Holmes_and_Watson

Now did that cross the line... yes...yes it definitely did. Quick thinking. Now if that wasour defense, there would be no way Baz would have done that. Just a nod to our relative strength in those situations.

Edozie!!!!

Ah Edozie. Did well to keep it in and control it. Should have passed it and gave it away. Lots of decision making to develop, which you'd expect at his age.

-Interesting set up -57% possession, but we were more dominant with it than higher %s in other games -Excellently worked goal. -We created lots of build up play, but use up all our players doing it, so there's noone waiting for a final pass. So, not many actual shots. -Swansea, who obviously know how we play really well, had a couple of early opportunities. But one at least is form an area we seem more comfortable giving opponents opportunities from. The other was from a set piece. -They tried a couple of long cross field passes to catch us out, but haven't landed any of them. - The interchanging and movement of our team is causign them all sorts of problems. - Stephens might not be quite as sharp as some of the others due to his time out, but looks very keen to get us moving forward, while providing that bit of extra support at the back. - Aribo offers more physicality than Adams, and has become so much mor emobile as the season has gone on. He's done well again, even though some of our style may not be the best fit for him sometimes.

Stu and Edozie nearly linking up there.

Although AA was playing for it. I thought that challenge was a booking, as he would have been away.

Our spell of pressure for a second was a little while ago. Manning taken down. Ref not giving a second booking. We don;t do anything from the free kick.

Interesting passing out form the back from us. Swansea obviosuly knwo what we're doing there. But we played to the next man up on the wing, rhather than the obvious pass, looking to unlock them quicker and catch them out.

Giving away a few freekicks on the trot. Picking up some cards too.

Baz slips. Downes takes the free kick further up.

Another thing to note is that we're not just closing down space. We're absolutely crowding them out defensively. Back in lots of numbers when we need to be. Always that it's just the one goal lead in the back of the mind though...

Stu does such a good job supporting Edozie. Always there to pick up passes, as well as being a thrat by hilself when he's further forward.

More excellent passing from Edozie on the left right across to Aribo. Just needing that space for a final pass. Stephens gets it, goes central and that's a loveley weighted pass for AA to get a shot. Moments later Edozie puts one across the face of goal, waitng for a tap in. It's a shame all our players are involved in the build up. We need one of the,m to be in two places at once, to get on the end of the moves.

Another nice move. They know that AA is always looking outr for a cut back. Nice between Manning and KWP. We nearly got onto the header a minute before as well from Manning's corner.

Baz trying quite long central passes. Both successful, but that second one almost cut out. Clearly a tactic though, so I'm sure they'll have trained for when it doesn;t come off and we have to rapidly switch to defending it. Good pass to get right as it cuts the opposition open in the middle.

KWP roaming centrally there. Manning keeps it low looking for someone to get on the end of it or a delection. Nice play again. Good to see we're able to create and get space to look for more. I was hoping Swansea would still play a little bit as they did under Martin, perhaps suiting our own style, and our better players.

Now that was a lovely MartinBall goal. All the way from Stephens in our own third. Everyone creating space and looking to move into it, as it moves across to the other flank. Our positioning and witdth made that passing structured and easy. Edozie hugging the touchline to begin with, but then using a lovely bit of skill to get past the defender. It looked as though we'd blocked our own shot. Aribo got is leg around the deflection. He had the composire and experience in the final third to keep it low. An excellent team goal, with appluse for lot of us. That took a minute to write, so obviously Swansea get time in our penalty area. Their player got space cutting inside Stephens.

Get in!!!!!

Oooh. Another one from an angle. It's an area we seem to leave open quite a bit, trusting a bit that to score form tight angles is a bit tougher, while we strengthen in the middle.

Ah. We made a bit of a mess of that one. AA went inside where he should have either gone on the other side or left it for Edozie.

Playing completely into our hanfds there...oh... 🙂

From a setpiece, rahter than a breakdown in our normal system. Swansea will know all about Martin's approach, so this one is going to be an interesting to see if they look to exploit anything in particular.

Early good chance for Swansea.

Clearly Martin is recklessly shoehorning in a player, needlessly disrupting an unbeaten system unable to stop himself being too clever by half. Clearly Martin is making good use of the squad and its experience in a busy schedule with injuries and suspensions, while also tactically wrongfooting the oppostion, trusting his players and the work to get the result. I'll be along later to edit... 🙂

Merry Christmas folks!* Other holiday observations/non-observations are available.