Whatever it was that made head coach, Luke Williams choose his starting eleven against Sheffield Wednesday it was clear to many it wasn’t going to work. Overall this was a very poor display yet again by the Swans as all the hope from Sunday disappeared into nothing. This Swansea side is simply not being equipped enough to win Championship football matches.

The tempo of this game was slow from the start. No real urgency from the Swans who were happy to slowly pass the ball around with no real desire to take this game by the scruff and make it their own. The Owls looked the more dangerous with a couple of half chances the first superbly tackled by the returning Harry Darling. And it was the Owls who got the first corner of game, that led to nothing but it most certainly got Ronald going. On twelve minutes Ronald put in a lovely cross which frustratingly Vipotnik arrived too slowly into the area and well off the pace.

But it was a warning sign for the visitors when all of a sudden the Swans were far more aggressive and determined after their casual first twelve minutes. That in turn inspired the visitors who responded with an overload on the Swans left, a pass inwards was lashed at by Josh Windass and the danger was over. On sixteen minutes a lovely pass from Darling to Vipotnik which he controlled but then shot high and wide. The Swans were now on top and the space they were finding on their right was causing problems. A chance for Ronald which he really should have tested the keeper went begging. But there was some positives now. Myles Peart-Harris was now looking more lively and making bursts from midfield which was good to see, but most of the Swans work was being wasted by final touches going awry.

On twenty two minutes Darling displaying he hadn’t shaken off all of his rust gave the ball away which resulted in a cross shot from Windass. It was definitely a case of your go our go. As we approached the half hour mark little had been done by either side for a good eight minutes as they settled back into the cautious and slow play we saw at the start. Quite simply either of these sides if they showed some more grit could win the game. It was that even.

A nice move after a quickly taken free kick found Eom who was now doubling up with Ronald but the ideas ran out much the same as it did for Josh Tymon who when in space put his cross out of play. However this signalled to the Swans to press on but they couldn’t muster the effort. Sheffield Wednesday earned a corner on the Swans right as thirty five minutes greeted us. It was now the Owls turn to exert some pressure on the home side. What was noticeable was the Swans had pushed up on their opponents and this was causing them to win balls in midfield. An Eom long throw came in front of the east stand but it was cleared, evidence of the Swans higher press saw another opportunity when Eom put in a cross which Jay Fulton was never going to get to.

On forty minutes Delcroix fouled Paterson and the Swans had to be on alert to clear the cross. Windass had another chance to get a shot in but he scuffed his attempt, now the Owls were pressing. Windass put in a tremendous cross that worried Vigouroux who saved well. He was by far the more dangerous player in and around the Swans area. The Owls were playing the ball about but like the Swans nothing was really working. As the half time break approached the Swans pressed, Ronald a constant thorn in the Owls side, but for all his efforts he was struggling with his final ball.

After a minute of added time the half was brought to an end with both sides surely seeing that they could take all the points. What was noticeable were the half time stats, from thirteen crosses the Swans were successful with just one. There needed to be a more clinical home side this second half.

The second half started with no changes for either side. It seemed both managers were looking to their bench as the next forty five went on. The Swans with Franco, Cullen, Parker, Key and Ollie Cooper to call on if needed to go for the win. A perfect cross from Ronald after good work from Eom and Tymon was met by Peart-Harris on forty eight minutes who directed his header on target but Owls keeper James Beadle got in the way. A good start though.

The Owls then had their opportunities but didn’t take any of them, an assured Harry Darling was cleaning up all before him. I have to say I saw nothing in Vipotnik running around casually and not putting the effort in to actually get to the ball. He was just strolling about. A pointless waste of energy as he hadn’t got anywhere near his opponent all game. More evidence of poor crossing followed from Ronald and Fulton. However Ronald did get a lovely cross in on fifty seven minutes which just evaded Tymon. Wednesday made their subs as Ollie Cooper, Sam Parker, Florian Bianchini and Liam Cullen were warming up.

On sixty six minutes the game collapsed for the Swans. For whatever reason Harry Darling passed the ball to an opponent. That ended up with Windass who crossed low for Michael Smith to pass the ball into the Swansea net. More lack of concentration and you just knew the Swans didn’t have it in them to get back into this game. This was an horrendous moment for Darling and more importantly those Swansea fans who had bothered to attend this game.

