For all the talk before the game, the tub-thumping calls to arms and the usual associated blarney Cardiff City showed nothing to back up the verbals in the week leading up to this game. There was controversy as well with referee Darren Bond taking centre stage in the second half.

There was an incredible amount of talk from Cardiff manager Mark Hudson that gave his clubs followers what can only be described as false hope. He has no other place to go though as apparently Cardiff rarely care about this fixture. We all know that to be nonsense of course, but then if you can’t win a fixture after so many attempts it is bound to get boring. There is a style of football associated with Swansea City which is very difficult to repeat unless you have the structure in place initially and the patience for any new manager to develop his own style around the Swansea passing game.

The fact the swans didn’t press on with their advantage in the second half was disappointing for me. It could have been a rugby score, the goal difference needs a nudge but at least now it’s all level. I shouldn’t complain too much. We all saw the chances that were created from Ben Cabango’s thumping shot to Michael Obafemi’s collection of misses. His goal he took superbly, and he could have had far more, that rasping shot in the second half would have broken the net ! It’s nice to see Michael back to doing what he does best. The desperation in the Cardiff defence at times was a pleasure to watch, I do think had the swans got a third it could have been a absolute embarrassment for the bluebirds.

Maybe it was anyway ?

Callum Robinson getting himself sent off was incredibly naive and my personal belief is Cardiff would still have lost the game in any event, their whole team behind the ball ethic stifled play and was extremely negative. Had Cardiff kept eleven on the pitch the game would have been far more open and the swans would certainly have taken far more advantage. It took Swansea a lot of thought and probing to break through the Cardiff defence, more of a chess game than anything else. Darren Bond and the match officials did their best to miss the most blatant penalty I’ve ever seen in all my time watching football. Even with his hairband gone there’s clearly still something blocking his eye line because to miss that is an absolute embarrassment for him. Let alone his officials.

The total dominance of the game comes across in the above stats, and possibly explains some fans frustration in scoring just the two goals. That’s a huge amount of possession in any game against any amount of players. The win has elevated the swans in to fourth in the championship table, something we should all be proud of and with so many games yet to come before the World Cup break.

It’s a pleasing sight is it not ?

Again if we are to be critical then to retain a position like that you have to beat the teams around you. The swans have lost to Burnley, Sheffield United and Blackburn Rovers. Millwall were gifted goals to come back from two down to sneak a draw. So that’s now the test for Russell Martin and his staff. Match those around you and at least then the comparisons made will be worthy ones. Next weeks test is away at Bristol City and then a Tuesday night game away at Preston after that.When you looked at the end of September and then the October fixtures they looked daunting, now this remarkable change has seen Swansea in a fully deserved position in the league table.

Mention has to be made as well of Oli Cooper. Pictured below he played so well yesterday and once again looked at home in this Swansea side, he has been a revelation. If Robert Page (Wales manager) has anything about him he will take this young man with him to the World Cup. He took his goal superbly and was always there to offer an outlet in the game. Something captain Matt Grimes must appreciate.

Russell Martin is taking Swansea City in to territory they haven’t either been in for a long time or have never been in when it comes to these high pressured games. The win rate for the swans is pretty astonishing. And to go fourth in the table as a result is even more pleasing.With all that said we gave to acknowledge as well the players that are missing at the moment. Joe Allen, Ryan Manning, Joel Piroe and Jamie Paterson. At least three of the four I’m certain would have contributed yesterday, so with them slowly coming back there’s a bit of strength in depth as well.

We can sign off this morning with another look at those games played between the clubs over the last eight years. Bar one hiccup it’s total dominance for the swans in this fixture. And long may that continue, well, at least until the end of the season where we hope that both sides go their separate ways.

There you go who says we can’t all have a little smile now and again on Swansea City’s finest website.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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