a challenge. We will lose games of football, but we are not losing them that way, not while I am here."
⚽️ Swansea head coach Luke Williams:
"I think we deserved to win. That’s really important for me. Oxford threw absolutely everything at us and I think we could have dealt with that a bit better, but I still think we were value for the victory. We played football how we want to play from the beginning. I don't think we waited for a goal to start playing. The point is I am trying to convince the players that if we play in a certain way from the beginning of games and throughout games, goals will come."