Swansea v Blackburn

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Swansea v Blackburn Sat 22 Feb 15:00
Okay, the dust has now settled somewhat after the departure of Williams, Harley and Lawtey on Monday.
Caretaker Sheehan and his assistants Margetson and O’Leary will have had four days in training by Saturday to get their own ideas across to the players instead of implementing tactics and game plans that never worked. Some of the players were here when Sheehan last took temporary charge a year ago and will know how he sets teams up. His first match in charge was a 1-2 away win at struggling Rotherham who had their centre-back sent off after 17 minutes. He played a 4-2-3-1 system that day with Jamal Lowe up front, Patino and sub Yates scored the goals.
Oddly enough we play another team without a manager in Blackburn, after John Eustace left for struggling Derby. A strange decision as Blackburn are in 5th position in the table and on target for the play-offs. David Lowe was put in temporary charge and has since had back to back wins over West Brom and Plymouth.
Swansea will need to concentrate on their defending to stem the tide of goals against after conceding 22 in the last 10 matches, a shocking record, not helped by key defender Darling missing three of those matches through suspension. Ironically Darling has been poor since his return with the rest of the defence looking shaky too.
A tough ask to beat an in-form Blackburn but we’re all hoping there’ll be a new manager bounce that will inspire the players to up their game.

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Alan Sheehan press conference

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=romHbVSJ_8A

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Swansea 3 (Vipotnik 39’, Peart-Harris 45+2’, Cullen 62’) - Blackburn 0
Brilliant win against a top six team, and probably the result of the season. Four changes from the awful Stoke defeat, Naughton, Delacroix, Eom and Cooper dropping to the bench.
Instead of the 5-4-1 formation of last week we reverted to a 4-2-3-1 set up, a conventional back four of Key, Cabango, Darling and Tymon, O’Brien and Franco in midfield, Ronald and Peart-Harris out wide and Cullen in his preferred position behind striker Vipotnik.
We didn’t miss Grimes at all with his safety first possession football, sideways and backwards.
This was more entertaining and with O’Brien and Franco controlling midfield we had 14 shots on goal even though sacrificing the possession stats at 46%-54%.
Three goals scored, none conceded, 40 points on the board, 10 points clear of the bottom three, things are looking decidedly brighter.

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Match report

https://www.swanseacity.com/news/rep...kburn-rovers-0

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Match highlights

https://www.skysports.com/football/v...hip-highlights

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Alan Sheehan reaction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...ature=youtu.be

[Estoban]

The perfect new manager bounce!
It makes you think where we would be if we had given up on Luke Williams sooner instead of persevering with him over the last ten games.
It seems from that display that the players had given up on Luke. They showed that they can play and compete with the best in this division.
There were rumours that the players didn’t like his training methods and tactics.
Would Grimes have left under a different manager, he said he left for a club with ambition and Coventry have won the three games that he has played in.
There is no match for ten days now, giving Sheehan some more breathing space to work with the players. I think he de more matches to see how he does

[Iolo]

Huge relief after that win, well done the boys. The three points was the main target in our quest to move away from the threat of relegation and the added bonus was we did it in style against a team in fifth position and that had back to back wins.
Sheehan and his assistants certainly motivated the players, let’s hope they can keep it up.

[Iolo]

Extended highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6ehARi90NA