The Swans looked highly unlikely that they wouldn’t get a shot on goal after the first half let alone take a point from this game. They nearly did, but referee Anthony Backhouse turned down a fifty fifty penalty shout in the second half, they’ve been given, and then minutes later a clear penalty after a foul on Eom.

The home side were thrawrted on two occasions in the first four minutes by Swans keeper Larry Vigouroux. They had opened up with good opportunities to start the scoring. The Baggies, finding space on both flanks. Their good control of the ball and possession the dominating factor early on. As we have seen this season, control of the ball by the Swans was difficult with the basic principles of passing letting them down. On six minutes Vigouroux had to leave his area to head clear. From there a Grant cross saw Maja head wide. Already the Swans were looking ropey.

Then a corner from Alex Mowatt, this caused a scramble in the six yard box resulting in another set piece on the Swans right. That was cleared but only to give West Brom more possession. The ball again was misused by the Swans losing possession quickly. A yellow card for Jason Molumby could have been a red, but he got away with a reckless challenge on Swans captain, Matt Grimes. (Below) Whilst being treated for his injury a ridiculous effort from Vigouroux to pass his team out of his own area nearly led to an opener for the home side. It felt like a goal was coming and the Swans lack of endeavour, awareness and control would lead to it.

On fifteen minutes more work as Furlong hammered a shot into Eom and then the rebound coming off Josh Tymon for a corner. The pressure continued. The first real sign of Swans hope came from a breakaway by Josh Key, he was fouled. From the free kick the ball ended up going backwards with Vigouroux who blasted his clearance out of play. Then a third corner for the Baggies. This time on the Swans left. Eom had to leave the pitch for treatment. The corner hit too deep and John Swift fired high and wide for Albion.

As the twenty arrived it was one way traffic.

Then a wild challenge from Ajayi on Eom saw him yellow carded, it wasn’t a clever tackle. The home side clearly wanting to physically hurt the Swans key players. That free kick saw Franco fire a shot goal-wards but it was defended. The attack then fizzled out after a poor ball to Eom from Grimes. Another howler from Grant on twenty one minutes, clearly in on goal but he fired well wide. The missed chances were adding up. Then it was the home side on the break with Fellows in so much space he messed up his cross into the box.

On twenty five minutes Franco got away with a late challenge much to the home crowds disatisfaction. On twenty seven John Swift put a wonderful cross into the Swans area but no Baggies player could convert it. Ronald was getting more and more into the game and was fouled deep in the Albion half on the Swans right. Grimes and Eom stood over the ball. Harry Darling misdirected his header for an easy collect for Palmer in the home sides goal.

Fellows again made space on the Swans right after a weak tackle from Eom, Ben Cabango headed out for another corner. The Swans wildly cleared the set piece which ended up after a deflection in an away side throw in. On thirty minutes the Baggies had had ten shots to the Swans one. The passing accuracy of the Swans was at 38% inside their opponents half. Testament to the far more aggressive and well thought out Albion tactics. Again Fellows broke into the Swans area, another dangerous low cross was cleared by Key. It is evident that Franco along with Eom were being physically bullied by the home side.

Ollie Cooper had a nice opportunity to put Ronald through but his pass was woeful. Vipotnik up front was exhausted of opportunity as well. Another Baggies booking on thirty five minutes for Heggam who caught Ronald in the face, and an opportunity for the Swans to retain possession. It seemed impossible though for the Swans to keep control, the home side far more competent all over the pitch. That was evidenced on thirty seven minutes with a rushed and wayward pass to Ronald from Key. It was totally frustrating to watch. Every second ball picked up by the Swans was then given away.

With five minutes to go Ronald was getting the home crowd wound up, and they also slightly began to turn against their side. However, Grimes the Swans catalyst for many things was clearly out of sorts after that bad tackle. Key gave away a corner on forty one minutes which came to nothing. The issue was the away sides inability to quickly pass and move which was smothered by the Baggies, which in turn led to more attacks.

Then a corner for the Swans after good work from Ronald. Out on the Swans right it was the away sides first corner of the game. Grimes took it, and the ball went directly into the hands of the Albion keeper. That was the story of the half for Swansea. On forty four minutes Albion broke again. Mowatt and Furlong instrumental, the Swans defended far better as two minutes extra effort was signalled. And as expected, and as we have seen so many times before a sleepy Swansea defence with seconds to go allowed Jason Molumby free in the area to slot home. Grimes, Cabango and Darling all dozing, and with their awareness completely switched off. That was the Swans fault, and nobody else’s.

Seconds later the referee brought the half to an end. The Swans were too slow in possession, too cautious gong forwards, and very reluctant to be creative or clever in speed or thought.

I’m not sure what everybody expected for the second half, but immediately WBA had a snapshot which whistled by the Swans post. What was immediately evident was that Ollie Cooper, when he receives the ball in the ten position hasn’t got the confidence or pace to progress forwards. Cutting back and stifling any attack. Josh Key did break into the Baggies box on forty seven minutes but his cross shot was cleared. Intent of sorts. Then a Darling cross field pass to Ronald saw him do too much work, and his cross went out of play. However this was better, then Eom was put thorough and seemed to be pulled down in the penalty area. The referee waved play away. Shouts like that have been given.

