Match Report |
Swansea City 0-3 Middlesbrough | |
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Swansea City 0-3 Middlesbrough
Swans slumped to a 3-0 defeat against an excellent Middlesboro side leaving many fans openly critical of the Board for the first time in many years after what was probably the worst Swans performance at the Liberty Stadium.
With Tuesday’s excellent win behind them Swans could have come into today’s game with some confidence. However, Roberto Martinez’s interview screened yesterday would have done little to lift the mood. The scab on what was a sorry affair for Swans ea City was once more picked off the wound as for the first time
The obvious agreement struck by Martinez and Huw Jenkins looked to be a case of neither being critical of the other, and praise after praise issued back and forth. The beneficiary of this was Huw Jenkins and the Swans board with
This revelation would have been the last thing that Paulo Souza and his players needed before such an important game. With Jordi Lopez failing a fitness test, the Swans midfield looked particularly threadbare and the bench was made up of two left backs, four youngsters that had never started a League game and Gorka Pintado. Middlesboro’s bench in comparison included Julio Arca and Tuncay Sanli.
Side- de Vries, Rangel, Monk, Williams, Tate, Dyer, MacDonald, Britton, Orlandi, Gower, Dobbie. Subs- Cornell, Painter, Bessone, Thomas, Richards, Bond, Pintado.
Middlesborough started the better - looking a yard quicker and stronger physically than the Swans. After a couple of attacks they almost took the lead after 5 minutes when David Wheater headed powerfully against the bar with Dorus de Vries beaten all ends up.
It took Swans ten minutes or so to mount their first serious attack with Stephen Dobbie firing a shot at goal from just outside the area that was well held by Welshman Danny Coyne in the Boro goal.
Nathan Dyer was the only Swans player who looked capable of unlocking the Boro defence and Jonathan Grounds resorted to unfair means to try to stop the speedy winger. Unfortunately referee Mr Taylor looked as if he wanted to be everyone’s friend and many of Grounds’s indiscretions whilst penalised didn’t even bring a word from Mr Taylor, just an insipid grin.
Mark Yeats went close for Boro with a left foot drive that flew just over the bar as Boro looked to turn their superiority into a lead. They didn’t have to wait long. On 32 minutes Adam Johnson made a good run down the left. He smashed a low hard cross that flew across the box and into the far corner of the net with Swans defenders looking at one another. The final touch may well have come from one of those defenders.
Angel Rangel made a last ditch clearance to deny Australian International Rhys Williams as Swans looked to hold on until half time. Swans did hold on but Paulo Sousa would have been scratching his head wondering how he could turn this around. A look across at his bench would not have been a source of comfort.
Swans started the second half a little more brightly with Angel Rangel and Nathan Dyer conspiring to create an opportunity for Stephen Dobbie but the Scot fired wide of the goal.
With Swans having their best spell of the game, with their first attack of the second half Boro made it 2-0. Dutchman Marvin Emnes received the ball just outside the box. Garry Monk stood off the striker inviting the shot and Emnes responded by thumping in a thunderous shot into the top corner with the shortest of backlifts.
Paolo Sousa made a double substitution bringing on debutants Casey Thomas and Jazz Richards for the ineffective Mark Gower and Shaun MacDonald.
By way of comparison Boro replaced the excellent Emnes with Tuncay.
The game was now more one sided than ever with Boro stronger in just about every department.
Sousa’s last throw of the dice was to bring on Gorka Pintado for Andrea Orlandi and switch to 4-4-2. Swans were already being outplayed in midfield and the switch did little to change their fortunes.
Ten minutes from time Tuncay rose unchallenged and headed in from a corner to complete a miserable day for
Gorka Pintado did have a late effort cleared off the line but the referee’s whistle for full time came as something of a relief.
So, after just two League games Swans are pointless and bottom of the table. If League points were awarded for money in the bank we would be flying high but money in the bank is little consolation looking up at 23 teams above us.
Just a final thought. Guillem Bauza didn’t feature today and I heard one rumour that he had returned to
The time for action from the Board has arrived. We can not turn the clock back but lessons must be learnt.
