Swansea v Middlesborough

[jackaway]

Both teams are going through a bad run, both drew their last game. Boro had a good draw at high flying Forest on Tuesday whilst we failed to win at home again on Wednesday. They have an extra day recovery time although the long trip down probably negates that.
I’m sure we’ll rotate the squad, Routledge is missing through injury again. Carroll serves a one match ban after two yellows and a harsh sending off against Blackburn which prompted Cooper to speak out about the standard of refereeing with two penalty appeals turned down as well.
Last home game before Xmas so hoping for an early Xmas present tomorrow!

[jackaway]

Swansea City 3 - Middlesboro 1
Ayew 22’ (pen) - Tavernier 59’
Ayew 71’
Surridge 73’s

Team:
27 Woodman, 23 Roberts, 44 Cabango, 5 van der Hoorn,
24 Bidwell, 28 Byers (Fulton 60'), 8 Grimes, 21 Dhanda( McKay 68'),
22 Ayew, 19 Surridge, 10 Celina (John 72')

Subs:
1 Nordfeldt, 3 John, 6 Fulton, 7 McKay, 9 Bastón, 18 Kalulu,
26 Naughton

[jackaway]

Mr Cooper:
I’m pleased for the fans, it's been too long, we know that. The team and I have not shied away from the fact we have not won enough games at home this season.
So, however it came, it was important we won a game here and in general it is a small step back to the team we want to be at the Liberty.
I felt we were the better team and deserved to win, I think we were the team who wanted to play with the ball and try and create proper chances. I would have liked more of it, truth be told.
In terms of the red cards, with no disrespect to Jonathan Woodgate or Middlesbrough, I thought they were both red cards."

[jackaway]

So we got the early Xmas present we needed, now we have to build on this win at Luton next week.
Two sendings off on Wednesday, another two yesterday, but this time both reds for the away team.
Ayew the hero again, two goals (one pen) to take his tally to nine goals this season and one from Surridge.
Match highlights:
https://www.swanseacity.com/news/highlights-swansea-city-v-middlesbrough

[Iolo]

It was a strangely quiet atmosphere in the ground yesterday, as if the fans were waiting for the team to slip up again. When M'boro equalised second half we thought it was "deja vu" but the two sendings off changed the game.
Why we didn't score a hatful of goals when they were down to 9 men I don't know. We just passed it sideways and back to see out the game rather than using the width of the field to attack in force. We let them off lightly in the end.

[Estoban]

Boro fought bravely with nine men but Swans let them off the hook in the end.
Ayew will be a big loss next month if he goes, which is likely as we cannot sustain his high wages, Baston the same.
With Surridge getting a possible recall from Bournemouth it could be a traumatic time in the Swans camp.