Season 23/24 | The Official Match Thread | Swansea City v Middlesbrough FC | The EFL Championship

[Skippyjack]

Again, too many of you saying yeah we played well. FFS this is a recurring fckn nitemare. Its happening all the time . I'd rather play crap ( like a boro) for few games and pick up wins, then we can fornicate over ourselves playing pretty.

It's not about winning, it's about the lesson, a lesson teaches, and anyone can win

 

[monmouth]

It's not about winning, it's about the lesson, a lesson teaches, and anyone can win

but we never learn. Not ever.

 

[Skippyjack]

but we never learn. Not ever.

But we can win

 

[Nocountryforoldjack]

Looking at the bench today we’ve got a really decent squad. Just need a manager that knows how to use it.

Sorry but most of this squad is dog shit

 

[Nocountryforoldjack]

I thought we were vastly improved today. It was the first time at home this season we had structure and a clear way of playing. Like it or not, our players are more suited to patient build up play. So I certainly blame Duff. Sheehan’s done more in 2 weeks to shape us than Duff did in nearly half a season.

But yes, we lack individual quality for sure. We did plenty today to get 3 points, but lack a cutting edge and keep making individual mistakes at the back.

We did play done nice stuff in the first half, I missed the second half as I had to take a bereavement call. But at the end of the day it's still a loss, still the same problems at the back and up the front. We could play vastly improved the rest of the season and still lose the games then go down so ultimately it's shit winning the games. If Sheenan is so good why hasn't he fixed the defence?

 

[Mork]

There was a moment against Huddersfield where Rushworth did the right thing and threw it long to Cullen, who then decided the 40 square metres of space in front of him wasn’t worth exploring.
Rushworth did the same again today and put Walsh through. He did decide to “go for it” but despite the head start, was caught and easily dispossessed in a foot race that was like watching Nigel Walker chasing Teabag.
We desperately need pace in January. Someone who’ll get us up into their half and give the back 3/4/5 a break, physically and mentally and get us on the front foot.

 

[sainthelens]

There was a moment against Huddersfield where Rushworth did the right thing and threw it long to Cullen, who then decided the 40 square metres of space in front of him wasn’t worth exploring.
Rushworth did the same again today and put Walsh through. He did decide to “go for it” but despite the head start, was caught and easily dispossessed in a foot race that was like watching Nigel Walker chasing Teabag.
We desperately need pace in January. Someone who’ll get us up into their half and give the back 3/4/5 a break, physically and mentally and get us on the front foot.

The next 2 window's will define everything, get it wrong and doesn't matter who's in charge...down we go. Get it right and with a guy who knows the time of day, then anything could happen. I just don't see us stagnating much longer. Will go one way or tother.

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

But that’s back to the Ramsey comparison. He’s being judged based on what he was like years ago. It’s the best part of five years since Potter and four since the first Cooper season when he first became captain if I remember correctly.

I am not saying he’s the worst player, I’m saying he’s the most overrated. The gap between what he actually produces and how he is spoken about (by commentators and some fans) is wider than for anyone else that we’ve had in years.

This, 100%.

Potter, Cooper and Martin all blew smoke up his ass when they were here. But the litmus test can be found in the fact they all moved on to clubs with loads more dosh to spend, yet not one of them was in the slightest bit interested in coming back here to pinch him off us.

He's not a bad player, he's competent at this level, consistently solid and has an excellent fitness record. But some of our fans go way OTT about him, you could swear he was the bastard offspring of Ferrie Bodde and Leon Britton the way some people talk. Never understood it, never will. It gets a bit weird at times, tbh.

The most average Joe of average Joes.

 

[Skippyjack]

The next 2 window's will define everything, get it wrong and doesn't matter who's in charge...down we go. Get it right and with a guy who knows the time of day, then anything could happen. I just don't see us stagnating much longer. Will go one way or tother.

I'd rather try and get relegated, than not try at all etc.. some people read the quote, but don't understand the true complexion.. this is what Man City and Pep do differently.. their main objective is to suffocate, they don't care about defensive work.. their objective is to seek and destroy, in other words make other teams fold.. but lately other teams are rising to the challenge, watch how Pep tweaks it slightly.. he's done this every time they've had a blip and they go on a crazy winning run.. the pack of the wolf mentality

 

[Skippyjack]

This, 100%.

Potter, Cooper and Martin all blew smoke up his ass when they were here. But the litmus test can be found in the fact they all moved on from here to clubs with loads more dosh to spend, yet not one of them was in the slightest bit interested in coming back here to pinch him off us.

