Football News: Swansea City v Nottingham Forest Review

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Swansea City v Nottingham Forest Review:

I am pretty sure that I will not be the only person to describe the game as a perfect away performance because that is exactly what it was against a side top of the league who had score 14 goals in their previous 6 fixtures.

Some fans on the way out said that this was another smash and grab performance but I would have to say that in my humble opinion this was way way off the mark for a game that whilst we may not have comp[letely dominated the game we did for very large parts dictate it.

A very bright start saw us go close several times with Ameobi in particular having a great chance well saved by the goalkeeper.

Forest were pressing high up the pitch and a cheeky effort from Grabban came back off the top of the bar into the keepers arms and we really should have been one or maybe even two to the good inside the first 20 minutes .

Swansea for their part looked at sixes and sevens at the back and for some time were really unable to effectively clear the lines before the game settled down for the remainder of the half with Swansea having more of the ball but due to the pressing and tactical set up we were disiplaying not really doing anything threatening at all .

Certainly the feeling at half time was that we were unlucky in some ways not to be in front but there was no real concern either as Swansea had shown little in the way of an attacking threat.

The second half was truth be told pretty well one of stalemate with both sides playing some neat passing football but Swanseas defencv has tightened up and ours continued to be, as it had been first half, rock solid.

I commented at the time ( honestly! ) that the main chance of a goal for either side would come as the result of a bad mistake and so it proved to be.

Grabban was the recipient on this occasion courtesy of a dreadful pass by a Swansea player WELL inside our half and allowed him to make a long run up the right and crossing for Semedo to tap the ball home.
The rest of the game was played out with no alarms at all in front of some 1250 fans of whom it must be said were yet again magnificent and sounded more like 5,000.

Samba had precious little to do and barring one tricky moment in the first half was a spectator for large parts of the game.

Ribiero continues to look a prospect and Cash, whilst not perhaps ideal as a right back, but circumstances dictate, put on a wholehearted performance and appears to be getting more to grips with his defensive duties.

Dawson and Worrall were simply immovable objects for the Swansea attacking play and it may be that the time is now fast approaching for those of us on here ( me for a start ) to give him more credit and faith in his ability.

Watson is perhaps another player to fall into the same bracket and yesterday he was very commanding in front of the defense and was the link to the midfield time and again.

Sow was perhaps another immovable objest for Swansea yesterday and looked solid and powerful being perhaps harshly booked and Carvalho showed at times the touch and passing ability he is capable of and hopefully will take this forward into the rest of the season.

Adomah had one of his less effective performances yesterday without doing anything particularly wrong.

Ameobi worked tirelessly covering the pitch from one end to the other and yet again waqs constantly back helping the defence out if it was needed.

Grabban is another player who can split opion on here and I have been critical in the past of his perceived lack of effort at times but I have to say, again, that this season he has put more effort in than previously and the team are reaping the rewards.

I mentioned earlier that he provided the cross for Semedo to score but perhaps didn't emphasise that although he was presented with the ball by a poor pass he still had lots to do and lots of grass to cover to put the chance on a plate for Semedo.

All of our games this season have been against sides currently well in the top half of the table of the table from a manger and squad pretty well put together at the eleventh hour but there does appear to be an energy and belief amongst them whichever 11 take to the pitch.
We look for the most part like a team who are difficult to break down and defensively as solid as for some time.

I have read media reports saying Swansea looked lacklustre etc and I myself have posted on here in the same vein about teams we have played eg Fulham and Birmingham looking well of the pace and not really turning up without perhaps not giving due credit to the way that we are playing and perhaps stifling and not giving them the opporunity to play.

Barnsley and Stoke next up and playing sides like this has often proved our Achilles heel in the past so a test of a different kind is looming but I personally think we will prove to be made of sterner stuff and continue to press onwards and upwards.

So until Saturday
As always

COYR.

Written by creepy1 September 15 2019 10:32:08