On fifty three we saw a header from Albion which went high and wide.

Ronald was clearly seen as the danger-man as four players surrounded him, that move resulted in a clear penalty as Eom was brought down by keeper Palmer. It was a shocking decision from the referee who was right in front of the incident. The pressure at last continued. This time a corner on the Swans left, cleared by Albion. The Swans looked rejuvenated. A move which saw a pass from Tymon was met by Franco, but his side shot deflected away for a corner. Nothing came from that, but at last there was hope.

Cabango found Ronald on sixty minutes saw more pressure. but Ronald sadly messed up the move. Florian Bianchini then came on for the Swans, Vipotnik replaced. Florian took a position out on the right and Eom fitted into the main strikers role. Head coach, Luke Williams wanting to maintain the pressure, and a change in tactics followed. Molumby went down in the Swans area, he was clealry trying to buy his side some time as the dominance of the first half had disappeared. That took some five minutes to resolve, it would be nice to see that added on at the end of this game, the Swans may well need it. The home side were now at walking pace for every throw in they had. They were rattled. The Swans were now the tormentor, chasing down the Baggies and causing them to make forced and unforced errors.

However, a Grant cross on sixty eight was completely fluffed by Racic with his first touch of the game since coming on as a sub. The Swans then found it hard to retain possession, but a sign of the game was Harry Darling’s forty eight touches compared to seven from Vipotnik before he went off. Grimes was now playing much further forwards, he was making runs but they were ignored by his defenders. Some would say an experience he was having reflecting his own play when deeper in other games.

On seventy two minutes Tom Fellows was put clear in the box and blasted his shot well over the bar. It was a sitter. The Swans made another sub with Myles Peart-Harris coming on for Eom. WBA also made changes pushing the extra time minutes to eight. Ronald earned a corner on seventy four minutes. On the Swans left Grimes took it, Darling fouled and the pressure relented. We had fifteen minutes plus added time to go.

Although the Swans were better two good moves ended up in the possession of Vigouroux.

The large Swans following cheered when Florian earned a corner on seventy eight minutes. The corner resulted in a time wasting injury from the home side. Bartley the culprit this time, more time wasted adding nine minutes to the game. The Swans continued to press. Franco crossed but no Swans attacker was in the area, a cross that Vipotnik had been waiting for all game. A sign that in that attacking role the Swans were deficient. Both main strikers not on the pitch. Another West Brom sub added more time. We now surely had more time to be added on than we had to play. We then saw a Franco shot saved on eighty three minutes. The corner was poorly dealt with by Bartley.

More time wasting came from the home side after a Ronald foul.

The Swans looked like they had one more chance in them. Albion continued their theatrics leading to a Tymon booking, his second of the season. It was in a dangerous area. More time wasting and slow progression from Albion. With two minutes to go the Swans earned another corner on their right. Florian Bianchini took it, but it was cleared. Franco continued to try and manipulate Albion, the Swans using the full width of the pitch. Then Styles brought down Key, and the Swans had a chance at the death of the game. And then six minutes were added.

Really ?

Grimes put in his cross from the set piece and put the ball again into the hands of the home keeper. Tymon in space awaiting a shot was ignored. It seemed the Swans had run their course as Albion soaked up the seconds with another slow throw in. The Swans pressed again. Through balls for Florian were poor, and the quiet home crowd applauded every moment of time wasting. We had two minutes left of added time. As the time ticked away the result seemed inevitable. A first half lack of concentration won the game for the home side, and referee Backhouse, deprived the Swans of a clear penalty. That’s how it rolls in the Championship, and more incompetence from officials continues.

⚽️ West Bromwich Albion: Alex Palmer, Darnell Furlong, Kyle Bartley (captain), Sami Ajayi, Jayson Molumby (Uros Racic 66), Josh Maja (Lewis Dobbin 74), John Swift, Torbjorn Heggem (Gianluca Frabotta 82), Karlan Grant (Callum Styles 82), Alex Mowatt, Tom Fellows (Jed Wallace 74).

Unused Substitutes: Joe Wildsmith, Ousmane Diakite, Paddy McNair, Devante Cole.

⚽️ Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux; 8 Josh Key,6; Ben Cabango, 5 Harry Darling, 7 Josh Tymon; 6: Matt Grimes (captain), 5 Gonçalo Franco, 7 Ollie Cooper; 5;Jisung Eom 6;(Myles Peart-Harris 63), 5 Žan Vipotnik 5 (Florian Bianchini 62), 5 Ronald. 6;

Unused Substitutes: Jon McLaughlin, Kristian Pedersen, Jay Fulton, Joe Allen, Kyle Naughton, Nelson Abbey, Azeem Abdulai.

⚽️ Referee: Anthony Backhouse : 2/10. Incompetent.

⚽️ Attendance: 24,975 (1,800 away)

Photograph FB2 & Open Source

Swansea City Polls