Surely they would make a difference whoever came on. It was to be Bianchini for Vipotnik and Cullen for Eom who again had a weak and frustrating game. We were to see Ollie Cooper and Sam Parker as well as the game moved on. All we witnessed though was a team who had no idea as to what they were meant to do.The misplaced passes were back, the lack of thought and awareness too. The Swans simply didn’t challenge for anything and couldn’t construct a move until the very end of the game.

Just a minute or so after Cullen and Bianchini came on their side was one down.

With twenty four minutes left of this fixture the effort and passing fell apart on the pitch if you were wearing a Swansea shirt. No move resulted in a great deal despite Sam Parker putting in two crosses which the away side cleared. Tymon again was trying to push forwards as the ball was being casually passed around the back. There was simply no desire to go a win the game. Even at the end when Jay Fulton got the ball into the net with seconds to go it was ruled out. It seemed very close. However, on a night like this nothing was going to go the Swans way. They had bored the pants off a very frustrated crowd who were letting that fact known to all.

And the disclosed attendance with the away fans taken off that number - surely is a concern.

All this running about and failing to close down an opponent when a sprint was needed to put real pressure on the keeper or defender. It was lazy work by Vipotnik, but he wasn’t the only one. Running about like lost puppies with several players clearly not at Championship standard. You can include Bianchini and Vipotnik in that same sentence. And all the while Franco was left on the bench. You would genuinely hope that he was slightly injured. Because if he wasn’t then Williams needs to pack up and go. We know of course that won’t be the case. Williams was retained when the worst standard of football was on display for years. He didn’t go then and now it’s clear that the appointment of Richard Montague as some form of Jazz Bunny with a computer was the reason. Williams mate was coming in, and Chairman Coleman wasn’t at any stage going to sack him. And now we are certain he will avoid the sack as the club will want to see how he works and takes advantage of Montague’s alleged talents.

Tonight was a circus and this season in the main has been a circus. Amateurish tactics, not choosing a best eleven at the start of this game was met with a few puzzled faces. And now after a disastrous January window we have Delcroix and O’Brien. The latter had a very average game tonight but Delcroix was composed and got forwards whenever he could. The only problem being no balls were coming through. We saw Cullen visibly showing his frustration at the back passing and sideways build up. Twice he got into space which went ignored.

Of course this game was there for winning. But gifting a goal and being totally unaware as to what is going on in front of them the Swans just capitulated. To be honest Luke Williams can say what he wants after this performance - if that is what was. He again displayed his inability to pick his best eleven and sent his side out who were rudderless and clueless. It’s more than evident now that he didn’t get the sack as some form of football director who he is mates with was always on the agenda. For us that IS the agenda from here on in. We are stuck with a manager who sadly is out of his depth. And as a result each game that passes displays just how much.

Amateurish.

⚽️ Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux 7 Harry Darling 5 Ben Cabango (captain) 6 Hannes Delcroix 7 Ronald 7 (Sam Parker 74) 5 Jay Fulton 5 Lewis O’Brien 5 Josh Tymon 6 Jisung Eom 5 (Ollie Cooper 74) 5 Myles Peart-Harris 6 (Liam Cullen 63) 5 Žan Vipotnik 4 (Florian Bianchini 62)

Unused Substitutes: Jon McLaughlin, Josh Key, Gonçalo Franco, Cyrus Christie, Kyle Naughton.

⚽️ Sheffield Wednesday: James Beadle, Max Lowe, Svante Ingelsson (Nathaniel Chalobah 88), Josh Windass (captain), Ike Ugbo (Michael Smith 58), Callum Paterson (Stuart Armstrong 58), Marvin Johnson, Michael Ihiekwe, Yan Valery, Djeidi Gassama (Ibrahim Cissoko 80), Shea Charles.

Unused Substitutes: Pierce Charles, Liam Palmer, Jamal Lowe, Pol Valentin, Gabriel Otegbayo.

Referee: Elliot Bell did okay, 6/10.

Attendance: 14,149
847 away.

Stats and more info in the morning.

Photographs logged with Reuters and Swansea City AFC

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