Swansea (a) post match thread

[captainfog]

Well I thought that was absolutely fantastic in its own way.

Finally met a team who totally busted our 3-4-2-1, killed it stone dead. We we poor but they made us poor, they filled every space and Sakho and co had no one to pass to, they pinned us back and we had no answer - until we matched them up. So satisfying to see Brendan make such a decisive and match-winning change, his game management lately has been brilliant. We can't be amazing all the time. Mignolet kept us in it first half and we got in the dressing room and sorted it out. I think that's a great thing. The goal celebration was amazing too. This lot are a proper set of lads with a proper manager

Yeah, Brendan won that for us today by switching things round. I was crying out for him to make similar changes against Blackburn. Glad he did it today though and even more happy it worked.

It was a professional performance. For all their dominance in the first half we restricted them to few chances. Only one, when Gomis was through, would you say was gilt edged, the rest were half chances and pot shots.

Allen and Henderson were brilliant once Gerrard came on. They were swamped and ineffectual in the first half, but the extra man in midfield helped them flourish.

[Darkon]

Great result with a not that well performance - really happy we can make those at this stage. So important with the weekend results, now within reach of 3 of the teams in top-4 and put a little bit of distance to spurs/southampton.

I'm already thinking about the game this weekend. That will be HUGE!

[BG1973]

They did but we changed out shape and they didn't know where to press as we overloaded them in the center and stretched the wide areas - especially on the right side.

3-4-3 vs 3-4-3 in the first half and they were all over us as man for man they had us figured. We changed to a diamond in the second half and that helped as we had a spare man in the middle.

Thanks, at halftime my flatmate returned from a 10 day trip of euro carnage, the tales of which replaced the second half commentary or any kind of focus by myself.

All's well that ends well. We got the result and flatmate is off to get himself checked out in the morning.

[Fan65]

The luck was well against us at Old Trafford when we dominated the game but somehow lost and their goalie was voted MOTM having made no fewer than eight saves.

We will batter them at Anfield. The game will be over as a contest by half-time.

If Man U's luck holds out they'll finish about sixth. If not they'll be seventh.

They're really not very good at all

Spoken like a true red

[RedReet]

I don't tend to do match threads (too busy watching football ) so dunno if it's been mentioned at all, but a word for Coutinho's work-rate. It is absolutely immense, closing down space and pressing the ball constantly and always aware of what's going on around him. He's always had that in him but it's a regular feature now, I think since he switched off at Old Trafford and let his runner score.

You don't see many player of his ilk - "luxury players", usually - prepared to graft as hard as he does off the ball. I ****in love the lad.

We can thank Rafa for that.

[danperkins]

If ever there were games when you want to see that high tempo & high pressing style we can play... it's against the mancs & arsenal. If we can start like that, which we have seen many times under Rodgers.... we could blow them away early in the game. Both teams struggle vs high pressing.

It really is a huge game vs United though.

[Tee]

Not sure I can bear to watch the game on Sunday! Haven't felt this nervous about a game since 'that' Chelsea game last season. We should win at Anfield, but you just never know with them Mancs.

[Carras_Shin_Pads]

Why did everyone look so tired? 8 days rested and everyone looked ****ed?

[BigChief]

Why did everyone look so tired? 8 days rested and everyone looked ****ed?

Its hard when you slide from fifth gear back down to 1st, then straight up to fifth again. But we've moved up a few gears now and will be more Top Gear than the BBC by the time we face the mancs.

A word on Swansea, I thought their fans were outstanding from what I could hear. The club, fans, board, players, everything about them is class. They didn't stoop to singing the slippy Gerrard song or you'll never work again (not en masse anyway).

[RedReet]

I heard the Gerrard song in second half.

[BubbaZanetti]

I'm surprised no-one's mentioned that Jonjo's dad won a competition to ref the match.

[G]

Its hard when you slide from fifth gear back down to 1st, then straight up to fifth again. But we've moved up a few gears now and will be more Top Gear than the BBC by the time we face the mancs.

A word on Swansea, I thought their fans were outstanding from what I could hear. The club, fans, board, players, everything about them is class. They didn't stoop to singing the slippy Gerrard song or you'll never work again (not en masse anyway).

Sign on, sign on was belted out a couple of times first half. They're the same as the rest of the country, same generic ****e.

[RedReet]

I'm surprised no-one's mentioned that Jonjo's dad won a competition to ref the match.

The f*cker wasn't a fan of Coutiho, barely gave him anything.

[Roanmore]

I heard the Gerrard song in second half.

Once before he came on and once after.

[Shaggy]

Our fans were very quiet. In fact I thought the game was played in a very strange atmosphere in the first half, like a friendly. Total silence for much of it. It felt like an actual game broke out in the 2nd half, with both sets of fans responding to us making more of a game of it.