Stoke v Swansea

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Stoke v Swansea Sat 13 Dec 12:30
Stoke are our next opponents this Saturday, third of six matches in December.

As a matter of interest here are some of our next matches. I had to look all the way forward to 7 March 26 to find a traditional Saturday home game at 3pm, which is the return fixture against Stoke.
In between we have a mishmash of days and times, thanks to Sky.
Swansea v Wrexham Fri 19 Dec 20:00
Coventry v Swansea Fri 26 Dec 15:00
Oxford v Swansea Mon 29 Dec 19:45
Swansea v West Brom Thur 1 Jan 15:00
Millwall v Swansea Sun 4 Jan 15:00
Swansea v Birmingham Sat 17 Jan 17:30
Swansea v Blackburn Tue 20 Jan 19:45
Hull v Swansea Sat 24 Jan 15:00
Watford v Swansea Sat 31 Jan 15:00
Swansea v Sheff Wed Sun 8 Feb 12:00
Derby v Swansea Sat 14 Feb 15:00
Swansea v Bristol City Sat 21 Feb 12:30
Swansea v Preston Tue 24 Feb 19:45
Ipswich v Swansea Sat 28 Feb 15:00
Swansea v Stoke Sat 7 Mar 15:00

Stoke are at Ipswich tonight. Last Saturday they lost 4-0 at Sheff Utd, their fourth defeat in the last five games. Last home game they lost 1-2 to Hull. Not in the greatest of form then.
Swansea however should have taken a lot of confidence from those two home wins and will hopefully give Stoke a good game.

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The coaching teams work visa applications are at the appeal stage apparently after being initially turned down.
A bit of a farce if you ask me.
We have an unknown number of illegal immigrants that the Government now admits are lost in the system and wandering the country untracked, after being encouraged to cross the Channel. Who knows what their up to, drugs, rape, robbery and all sorts.
Yet they can’t give genuine qualified coaches from a friendly European nation, Portugal, work visas to assist our Portuguese manager.
It stinks.

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Vitor Matos Press Conference ahead of Stoke

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSK3F9uNLco

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More confirmation that backroom staff visas are almost done:


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football...s/c79x70zp340o

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Here we go:

Swans:
Lawrence Vigouroux, Ethan Galbraith, Ben Cabango (c), Cameron Burgess, Josh Tymon, Marko Stamenic, Goncalo Franco, Liam Cullen, Ronald, Jisung Eom, Zan Vipotnik

Subs:
Andy Fisher, Josh Key, Jay Fulton, Melker Widell, Malick Yalcouye, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Kaelan Casey, Zeidane Inoussa, Adam Idah

Galbraith again right-back, Key is sub, Cullen in for Widell, Vipotnik in for Idah

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Six changes:

Stoke:
Johansson, Tchamadeu, Bocat, Phillips, Wilmot (c), Pearson, Seko, Junho, Manhoef, Thomas, Bozenik

Subs:
Bonham, Talovierov, Cresswell, Lawal, Nzonzi, Rigo, Cisse, Gallagher, Mubama

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Stoke 2 (Pearson 42’ Thomas 60’) - Swansea 1 (Vipotnik 77’)

Swans had the early chances but couldn’t capitalise. The inevitable happened with a break against the run of play when Pearson was left unmarked outside the area to volley home, his first goal in six years. You just know it would be against us.
Poor start to the second-half again. Sub Key comes on and disaster strikes, Thomas completely unmarked on their left for the easiest of chances.
A late fight-back when sub Widell plays a lovely ball from the left for Vipotnik to score. Unfortunately we couldn’t get another although we went close, a ball cleared off the line a a blocked shot from Galbraith as Stoke hung on for the victory

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Match report

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

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Match highlights

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

[Iolo]

We are always the fall guys. We were playing a side that had hit some bad form, but it will be okay the Baggies said, we play Swansea next for some easy points, and there we go, 3 points were offered on a plate.
Two soft goals, both scorers unmarked. Burgess at fault for the first, sub Key completely out of position for the second, leaving their leading scorer Sorba Thomas completely unmarked for the easiest goal he’ll ever score.
We had a late surge and pulled one back, but an equaliser was beyond us.
Idah came on and strolled around contributing nothing as usual, what a waste of space, like playing with ten men.
Key shouldn’t be in the team, he’s a liability and not a capable defender. Burgess came with a big reputation but he makes too many mistakes, Casey deserves a chance. Benson can go back to Burnley, he is another waste of a loan, a right-winger who is incapable of beating his marker, all he does is pass back. He’s a shadow of his former self since his injury.
And there we have it, a lot of things to sort out for Vitor Matos.
The January transfer window is an opportunity to right the wrongs of the last one.
A right-back the priority as the opposition are targeting our flanks, seeing our weakness there.