Ratings-
De Vries 6 – Can’t be held responsible for any of the goals.
Rangel 5 – Looks half the players he did last year. Can only hope he just not fully fit and not thinking about a move. Monk 5- Awful mistake for second goal. Williams 5 – Looked jaded. Tate 5 – Worked hard but didn’t have a good game.
Dyer 7 – Swans only serious threat. MacDonald 4- Chances don’t come too often for Shaun but for the second time in a week he’s blown a golden opportunity. Britton 6 – Only midfield player to compete. Great reception for his 300th game for the Swans. Let’s hope there’s another 300 to come. Orlandi 5 – Started off quite well but once Swans were behind he was anonymous. Gower 4- Awful game. Didn’t look particularly interested and avoided a couple of challenges.
Dobbie 6- Another to work hard but with little support and against two accomplished centre halves was always struggling to make an impression.
Subs –
Richards 6- Did OK but not the debut he would have dreamt of. Thomas 6 – ditto Pintado 6- Only had ten minutes and did have a shot cleared off the line. | |
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Swansea City 0-3 Middlesbrough
A stunning second half strike by Marvin Emnes was the highlight of a thoroughly professional Middlesbrough performance at the Liberty Stadium. Adam Johnson's 20-yard shot and a close-range header from Tuncay Sanli capped a convincing victory for Gareth Southgate's side who quashed concerns over their lack of goal threat.
 Earlier, Adam Johnson cracked a low drive from the left wing that skimmed past Swans defender Garry Monk to give Boro a deserved lead after 32 minutes. The ball appeared to take a slight deflection on its way into the net but Johnson was credited with the goal. Tuncay wrapped up the points with a close-range header to mark his late cameo appearance. The visitors dominated from the start and should have taken sixth minute lead when David Wheater cannoned his header against the upright from Johnson's left wing corner. Robert Huth blasted the rebound into a crowded penalty area but Swansea were relieved to clear the danger. Just before Johnson's opener, Yeates should have done better when good work from Emnes gave the Irish winger a clear run on goal but he fired over the bar from eighteen yards.  Rhys Williams was booked on the half hour mark for his clumsy challenge on Mark Gower. It was the youngster's only action of note in the first half as he struggled to make an impact on the game. Gary O'Neil on the other hand, worked his socks off; winning the ball for Boro and breaking up the Swans forward movement. O'Neil had replaced Didier Digard in the centre of midfield in the starting line-up and Lita was given his first Boro start after Jeremie Aliadiere was forced to withdraw from the squad on Friday after he picked up a hamstring strain.  Swans' fans favourite Leon Britton made his 300th appearance for the club and worked Boro hard in the opening half hour. But as he and his colleagues ran out of steam, Southgate's side took control of the game. A couple of scuffed efforts from Swansea striker Stephen Dobbie were the most dangerous threats to Danny Coyne's goal. Yeates was his usual lively self, his neat pass set up Emnes' wonder goal and he almost created a second for the Dutch forward. Tuncay came on for the final 25 minutes of the game as Boro enjoyed a comfortable period of possession when their passing and movement exposed the defeciencies of Paulo Sosa's side. The Turkey forward grabbed his first Boro goal since May's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa when he flicked a header past Dorus de Vries from Johnson's corner.  Southgate will be very satisfied with an impressive performance that suggests Boro possess far too much quality for the majority of teams in this division. Goals: A Johnson 32, Emnes 52, Tuncay 80 Attendance: 16,201 Referee: Paul Taylor (Herts) Boro: (4-4-2): Coyne,McMahon,Wheater,Huth(c),Grounds,Yeates (Arca 85),O'Neil,Williams,A Johnson,Lita (Franks 79),Emnes (Tuncay 67) Subs (not used): Steele,Hoyte,Taylor,Hines Swansea:(4-5-1): Vries,Rangel,Monk,Williams,Tate,McDonald (Richards 63),Britton,Gower (Thomas 63),,Dyer,Orlandi (Pintado 76),Dobbie Subs (not used): Painter,Cornell,Bessone,Bond |
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