Russell Martin should have Hannes Wolf back in the frame for this one, after all he was meant to be in the squad on the weekend for the Blackpool game. It’s a Wednesday night game in Peterborough, a very long trek for Swansea based jacks although the club say there is a very decent take up for the match.

It’s always best to rely on reflection at times, and everything that Swansea did bar the intensity, pressure and goal scoring was right on Saturday. I know it sounds crazy, but it was. Of course the main factors the swans didn’t get anything from the game are the missing elements I’ve mentioned. The pace of the play was of course so slow it wasn’t in any way an example of modern day professional football. Blackpool just say back and watched. But we have to agree it was all in place, the domination and the ball retention, yes, it was all there. It has been mentioned that there seems to be a loss of faith in the players which has transferred itself in to their body language, and that’s why they seemingly sleep walked in to oblivion on Saturday. I’m not sure about that, but what I do know is that if the swans play like they did at Bloomfield Road, with that lethargic walking football attitude they will be swept aside on Wednesday night for sure.

Peterborough United last won a league game in December, the day Forest put four on the swans at home.Their record is atrocious, they are already in the eyes of many of their fans relegated. Of course there is still hope, and under a new manager in Grant McCann there’s always a ray of sunshine to find. Just a glimmer is required. One win can dramatically improve the confidence of a football club. All of a sudden things look possible, and what felt hopeless yesterday is hopeful today. Fifteen games without a win for the posh isn’t clever, but the last two games have been drawn against Stoke on Saturday and away at Bournemouth. This has seen them scoring goals and playing at pace. Their players determination to run until the last second was signified by the ninety first minute equaliser on Saturday. And this after going 2-1 down with minutes to go.

And they gave Manchester City a real scare in the FA Cup two weeks ago as well. It took the away side sixty minutes to break the deadlock. Anyone who thinks this could be an opportunity for the swans to get some confidence back against poor opposition is very wrong. There’s no doubt the swans know this, Russell Martin especially, but the swans haven’t performed throughout a whole game for as long as I can recall. There always seems to be a passage of the game, which is to be expected, where everything looks very tense. And yes, it is expected, but when it does occur things do deteriorate very quickly, especially at the back. Game management seems to fall apart at times.

The swans under Russell Martin lurch from one great moment to two or three bad ones, the victories against Bristol City and West Brom are evidence enough of the players ability to turn things round. And that has to be the brief for Wednesday night. Go out there and do everything you did on Saturday but with intensity and speed, then yes it’s a certainty that three points are on the table. Don’t do it, and you will be overwhelmed by a side that’s clinging on to its Championship status, and are already showing signs they have the fight in them to turn anyone over, especially at home.

Peterborough United v Swansea City kicks off at 7.45pm on Wednesday 16th March at London Road.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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