Just over 14,600 attended this game at the Swansea.com. Take away the visitors support and around 13,000 Swans fans were allegedly at this game. Season ticket holders are always included whether there or not and the ground look very bare. If there was eleven thousand home fans at this game I would have been surprised. That’s a good few thousand who have stayed away this afternoon. And well down to what we could have expected on the last Saturday before the majority return to work on Monday.

The swathes of empty seats around the Swansea.Com may well signal to many that early kick off games don’t get the numbers in. However, don’t kid yourself, the egomaniac behaviour we have seen this week is responsible as well. The attendance was so poor nobody could use the Sky TV excuse in its entirety. This was a reaction to the instability that Swansea head coach, Luke Williams had brought upon the club.

What’s the crack then Luke ?

Both sides had early chances in this game, the Baggies first with a couple of shots at the Swansea goal but Vigouroux wasn’t tested. Moments later a bit of a scramble in front of goal was cleared but it at least added some form of atmosphere for the game. On nine minutes the Swans got a second corner of the game. That saw Harry Darling head the ball bit that led to a third corner. From there Matt Grimes lost the ball as the Baggies took advantage of the skippers tardy play. Another move on eleven minutes saw Liam Cullen in plenty of space but he headed the opportunity over the bar.

The Swans were looking good as Eom set up Franco for a long distance effort which went wide.

On fourteen the unfortunate Grimes again gave away the ball which led to a break and a corner for the visitors. That came to nothing but seconds later a through ball for Grant saw the Swans keeper clear with a diving header. The pitch was cutting up and most certainly wasn’t helping free flowing football.

Safety first football from the Swans with numerous back passes being the order of the day commenced on fifteen minutes. However, the Swans were prepared to build again and again. This was inter-dispersed with the Baggies looking dangerous on the break. The game had flowed into a pattern. Despite the low turn out those who had bothered to get to this game were witnessing more effort from the Swans. Far more than we witnessed at Portsmouth on New Years Day. Karlan Grant was causing problems for the Swans defence as was Johnston, generally down the Swans right hand side.

Another corner on twenty minutes out on the Swans right. Eom took it but made a complete hash of whatever it was he had planned in his head. From there we saw some brave defending from Harry Darling, strong and commanding. The players seemed keen to ‘make it up’ to the nigh on 2,000 fans who made the Portsmouth trip. The pitch was cutting up and effecting play, in fact it looked pretty bad in certain areas.

Another corner as a deflected shot by Cullen spun out on the Swans left. That was pretty much messed up as Jed Wallace tried to burst through but miscontrolled the ball when he was about to square for Grant. It was end to end but not with great pace. On thirty two minutes a Swans claim for a penalty was waved away by referee Sam Allison. It looked giveable. Jason Molumby broke for the Baggies but miss hit his shot at the Swans goal. The game continued in the same vein, it was entertaining. Karlon Grant had a wonderful chance after a Jed Wallace cross which Vigouroux expertly saved.

The visitors finished the half the stronger with the Swans now picking up scraps and trying to get things going through Ronald. The Baggies looked the more comfortable as the game edged towards half time. Jed Wallace was again the danger-man as the visitors pressed. Johnston saw a rasping shot saved by Vigouroux. He was back on form at last, and he was needed. As the half drew to a close a wonderful move from Eom led to Vipotnik shooting low and hard at the Baggies goal. No extra minutes were played as the game closed for a break at 0-0.

The first fifteen minutes of the half was pretty much as the first, the visitors edging the chances but that didn’t drop the Swans being involved. Mike Johnston, Jed Wallace and Darnell Furlong all having chances but the Swans had their own as well, Tymon for the Swans attempting to bring matters level on the game stats. This wasn’t a bad game, both sides wanted the points but the bets were on West Brom. Rightly so they scored the opener on sixty minutes, a lovely shot by Tom Fellows after Molumby assisted a well worked goal. The Swans were determined to get back into the game but sadly the energy had been sucked out of them and despite efforts this was going to be a difficult task. So many empty seats, and such a poor atmosphere, for me we were watching a club which had taken too many blows in such a short time since Portsmouth.

