Swansea (A)- 12/03/06- League

[Shad]

So whose fault was it for the changes? If he had changed the formation and put three at the back then Westwood was the ideal choice, but Mills and Gerrard were on a clean sheet and seemed to be working well together in the 4-4-2- if it is not broke don't fix it.

[Stu]

Must admit Geordie, listening to the commentary it did seem a very strange thing to do. I could have understood if he'd gone 5-4-1, but to change both your backline and midfield, when you were doing perfectly well as it was is a little negative to say the least.

Still, a cracking draw that I'd have taken this morning.

Now let's hope we can find a striker, as we can only blame ourselves for missing a number of good chances to wrap it up today.

Colchester, Southend and Swansea away from home, undefeated in the lot, can't complain.

[Geordiesaddler]

Their goal was a jammy deflected shot after we had 2 great chances to make it 2 or even 3 nil after the subs were made. Again its our failure to take chances that has cost us.

[WFC_Rob]

Their goal was a jammy deflected shot after we had 2 great chances to make it 2 or even 3 nil after the subs were made. Again its our failure to take chances that has cost us.

I agree.
On a positive note, at least we created chances today.

[philthesaddler]

Jammy f*cking b@stards.

[geoffwhiting]

Spot on Geordie, seems like those missed chances cost us more than the substitutions, and even then the equaliser sounds like it was extremely fortunate for Swansea. It was inevitable we'd come under the cosh if they equalised, so the last few minutes was no surprise, if a little bit nail-biting.

Great point and a great battling performance, the transformation in effort and commitment under Broadhurst seems clear. I feel really confident now that we can pull out of relegation trouble under KB, with our run-in of home games.

Even away from home, we now have a lot of hope after these last three away games. What a transformation after Merson's attitude of virtually writing off the away results before the games were even played, with all that "judge me on the home games" claptrap.

Listening to KB on WM just a minute or two ago, KB continues to impress with his calm assurance and common sense attitude.

.

[BathSaddler]

Gutted about the late equaliser, but still a great point. I'm beginning to think that we can turn it around.

I think the criticisms of KB seem a bit harsh, because in his first two games as manager we have gone to both Southend and Swansea and are undefeated. That speaks for itself IMO.

Looking forward to comments from those who were there.

UTS

[philthesaddler]

Great point and a great battling performance, the transformation in effort and commitment under Broadhurst seems clear. I feel really confident now that we can pull out of relegation trouble under KB, with our run-in of home games.

Just shows how much we could have achieved in these two seasons if we hadn't got a clown f*cking up our club.

And to think Bonser didn't want to sack him, well I hope JB feels a right 18 caret gold plonker now.

JBIAFM [Jeff Bonser is a F*cking Moron]

[Stu]

I'd like to think your right Phil, but I've no doubt if Bonser had his way then Merson would still be our manager.

[philthesaddler]

Yeh, thats what I meant. Bonsers hand was forced, and his statement when he sacked Merson was one of regret, thats why I hope he feels stupid now, even he can see that things are improving, such as the team actually looking fit and organised.

[Exile]

I'll take that point happily, thanks. It's a little unfair to criticise KB for that result, when the previous incumbent only wanted to be judged on his home games. :wink:

[Duke]

Great performance super result we could have should have won
but at the end of the day 3 successive away draws againts 3 top teams
just show what a massive difference KB as made

WELL DONE LADS UTS


THE PRIDE IS BACK

[ucow]

before the game i would have been happy with a point but after listening to the comentry i cannot help but think its 2 points lost! but if we can avoid defate on our travels and win our home games then we will be safe for the season and i would take that

[philthesaddler]

Can't we arrest Jeff Bonser for negligence? Keeping Merson in the job, when he clearly wasnt doing his job properly is tantamount to negligence. We know merson wasnt doing his job properly because how the hell has KB managed to improve things 10 fold, with an inherited morally deflated squad.

[Duke]

easy phil KB is a manager Merson is not and never will be

[philthesaddler]

So why was he employed as such for nearly two seasons?

[Neuromantic]

Just got back in, courtesy of the cheesebag mobile.

Ok, today was my first game under KB and i was totally impressed. there was passion, movement and stamina everyhwhere on the pitch. we defended well for most parts, but it could have been 4-4 if im honest, just gutting in the circumstances.

Very very well worked goal for devlin, great volley and good vision from osborn. incidentely, did anyone else notices osborn kick the dugout and throw his shin pads and that to the floor? then KB went over and told him to calm down?

Wish we had their strikers or anyone like them, because barrowman missed two 'goal'den (;)) opportunities, as did fitzgerald, if we geta couple of quality forwards in next season under KB's leadership, we will challenge.

UTS

[Welsh_Saddler]

Can I just confirm all comments so far about "increased passion and commitment" under KB - it was obvious all the way through the team and the game. It's hard to believe that this was almost the same side that rolled over at Ashton Gate and allowed Bristol City to win without losing breath.

