A 0-0 draw and one point on the board can be looked at as a positive outcome, but it could have been very different.
Swansea enjoyed the majority of possession in the game (my sources tell me it was 75% in the first half and 64% over the full 90 minutes) and I am in no doubt that we will continue to out-pass the majority of teams this year. But we do look to be missing that killer edge in the final third.
This does bring me rather nicely to a quote taken from a football message board post that I came across this week. 'Swansea have ruined football'. A fairly bold statement, I hear you say, and you won't be particularly surprised that it was made by a (probably non-educated) fan of a team not far from Swansea. What a load of codswallop, yet I am impressed that he or she thinks that Swansea City have such an influence on world football. The statement was made in relation to the style of football that we play and the way we like to pass the ball around. I should add that the poster's team had just lost quite comprehensively to another team who play a similar passing game to Swansea.
It did make me wonder however, what do I want to see when I go and watch my team? Good football? Hoof ball? Goals? Possession? Hard tackling? Long throws into the box? A solid defence? I can honestly say that I love watching the way we play. Keeping the ball, passing, being patient, drawing men, finding gaps. Perhaps I'm biased, or maybe I have just gotten used to it. Of course it's frustrating at times when you want your team to press up the field and attack the opposition, but that is how we have played for the last 4 seasons or so and the majority of Swans fans are happy for us to be playing this brand of football. I think it's great that we have continued to play the same way in out first two games at Premiership level, it shows a lot of bravery and courage, but we do need to be able to kill teams off after dominating the game. Ruined football? Do me a favour.
But is it good football? That's the extraordinary thing about the beautiful game, every single fan can have their own opinion. What is good football, and what is bad? I would be much more inclined to call our style 'good football' as opposed to the way teams like Stoke play. It has served them well to keep them in the Prem, but I think it would frustrate the hell out of me watching that week after week.
Back to yesterday... Disappointing to see almost a thousand empty seats in the away end, which meant fewer fans to witness their poor performance. Wigan didn't show any creativity what so ever, lacked a dominant presence in the centre of midfield and provided no attacking threat. However, I can see how they can snatch wins after being dominated for 80% of the game. I remember the last game of last season against Stoke which saw them grab a goal after being under severe pressure for the majority of the match. That goal saw them stay up, and fair play to them for being able to do that. Soak up the pressure and hit teams on the break. The Swans could learn a lot from this for the rest of the season, and possibly learn to do it the opposite way... dominate the opposition, and finish them off!
Final note should without a doubt go to the Swansea keeper, Michel Vorm. Take a bow son. Obviously not called the Penalty Killer for nothing. Brilliant. Another possible title... The Vorminator!
Onwards and upwards Jacks and Jackesses. Sunderland next up at the Liberty. An opportunity for some points, hopefully all three. But first Shrewsbury in the Carling Cup. C'mon the Jacks!!
Total Mileage: 22 miles
v Shrewsbury prediction: A confidence boosting 3-1 win
Pointless fact about Swansea City: The club fields rectangular corner flat due to not having won the FA Cup. Teams who have won the FA Cup can field rectangular flags. What an honour eh?
I found this fairly amusing chart of passes from the game. It looks like a terrible child's drawing but shows how much we pass the ball. I think we covered every single blade of grass in the 2nd quarter of the field!
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