Re: Swansea 64% possession 64% possession but losing 1-0, sums them up. Look at the way they play, they pass the ball between the back 4 and keeper - their theory is that if the opposition don't have the ball then they can't score. Premiership sides lay off you and give you time which suits them down to the ground but they have little end product. The way to play against them is with a high-line, pressing their back line - but until recently no-one has done this.
Re: Swansea 64% possession Spot on mate. Had possession for about a 5 minute spell and never reached the final 3rd. 70% of the time they've no intention of trying to score. Only time they look threatening is from dead ball situations. Couldn't watch that every week.
Re: Swansea 64% possession Me neither - for loads of reasons lol. For my sins I work in Sw*nsea these days and you couldn't get a more deluded bunch. Pundits drool over their passing style and from a professional point of view I can see where they're coming from to some extent. But you've still got to try to go on the offensive from time to time. Luckily, there's only 3 swans "fans" where I work. I say 3 but two are Liverpool fans (one has even named her 2yo Kenny ffs) and one who started going this season, surprise, surprise. And she didn't know who Arsene Wenger was. Anyway, back to my point. They have fallen hook, line & sinker for the hype and, for instance, because of his passing stats have argued with me that Leon Britton is a better midfielder than Inniesta & Xavi - and that neither would replace Britton in their side. Hmmmm, worrying really.
Re: Swansea 64% possession Possession stats are pointless, it's the shots on target where they're always lacking. I like the pass and move style but in general, the "move" bit has to be forward a la Barcelona, Liverpool of old and dare I say it, Danny Wilson's Barnsley. We've tried the Swansea style in a few games this season i.e. pass it around at the back and hope you can nick a 1-0 win but it never works 1) Because the crowd are very quickly on the players backs to get it moved forward and 2) our back four are not comfortable on the ball so a bit of closing down results in us giving the ball away.
Re: Swansea 64% possession All about opinions, and I agree with him. Watched the match on Sky tonight and they were boring as fook. The whole point of the game is to score goals and they just don't try to do it often enough for me.
sorry but its not boring. Its a really hard thing to do. Barnsley did it in pre season and most of first half and u18's play that way and it takes a lot of hard work and patience.
Re: Swansea 64% possession Not jealous at all, I think they've had a great season, have played well on occasion and good luck to them - just that I'm not fawning over their style of play like others. I've said before the start of the season that they wouldn't go down (the pro where I play golf is a jack), they're nowhere near one of the 3 worst sides in the division.
Re: Swansea 64% possession What's trying to score? Going long? Direct? Sums up why the England team is so poor when fans say teams that keep the ball 70% of the time are boring, and shows why managers don't try it.
Agree 100%. a player goes sideways or back to keep ball and fans near me in esl go crazy. People need to keep calm like. those who go to watch u18's. Fans need educating like the swansea fans are otmr those that watch our u18's.
Re: Swansea 64% possession You sound jealous. Really jealous. I'm quite jealous, I'll admit that. They are playing really good football and who doesn't want to watch that? And not only are they playing really good football but they are playing it in the Premier League, (arguably) the best (or at least one of the best) leagues in the world. They have beaten Manchester City and Arsenal and are giving most teams a good game, unless some sort of miracle happens they will be lining up against Europes elite (Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City, Spurs) next season as well. I can understand fans of their most hated and bitter rivals trying to knock them down a peg for some reason or another, but I'll just tell you now that it comes across as jealous to any neutral outsider. As for a Barnsley fan saying they "couldn't watch that every week!" I would iron my balls to watch that every week rather than the tripe we have to sit through.
Re: Swansea 64% possession I was referring to last night's performance - did you watch it? 64% possession and never had a shot. That 5 minute possession period was dire, back sideways, sideways, sideways, back, back, back. QPR laid off them and let them keep the ball. They then made absolutely no attempt to run in a forward direction. That is a million miles away from the football played by Barcelona. I watch the U-18's play and they move the ball forward at every opportunity. If they're not challenged they run forward with the ball. I love possession football and showing off your skills but passing the ball along the back four for 5 minutes when there's not a player within 50 yards - I just find that boring as fook.
Re: Swansea 64% possession I didn't see the game last night, but everyone can have an off night. I've seen Barcelona have a couple this year. But in most games this season Swansea have been brilliant. The temptation when you get promoted must be to try and win at all costs, but Swansea haven't done that. They've kept to the principals that got them there . . . . and its not only paid off in terms of results but they've taken some well deserved acolades as well. I can't for the life of me understand anyone having a dig.