After the Baggies goal the Swans came back into the game more, but with players coming on who have little or any effect in the season if the inevitable happened again today I wouldn’t have been surprised. On seventy six minutes we did see a decent strike from Josh Tymon, a lovely ball in from Grimes, knocked down for Tymon who fiercely drove his shot straight at the Baggies keeper.

Grant again bothered the Swans on seventy nine minutes, his pace and strength before crossing for Fellows to have a decent strike at goal. The closing down by the Swans was Jerry Yates like, running up to players then slowing down before contact, and never taking the ball off their opponent - and never gambling on what is a fifty fifty option. Pointless use of energy, poorly coached into them by a prescriptive and repetitive training system which would bore the most amiable and pliable player. This is being reflected on the pitch, there are players who try, but there are also players going through the motions.

That’s been the problem this campaign.

The visitors had the better of the game, Bianchini gave the ball away lazily on eighty six minutes, solid proof the determination had long been sucked out of this Swans side. Luke Williams response to get a goal was to take off the Swans top scorer, Liam Cullen and replace him with Joe Allen. That would later be seen as a master stroke. As we said, ‘What’s the crack then Luke’ ? Williams naivety at times has been galling, but this time, maybe this time it would come good ? His squad tactics and in game management has always been under question, admittedly he has some poor players at his disposal but he is the one who takes the plaudits and the blame. An attack at the death of the game saw Grimes put in a dangerous ball, it bounced off a Swansea head fell to Ronald (below) who calmly crossed for of all people, Joe Allen to head home.

It was the perfect touch from a player who always gives his all.

The Swans never looked like scoring in this game, and the fact they did will give many a Swans fan some faith in some of this team. What we have seen today is just exactly what was expected. Certain Swans players putting in all the effort they could. In the main Williams has little to come off the bench to assist the attack. And that is the issue. The Swans players did applaud what was left of the crowd come the final whistle, it really wasn’t brilliant but it was an enjoyable game. The unexpected goal to get a point pretty satisfying. However, the low crowd in attendance, the week that has just gone, and so many more questions still need answering. And definitely not in the way we have heard since the Swans beat Luton.

The highlight of the day was the arrival of Joe Allen, the Baggies supporters greeted him with a chant ‘We thought you were dead, we thought you were dead, Joe Allen we thought you were dead’ We can only respond with ‘He scores with his head, Joey Allen, he scores with his head’ It was a good comeback by the Swans but those who got busy and bothered to turn out to support our team are the real heroes today.

⚽️ Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux 7 Josh Key 6 Cyrus Christie 5 (Kyle Naughton 75) 5 Harry Darling 7 Josh Tymon 6 Matt Grimes (captain) 7 Gonçalo Franco 7 (Azeem Abdulai 88) Liam Cullen 6 (Joe Allen 88) 6 Ronald 6 Jisung Eom 6 (Myles Peart-Harris 75) 5 Žan Vipotnik 5 (Florian Bianchini 57) 5

Unused Substitutes: Jon McLaughlin, Jay Fulton, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Ben Lloyd.

⚽️ West Bromwich Albion: Alex Palmer, Darnell Furlong, Mason Holgate, Callum Styles, Jed Wallace (captain) (Tom Fellows 57), Jayson Molumby, Josh Maja (Grady Diangana 80), Torbjorn Heggem, Ousmane Diakite (Alex Mowatt 57), Karlan Grant (Devante Cole 80), Mikey Johnston (John Swift 67).

Unused Substitutes: Joseph Wildsmith, Kyle Bartley, Caleb Taylor, Uros Racic.

Referee: Sam Allison 6/10 : Tried to keep the game flowing

Attendance: 14,729
1,372 away

Photographs Swansea City AFC

jacktar added 18:19 - Jan 4 With regard the poor crowd, I think it's fair to say that there is an amber weather warning in place and many travelling fans would not take the risk especially with the game on Sky.
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sw02sea added 14:13 - Jan 5 I watched the game, and no way was Darling’s superb professional performance only worth a 7. considering his transfer situation he gave his all for the shirt. If these new investors are serious they need to shell out and secure his contract for another 3 years. Worth every penny
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