Sheffield Utd v Swansea

[jackaway]

Sheffield Utd v Swansea, Good Friday, 3 April 15:00
With the bitter disappointment of Wales falling at the last hurdle on penalties to get to the World Cup this summer still fresh in our minds it’s now time to move on.
The international break is over and it’s back to league action with the Swans.
They’re off to Sheffield to play the Blades and will have to travel up there on Thursday for Friday’s match, with barely time for our international players to get back in time.
Swans are suffering a blip in form, having lost the last two games and with a schedule of six matches to come this month it will be a big test for Matos and the players.
Sheffield United’s ground, Brammal Lane is a tough place to go and get any points from, with an intimidating atmosphere and big crowds. Yet, they are also on an indifferent run of form, with Wrexham going there and winning 1-2 last time out, which will give us hope we can get something there too.

[jackaway]

Key to miss next three matches, Galbraith possibly missing Sheffield match, details here:

https://www.swanseacity.com/news/josh-key-miss-easter-fixtures-ethan-galbraith-being-assessed-ahead-sheffield-united-trip

[Estoban]

Hoping Galbraith makes it, a big miss if not. I like Key in an attacking role, better than Ronald who has no output but defends well, maybe swop places. Anyway Key injured, maybe Galbraith, so Ward or Samuels-Smith the alternatives in the right-back position.
Matos says “We need to approach this game with hunger”, let’s hope so. We do not want three defeats in a row.

[Iolo]

Hi guys. Sorry but with our appalling away form I see nothing other than defeat. We have a weak spine with lightweight players who get bullied off the ball. Most sides have players bigger than us. We haven’t scored in the last two matches and conceded five goals.
If Vipotnik doesn’t score the rest can’t hit a barn door.

[jackaway]

Big blow, Galbraith out injured. Eom, Fulton drop to the bench. Replaced by Stamenic, Ward and Yalcouye.

Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux, Joel Ward, Ben Cabango (c), Cameron Burgess, Josh Tymon, Marko Stamenic, Goncalo Franco, Malick Yalcouye, Ronald, Melker Widell, Zan Vipotnik
Subs: Andy Fisher, Jay Fulton, Jisung Eom, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Gustavo Nunes, Liam Cullen, Leo Walta, Adam Idah, Sam Parker

Sheffield United: Adam Davies, Japhet Tanganga (c), Tyler Bindon, Gustavo Hamer, Callum O'Hare, Andre Brooks, Harrison Burrows, Femi Seriki, Sydie Peck, Jairo Riedewald, Patrick Bamford
Subs: Luke Faxon, Oliver Arblaster, Leo Hjelde, Tom Cannon, Ki-Jana Hoever, Chiedozie Ogbene, Tom Davies, Tahith Chong, Joe Rothwell

[jackaway]

Maybe not risking Galbraith ready for Monday’s home match against Middlesbrough, who by the way lost 1-2 at home to Millwall in the early kick-off today, a big blow to their promotion hopes

[jackaway]

Sheff Utd 3 (Hamer 16’, Burrows 53’, Cannon 64’)
Swansea 3 (Vipotnik 24’ pen, Idah 75’, Eom 82’)
Easy to see why our play-off dreams have gone awry this season. Twelve defeats on the road, only two other clubs in the Championship have worse away records and our defence conceding a total of 52 goals home and away.
Win five of those twelve defeats and we would have been in the play-offs.
So there was not too much hope today that we would get anything from this match.
So it went the way we thought, a goal down after 16 minutes, flattering to deceive with passing the ball until we lost it. Surprisingly we equalised with a rare penalty award for goalkeeper foul on Franco, Vipotnik sending the goalkeeper the wrong way. Half-time 1-1
Second half we conceded another two soft goals through bad defending and marking. First Burrows then Cannon seemingly putting the game to bed.
The subs turned the game, Idah, Eom, Fulton, Nunes, Cullen.
Well done Idah, who scored and assisted for the Eom goal. We could have won it in the end. Most would have taken the draw beforehand

[jackaway]

Match report from the official site

https://www.swanseacity.com/news/report-sheffield-united-3-swansea-city-3

[jackaway]

Match highlights here

https://www.skysports.com/football/video/30998/13527650/sheffield-utd-3-3-swansea-championship-highlights

[Estoban]

Reaction post match from Vitor Matos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQSfdECB5ug

[Estoban]

Bad news, Galbraith is out for the rest of the season with a calf injury, aggravated by playing in a meaningless international friendly.

[Estoban]

As for the match, a shock comeback from 1-3 down, credit to the players.
Our defence needs sorting in the summer though, too many soft goals conceded.

[Iolo]

Well boys that was a disaster turned into a great comeback by our super subs. I can’t think of many matches where our subs have turned a game in our favour this season. And what about Idah, already written off by some fans, but first game back after long term injury and he gets a goal and an assist, well done to him.
Imagine where we would be this season if we’d had a decent defence.