Derby v Swansea

[jackaway]

Derby v Swansea Sat 14 Feb 15:00
Are we finally clicking as a team under Matos? Yes for sure, the improvement is there for all to see as we get better with each game.
Derby are up next in a tough run of games this month against teams above us and it will be a test to see how much we’ve improved.
After Derby we have a week off before facing three games in a week and with our high intensity play we will need to rotate the squad.
Sat 21/2 Swans v Bristol City 12:30
Tue 24/2 Swans v Preston 19:45
Sat 28/2 Ipswich v Swans 15:00
Back to The Rams and when we faced them at the .Com it was Matos’ first game in charge. Derby were on a roll at the time, taking 18 from 21 points to move within goal difference of the play-offs, coming away with the 3 points in a 1-2 win.
Presently they are 3 points ahead of us and just 2 points from the play-offs.
Strangely they are playing better away from home with 7 wins in the last 10 games culminating in the 0-5 trouncing of Bristol City last away game.
Then surprisingly next game they go and lose at home to Ipswich 1-2.
Their home form is poor though, with only 1 win in the last 8 games, which potentially gives us a good chance of getting something there if we can continue our improved form.
We meet up again with ex-Swan Rhian Brewster, who was so good for us in his loan spell from Liverpool in 2020, scoring 10 goals in 20 games.
He could never replicate that scoring form when he moved to Sheff Utd, scoring just 8 goals in 106 games. He then moved on as a free agent to Derby last summer and has scored 4 goals in 21 games so far, missing 7 games through injury.
Their manager is John Eustace, who turned us down in the summer of 2021 after Steve Cooper had departed. He was assistant manager at QPR and agreed to come, then changed his mind citing personal reasons, which consequently led to Russell Martin being appointed.
Tough to predict this one, I’m going for the draw, 1-1.

[Estoban]

Here’s Vitor’s pre-match Press Conference:

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

[Estoban]

Big surprise that reserve goalkeeper Fisher was offered a new two year contract and he accepted. Must be happy warming the bench.
Not so much Fulton, I thought he would be offered a one year contract as he’s been playing well recently.

[Estoban]

Eom replaces Nunes in the only change

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, Gustavo Nunes, Leo Walta, Joel Ward

Derby: Josh Vickers, Matt Clarke (c), Patrick Agyemang, Rhian Brewster, David Ozoh, Sam Szmodics, Callum Elder, Joe Ward, Ben Brereton Diaz, Dion Sanderson, Oscar Fraulo.
Subs: Richard O'Donnell, Derry John Murkin, Craig Forsyth, Danny Batth, Carlton Morris, Lars-Jorgan Salvesen, Liam Thompson, Jaydon Banel, Bobby Clark

[Estoban]

Derby 2 (Brewster 47’. Agyemang 67’) - Swansea 0
Dour first half. Two minutes into the second-half and we were caught sleeping from a corner for ex-Swan Brewster to fire in unmarked.
Twenty minutes later and another corner, the statuesque Stamenic out jumped by the giant Agyemang.
Poor defensively and in the final third, Derby walked it with 28% possession.
Back to the drawing board as once again we flatter to deceive when in a strong position in the table, so disappointing.

[Estoban]

Match report

https://www.swanseacity.com/news/tea...swansea-city-3

[jackaway]

Post match reaction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmvZQ5k6JCY

[jackaway]

Match highlights

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

[jackaway]

Our set piece weaknesses are back, both goals conceded by poor defending against a team that had poor home form.
We need to sort this out in training this week as we have tougher games ahead.

[jackaway]

Unbelievable Fisher offered a new contract, there is better out there.
Look out if Vigouroux gets injured.