Swansea City 3 - West Bromwich Albion 0

oshawabaggie:

We were well beaten. Swansea were faster and outworked us completely in the first half. Hovis was isolated up front and consequently ineffective. Their first goal was a little fortunate when Ollie slipped, but their second was down to some horrible 'defending' first by Brunt and then Dawson. All their goals were clinically taken and a lesson to our forwards. Brunt's substitution in the 72nd minute was 72 minutes too late.

Our second half performance was better, when we pressed further upfield, but by then Swansea had the game under control. If you are going to lose 3-0 you might as well press from the start and risk getting caught on the counter instead of sitting back. With our first half shape we could have played all season without getting a look at goal.

Mulumbu and Gardner at least had a go. Sess and Mozza were an improvement over Dorrans and Brunt.

Irvine and staff have a mammoth task to mould a winning team before we find ourselves propping up the league. He has to have the courage to drop the captain if he can't perform. Oh and bring back Mac. Sorry to be so negative, but there was not much to be encouraged about.

Steve Fereday:

Last weekend we played so well at Southampton, so I just did not see this performance coming on the back of that. Albeit, that League Cup game in the week was a shocker.

It's early days I know, but I agree with Oshawa, and Brunt should not start for us again. He is not good enough, and IMO has not been for a long while.

Also worryingly, the full backs were given a right run around. I hope that it's just fitness (which is also crazy) and nothing more. But for God's sake, let's get some creativity in midfield, or Ideye is going to be really lonely up there.

Didcot Baggie:

Well that was a long to go to see your team well beaten with a performance that was so similar to many of last seasons worst efforts. No creativity, too many individual mistakes and second to winnable balls. Nobody emerges with much credit and I see little point slagging off players who we expect to do more than they are capable of.

My hope is that in a month's time the new signings (another one today!) will have settled in and the first XI will be very different from what we saw today. Only Foster, Mulumbu, Gardner, Mozza, Gamboa and Brown are justifiable to be involved from todays crew.

Paul Gainham:

Against two average sides and one good. Simply not good enough when you consider our next 5 games are against Everton, Tottenham, Burnley, Liverpool and Man U – we will be lucky if we are on 5 from 24 and will most definitely be in the bottom 3 then.

I am struggling to find the words to describe just how utterly crap we were today. Please, please, please dont listen to the BS that a) our new players are still bedding in or b) Olssons slip was the reason for the first goal – it contributed but Dyer had already beat 3 players before that.

No, Irivine step forward and take the bow for the most pathetic piece of coaching I think I have ever witnessed. Not only did you guide our team to sit back against one of the best, slickest footballing sides in the division which is ALWAYS doomed to failure, you left our most creative player, Sessegnon, on the bench from the start (who made a difference when he came on in the 2H but it was too late then, already 2-0 down you muppet) AND you ONLY make substitutions, yet again, in reaction to an event, not a proactive, foresighted bone in your body. We go 2-0 down so you bring Sessegnon on in the 2H – we were utterly s*** in the first, why not bring him on earlier?? We then concede a third goal before you deem it fit to bring on Gamboa and Morrison – great move, really will make a difference!

Pathetic.

As for the players, the only one to walk away with any credit today was Sessegnon. When he came on, he started to open up space and bring others into the game, problem was everyone around him was utterly useless so we failed to capitalize on it.

Ideye making his full debut was awful, he has the touch of a trampoline and was easily handled by Williams – I thought this guy was supposed to be pacey?? I reckon I could have him over 50m.

Nope, we are in for some dark days ahead, Preston and Sheffield Weds fans both said the same, the football under Irvine was the worst they had seen and I now understand what they mean. He is cautious, defensive, won’t change, gets his teams to sit back.

Woeful.

As we take more hammerings from the top teams, he will revert to ever more defensive tactics which will be a self-defeating prophecy.

I am angry, bloody angry as I type this but I have been saying this since he was signed and won’t change my view. It was an awful appointment, the first 3 games have confirmed that and there is only one way we are heading now.

Player Marks

• Foster 5 Could not really be faulted for the goals
• Wisdom 2 Pathetic, struggled to pass to a player in his own team
• Davidson 2 A championship defender at best on this showing
• Olsson 2 Had a mare today
• Dawson 2 Not the worst, really played as good as he can
• Dorrans 1 Pathetic, what happened to him today? Everything went wrong
• Gardner 3 Tried but never really got into it
• Mulumbu 2 Never got started
• Brunt 2 Back to the dark days of last year
• Berahino 1 Simply awful, can’t think of one really positive thing he did today
• Ideye 1 £10m??? Someone is having a laugh

Subs

• Sessegnon 6 Why oh why not bring our most creative player on from the start? He came on and made a difference.
• Morrison 3 Cant remember anything particularly positive from him
• Gamboa 3 Supposed to be quick? The Swansea winger waltzed past him on 3 separate occasions

Coach 0 Has to be a big fat zero. It was that bad it almost has me pining for Clarke to come back.

Russ:

I’ve read some reactionary nonsense in my time but this list really has taken it into a new gear! I was at the game and my opinion is as follows:

For the first goal there were a combination of errors (pick your favourite) Olsson tries to shield the ball to let it run (or allow Foster to collect. He slips and Dyer is on it like a tramp on a sandwich. A) Foster could have been faster and more commanding B) Olsson could have kept his feet, or hoofed it out for a corner. In the absence of either Dyers persistence and excellent composure to finish earned his team a 1-0 in minutes. Shortly after this Olsson left the pitch and headed straight down the tunnel for 2 minutes. I don’t know whether he changed his boots or went for a pooh.

Dyer continued to torment our left side and I have to lay a lot of my frustration with Brunt. Chris Brunt has quality, we’ve all seen it. But he really lacks discipline (making him a bad choice for captain in my view). All too often he failed to go with his man whether that be Dyer or the right back. And out comes the pointy finger and hands on hips. His body language is as frustrating as his play at times. And there’s no way out of it. He should have cleared that ball in the build up to Swansea’s second.

Dorrans also had a poor game and when you have a poor game against a team like Swansea it really shows you up. Give the ball away in midfield and they’ll be at the edge of your box in two passes Jonjo Shelvey on and off the ball was an excellent example of this in motion. Fortunately his finishing was dreadful (is he the white Mulumbu?).

From 2-0 down we had to come out and press higher, playing perfectly into Swansea’s hands. Irvine appeared to have no answer. We were fortunate not to head into the half time break 3-0 down.

After the break and with Sessegnon on I thought we were much brighter, although Swansea may have eased off a little waiting to hit us on the counter. From set pieces we looked a threat and I think it was from a corner somewhere between the 60th and 70th minute Olsson had a free header which he should really have scored. I genuinely believe if we’d have scored that then points were on offer.

Shortly after, Sessegnon I think it was, who really gave us attacking impetus second half, grazed the bar, and generally looked threatening. Morrison also took a few pop shots, one of which was extremely well saved. So we did have our chances in the game.

However failure to take those chances told, as Swansea did eventually get the swift counter attack they were looking for and made it 3-0 and wrapped up the game.

There are still players to show themselves and relationships to be formed but there is some quality there. I hope Irvine can unlock it. Goal threats worry me though. Berahino did not get enough shots away today. But I suppose there’s and argument that Swansea’s good play and our poor play were the cause of that.

Anyway, I wouldn’t write us off just yet. My target would be to try to get two wins from the next five games. A big ask, but never impossible.

Takapuna Baggie:

Let's not tolerate this.

Pace now on the wings. Sack Irvine, Kelly and the other 2 hangers on.

Employ Pulis and Paul Clement who won't come unless promised the job in 20 months.