Reading v Swansea

[jackaway]

It’s been a ten day gap in the fixtures as we finally start the holiday period of matches.
Tue 27/12 Reading v Swans 17:15
Fri 30/12 Swans v Watford 19:45
Mon 2/1 Swans v Burnley 15:00
It was some shocking defending again from the Swans at Coventry last time out, where our subs rescued us in the final 30 minutes from being 3-0 down, to pull back 3 goals for the draw. With the wing backs leaving our flanks exposed, Coventry’s high-press had us in disarray until the five super-subs gave us more energy and commitment and turned the game on its head (Cooper for Paterson 51’, Oko-Flex for Latibeaudiere 51’, Allen for Naughton 55’, Darling for Ntcham 55’, Cullen for Fulton 82’).
Head-Coach Martin said: “In the first hour we played some brilliant football but there is no point doing that if we are going to show the lack of energy, the lack of conviction, the lack of reaction to losing the ball, the lack of runs into the box, it's nowhere near good enough”.
Brilliant football and conceding three goals, don’t think so.
On to Reading and we live in hope that the Swans have sorted out their defending.
The Royals lost 3-2 at Birmingham last match after being 3-0 down, so will there be a goal-fest at the SCL Stadium tonight in front of the Sky Sports cameras? Last season we drew 4-4 there after being 1-4 up, conceding a fourth goal in the 95’. This season in the home fixture we beat Reading 3-2 after being 1-2 down at half-time.
In this crazy Championship season where only two teams stand out and any of the rest can beat each other, we sit in 14th position, without a win in 7 games, 3 points off the last play-off spot but with an inferior goal difference and 7 points off a relegation place.
With over half the season gone, we are at a critical stage and better start winning soon.

[Estoban]

Swans: Benda, Wood, Darling, Cabango, Sorinola, Allen, Grimes, Manning, Fulton, Cooper, Piroe.
Subs: Fisher, Paterson, Cundle, Cullen, Oko-Flex, Latibeaudiere, Naughton.

Darling, Sorinola, Cooper, Allen start.
Naughton, Paterson and Latibeaudiere make way, and no Ntcham.

[jackaway]

Reading 2 - Swansea 1
Well, it’s another poor result. It was important that we won this match but once again it was a game of poor defensive mistakes which gifted Reading the win, whilst unable to score ourselves.
The opposition scored first as per norm, Benda palmed out to Carroll who easily lost Wood to fire home. It was closely followed by a missed penalty for a foul in the box by Fulton.
HT: 1-0
Second half a further Reading goal after a few minutes, through faffing about at the back from Benda allowed Ince to fire home for the goal gift of the season.
We pulled one back from sub Cullen, a tap in after Piroe hit the post and Darling missed a sitter at the end to cap a disastrous display.
With only 25% possession Reading won this match, says a lot about our weak team, our set-up and tactics, which is all down to the management.

[jackaway]

Match report -

https://www.swanseacity.com/news/rep...swansea-city-1

[jackaway]

https://www.skysports.com/watch/vide...hip-highlights

[Iolo]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PA9LAYnnGG0

[Iolo]

Boys, we’re not going anywhere with these players. Reading outfought us and showed more commitment. The 2k strong JA following gave up their holiday time to travel to watch them and the least they should expect is some fight from the players. We were lethargic and slow in our build-up. We couldn’t do the basics of defending and up front we couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo.
We also lack leadership on the field, Grimes is the silent captain. He’s supposed to be the on-field link between the coach and the players.
Off-field the coach is too friendly with the players. We need a manager that the players respect but are also a little frightened of, like Alex Ferguson, even the referees were afraid to cross him.

[Estoban]

The spiral down continues and some players need to pull their finger out if they don’t want to see the wrath of the home crowd, who are less patient than the away following.
Never mind the manager, the fans only want to see 100% commitment from every player.
Some parts of the Reading match looked like a training game, and I’ve seen better defending in park football.