He's not a bad player, he's competent at this level, consistently solid and has an excellent fitness record. But some of our fans go way OTT about him, you could swear he was the bastard offspring of Ferrie Bodde and Leon Britton the way some people talk. Never understood it, never will. It gets a bit weird at times, tbh.

The most average Joe of average Joes.

I don't think he's an average Joe.. managers give him instructions and he follows them to the letter.. that's the problem, sometimes managers who haven't achieved a lot in the game start talking as if they've been there and done it.. Potter, lower league grinder, Duff, average CB, Martin, average RB.. Cooper Welsh League.. Chris Davies has been in winning dressing rooms.. Carrick winning dressing rooms, McKenna winning dressing rooms.. Laudrup, Sousa, Rodgers, Guidolin.. you could say Clement was our achilles heel, but there's a difference between the others.. they are articulate.. Clement and Rooney are not articulate, they're winners, but the others speak well (even through foreign dialogue).. the Americans need to listen to Davies and his tone, I haven't heard him, but an articulate mind means he studies thoroughly

 

[Niigata Jack]

The next 2 window's will define everything, get it wrong and doesn't matter who's in charge...down we go. Get it right and with a guy who knows the time of day, then anything could happen. I just don't see us stagnating much longer. Will go one way or tother.

With Coleman and Gude both inexperienced at this level of Football, they'll need to be fast learners and learn fast or they'll sink and take us with them, business is business of which they both maybe very good at, but Football is a different animal altogether, problem is though their hands will be tied by Levien he's still calling the big decisions without a doubt.

 

[Vetchonian]

Best we've played under Sheehan. Lowe dreadful again as a centre forward. Walsh and Paterson inventive but neither have more than an hour in their legs and their lack of pace compared to Boro was a bit sad to watch. Cabango's poor form continues.

Too many five minute footballers who've been coached to believe passing it backwards will eventually make it go forwards, but show in flashes that they can make stuff happen if they accept risk and responsibility. Tymon, Darling, Fulton play the game facing the wrong way and visibly panic when the backward pass isn't on. All three made things happen when they backed themselves.

Once again you are the voice of reason....we looked so much better today when players "took chances" going forwards...but there is still that thing where we loom to pass sideways or backwards rather than turn or feed the ball trhough

 

[Pentyrchjack]

Thought Isaiah Jones wearing #11 shirt was a class act for Boro and he had the pace to counter attack and cause real problems. Meanwhile, Fulton and Grimes were playing those pointless and increasingly frustrating one two back passes.

We had a strong bench today and used it badly - too many late late changes when chasing the game. Should have said to Paterson and Walsh before kick off “look boys, I’m going to pull you at half time so give it everything in the first 45 mins and hold nothing back”.

 

[K23]

1-2 final score.

Sheehan showed his inexperience as a matchday manager for me.
Took off our best player and instead didn't address the terrible pairing in the middle of Grimes and Fulton.
Left bringing on Bolasie and Yates for the 83rd minute when we were chasing a goal.

Cabango should never be a starting defender for me, his positional f**k up cost us the first goal and even though plenty of blame can be laid at Rushworth for picking up the ball after that you have to defend the indirect free kick correctly and he left the near post.

I know it it's currently the thing to blame Cabango for all our defensive problems but let's get the facts right. It was Darling who vacated the near post on the free kick not Cabango. In fact, Key was also positioned between Cabango and the post and he also left his position and it looked to me like Cabango was doing his best to cover the gap they left and the ball went between him and the post which probably gave the impression he had left the gap.

 

[Pegojack]

As an ex ref at a lowly level for ten years, I've noticed a gradual erosion of some basic football rules almost to the point where they no longer exist, which then always causes a shock when a ref decides to uphold one of them. Like the back pass rule yesterday.
I thought that was one of the clearest back passes you are likely to see, no ifs or buts, and Rushworth should have just blasted it out of the penalty area. I've read Sheehan in the press today trying to claim it was an interception not a back pass, obviously trying to deflect blame from our keeper, but it was a costly clanger, pure and simple.
Two other rules which have almost disappeared are the goalie holding the ball for only six seconds. When was the last time you saw that enforced? And the one which really boils my p*ss, the rule that you have to have both feet in contact with the ground on or behind the line at the moment you take a throw in. Next time you see a long throw, watch the thrower's back leg. Nine times out of ten, it's off the ground at the vital moment, and this gives a big illegal advantage to the thrower.
Here in Spain, their back leg is so high, they are almost kicking themselves up the arse, and the lino does nothing!