A reported 1,400 Swansea City fans watched their team in a 2-2 draw at St Andrews, Birmingham last night. The point saw the swans rise to eighth in the league table but yet again the mentality displayed throughout one half of football let them down. That’s three points gained from a possible twelve over the last four games which many will feel should have been so much more.

A well watered pitch greeted the swans under the lights in Birmingham, the blues in a very positive frame of mind after a 2-1 away win against Stoke City on the weekend. The opening exchanges did not bode well for the swans who fell behind after more defensive misdemeanours from a cross by Emmanuel Longelo. His speculative ball found Scott Hogan in loads of space and he easily headed home. All this whilst three Swansea defenders joined the crowd in watching the game. The blues have the best defensive record in the championship, but Swansea have earned more points in the league from losing positions than any of their peers.

Or was it all going to give ?

Swansea boss Russell Martin said after the game. “We have conceded far too many goals for the amount of shots and chances we give away, so we have an issue with that. However, some of the football first half was outstanding - we had some incredible performances. That's why I am frustrated." Frustration is becoming the buzz word for the season.

You can’t disagree with his comments on the first half but the second half saw a team far too negative, and far happier to return to the frustrating defensive attitude that has plagued them all season. And indeed that lesson continues to be lost on the players on the pitch and surely now is also an issue with Russell Martin’s instructions to the team at half time in this game. Once again that blind spot in not being able to kill off a game as highlighted after Birmingham City equalised late on and the swans swarmed all over their hosts. The question has to be why wait until it’s too late to try and win the game ? Having spent forty minutes preserving a lead that was obviously not going to work, and substitutions which were mismanaged to an extent, the game was simply thrown away.

It’s games like this and the point earned at Bristol City which feel like defeats because they are entirely unnecessary. All this after a twenty five minute spell in the first half which saw Ryan Manning and Olivier Ntcham tear strips off the home side which resulted in an equaliser from Ntcham, and a superbly struck shot from Matt Grimes. His first Swansea goal in sixty eight games. That Swansea City, the one we saw for that highly entertaining and totally dominant period is what frustrates Swansea fans the most. If the team were downright hopeless then that would be accepted to an extent, but they are not. When in that first half mindset not one team in this league can live with them.

The passing was sharp and sweet, the positioning exceptional, and the endeavour unquestionable. But then as we have seen all season the side fall back on old bad habits and more points are lost. Troy Deeney scored the blues equaliser, just as he scored the winner last season, and once again from a set piece. Swansea just don’t seem to have the light switch working in these situations at all. And it’s now becoming a regular occurrence. Martin again admitted that frustration as ever is the key word. “If you look at last year when we went behind, very rarely did we get back into the game. The courage they have now to bounce back in tough moments in games is because they have come so far in their journey, but now we have to improve the next bit. I’m frustrated for the supporters, players and staff that we didn’t win but I can’t be disappointed with the performance because to do some of the stuff that the players are doing is not easy. The journey you have with young players — and we’re the youngest team in the league — you expect a bit of pain”

A bit of pain maybe but constant pain and a lack of organisation every game is the issue. The determined persistence to include a player like Matt Sorinola in the squad and then for whatever reason to bring him on when strength, vision and guile is needed is becoming extremely questionable. His introduction saw him receive the ball on a number of occasions and fail to see options ahead of him. It really is not a nice thing to say but this player isn’t good enough at this level at all. We have all seen him this season and his contribution is weak and lacks what Russell Martin needs in his players when leading in a game against a team like Birmingham City.

Sorinola may have a fighting spirit, he definitely has skill, but endeavour is also required and his build is just not strong enough in this league. John Eustace, the blues manager sounded relieved at the end of the game. "Second half I thought we were much better with our shape. That never-say-die attitude was there to be seen again.Swansea are a top team at this level, they play fantastic football. For me the most pleasing thing is the character we showed to get back in the game and the subs making a difference." The reason of course that Birmingham looked better in the second half was the complete switch to a negative attitude by the swans. And that has to come from the manager.

There have been far too many games this season when this has happened. And regardless of the result on Saturday at Huddersfield Town which signals the end of this part of the season, it cannot go on. The repetitive errors and mistakes caused by a reluctance to go and win games, the negativity yet again displayed last night just has to stop. Swansea City find themselves in a very decent position in the championship, and that’s down to the hard work of the manager, staff and players. However, no team can be as frustrating as this Swansea side this season.

It isn’t a one off and it has to stop, this season offers Russell Martin a wonderful opportunity to really get things going for the swans. If it is his guidance that creates this ridiculous negative mindset such as we saw again last night then it needs some serious reflection. If it isn’t then please stop making substitutions like taking off Nathan Wood for Matt Sorinola. We know selection is hard and with a squad that is limited choices are hard to make. But these (again) are the games that should be won, especially when you look at the bench and you have Armstrong Oko-Flex and Jamie Paterson sitting there staring at you.

Once again an away point feels like a loss and at some point the manager has to take the blame. Not his young players who by all accounts because of their age give you pain. Fortunately after Saturdays game the swans boss has some five weeks to address these painful moments. He hasn’t got that many players who will be away at the world cup, four at most. So come the restart we expect a lot more and a far better understanding of what game management means if you want to have a successful season.

Birmingham City:: Ruddy; Colin (James 88), Sanderson, Trusty; Graham (Hall 68) Hannibal, Chong (Jutkiewicz 77), Bacuna, Longelo; Deeney (C), Hogan.

Subs not used: Etheridge, Friend, Bellingham, Leko.

Goals: Hogan 12, Deeney 90+1

Yellow cards: 🟨 Deeney 15, Bacuna 53, Sanderson 90+3

Swansea City: Benda; Wood (Sorinola 71), Darling, Cabango; Latibeaudiere, Fulton, Grimes (C), Manning; Ntcham (Obafemi 84), Cundle (Cooper 60) Piroe.

Subs not used: Fisher, Paterson, Oko-Flex,Kyle Naughton.

Goals: Ntcham 30, Grimes 45+2

Yellow cards: 🟨 Manning 15, Wood 50, Darling 51, Fulton 76

Referee: Andy Woolmer : 7/10 Pretty decent considering his history with Swansea

Attendance: 15,494 (1,416 away)

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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