However.... can someone PLEASE take Andrew Barrowman to one side and explain the rudiments of the off-side rule to him, because it's obvious he either hasn't got a clue as to what it is, or if he has got a clue he patently doesn't know how to "spring" the opposition's off-side tactics. I reliae it can't be sprung every time, but once or twice would do for a start!!!

That said, a very encouraging performance, and let's not forget that but for Andy Oakes' brilliant last-minute save we would have been on the wrong end of a 2-1. He was booked for time-wasting (which he had been doing right from when we scored after 16 minutes!!!), and Pablo was also booked.

I'm confident about beating the dreaded drop (but I probably won't commit any personal funds to Ladbrokes on it)

[Cheesebag]

Thouroughly enjoyed today and we actually created "CHANCES!!!!" both teams could of had 5, Every time I see Mills he impresses me more. Devlin was super up front, never stopped running and trying to get in behind the Swansea defence. Great Stadium but one question needs answering.

If the Welsh are so Anti English, Why do they sing in English? :roll:

[Bristol Fan]

Great game, good battling performance, but if the radio seriously said Swansea were jammy then they must have been watching something other than the game, which the Swans dominated from the first whistle to the last. That's no different from the majority of our away performances, but there were three crucial differences from the Merson era - first, we actually created a shed-load of chances, with Barrowman missing one sitter and a couple of other decent chances, and James having an excellent chance from a header, and we had others besides; second, we defended manfully and despite the Swans' complete domination of possession, they probably had few more chances than we did; and third, we actually did a set-piece routine which worked, for our goal, with a great free kick from Osborn to Devlin who was perfectly placed to plant the ball home - Christ, looks like we actually did something in training, these last two weeks.

An excellent point, to be sure, and a very committed display from the team, but it was a complete absurdity to make the Osborn / Westwood switch. OK, take Osborn off if he's tiring, but Mills was the main reason we hadn't conceded since he dealt with everything in the air, which is Westwood's weak point, and pushing Mills forward and leaving a weaker centre back behind him was always going to leave us in danger. Just couldn't understand it. Almost Mersonesque, dare I say.

Aside from that - well done. Such a shame we couldn't hang on for three points, but that was the best away performance I've seen in a long time (I missed Southend so don't know how it compared with that).

[Bristol Fan]

I forgot to make two points! One is that Barrowman is absolute rubbish, and the other is that Devlin was pure class.

[Cheesebag]

I forgot to make two points! One is that Barrowman is absolute rubbish, and the other is that Devlin was pure class.

Contstable must be pretty P!ssed off, Barrowman gets replaced bt Fitz when the game was calling out for Contstable.

[sore saddler]

Well, we finally start to look like a team. We have all been saying for months that we have good enough players and that they just needed organising.

KB has done a good job with the defence and midfield and we look a lot more solid. I don't know where he is going to get a striker from so I guess its just a case of experimenting with the players we do have.

I am a self-confessed fan of Standing and I would like to see him on the bench and given a chance for the last 15 minutes of a game playing between midfield and whatever we have as a strike force. A long time ago a manager took a chance and in desperation moved a full back to centre forward ........... his name was Malcolm MacDonald and it turned out to be a pretty good move !!!!

Standing can shoot and beat people ...... it might just work and we have tried most of the other players on our books and still don't have an answer.

Come on KB - what have you got to lose ???????????

[redalways]

The substitions left Mills as the only midfielder capable of defending. James, Leary and Demon were a pretty poor trio, with him.

Keates's injury cost us three points, whilst the return of Krissy Taylor would add some more bite in midfield.

Great start by KB, but home games with no real striker will still be difficult. Chances away from home on the break will not be possible at Bescot with opponents playing more defensive, especially if they take the lead.

We need a striker - worth paying some real wages for 11 games to keep us up. Go for it JB

[ucow]

redalways how would the return of kris taylor give us more bit in midfield? this is the lad who constantly pulls out of tackles and is a more cretive player than a tackler!

[YGA Saddler]

Ill start the ball rolling.

After playing well up there with Paul Mersons Walsall.
Im confident that Kevans Broadhursts Walsall will go there and get a 1-1 draw.

Right again!!!! :lol:
Brilliant result lads.

[Stu]

I forgot to make two points! One is that Barrowman is absolute rubbish, and the other is that Devlin was pure class.

WM commentators actually gave Barrowman quite a bit of praise yesterday. Said that whilst he didn't have much luck in front of goal, his work-rate was as good as anyone else's in the team with his running and committment to chase lost balls.

[Bristol Fan]

His work rate was good, yes, and he did actually get into some good positions. Maybe I was being a bit harsh and we've just been spoiled with Fryatt over these last couple of years. I'll make the obviously-pointless observation that with the number of chances we created, we might easily have scored three or four if Fryatt had been playing for us.

[Stu]

No doubt, and I'm sure all those who used to moan and whing about Fryatt are now realising what a talent he really was... Just emphasises even more how lucky Merson was to have him.

[ucow]

or stu how unlucky we were to have merson managing fryatt!