Match Report: City don't turn up in Wales for second time in two weeks

[Olé]

After an anonymous performance at Luton, City followed up with their fifth away game in a row without a win or even a goal from open play - giving struggling Swansea the time and space needed to create chance after chance and secure a comfortable win, the second over Pearson's men in Wales in  just two weeks. Max O'Leary should have done better with Liam Cullen's low diagonal opener but Olivier Ntcham continued to get time on the ball and it was him that put the game beyond doubt in the final exchanges.

City were disjointed and without any tempo throughout, for the most part punting long balls up to their three forwards who rarely combined and for all Harry Cornick's effort showed little quality or composure. At the other end Mark Sykes offered scant cover to Swansea's line breaking interplay on the left  while Zak Vyner had his poorest game this season in a defence which was second best to crosses. The only positive of a miserable day was Omar Taylor-Clarke in midfield, the best City player on the pitch by a distance.

The story of the game was obvious from the first minute as City cleared half heartedly to Luke Cundle who slipped the ball inside for Jöel Piroe in the box who with time slashed a shot high and wide. Five minutes later the hosts lifted a ball over the top that looked to put Cullen clear on goal from just 10 yards out but his heavy first touch was gratefully claimed by O'Leary. At the other end before the quarter hour an energetic Cornick was hacked down and Alex Scott's free kick from the right channel was deflected up and away.

City's best spell came midway through the half. Jay DaSilva's skill took him away from a crowd out left to feed Scott whose deep through ball put Sykes clear only to cross in over everyone. A minute later the Irishman stung Andrew Fisher's hands with a rising shot from the edge of the box, before Sam Bell next did brilliantly to control a long ball despite pressure from central defenders, a quick lay off allowing Scott to skip into the box and drill dangerously across goal, the away side winning a series of corners.

But Swansea always looked the sharper and inside the half hour O'Leary had to produce a stunning double reaction save off another cross from City's right - Harry Darling at the far post from Matt Grimes centre forcing the point blank block, Liam Walsh and Darling again testing the keeper from the rebound. Minutes later they went ahead. Ntcham with ridiculous time to control a high ball with no pressure from Sykes, laying it into the box for Cullen to edge past Vyner and angle his tame low shot under O'Leary's slow claim.

Before half time Scott volleyed right at the keeper off Sykes cross after George Tanner did well to win possession back, while from a deep low cross from DaSilva, Cornick hit it high and wide on the run. City were probing as Bell won a corner from which Scott broke the lines stylishly and delivered a fizzing low cross that no one turned over the line. At the other end before the break, Sykes got in the way of Cornick's attempt to stall a Swansea counter, creating space on the left again for Cullen to flash across the face of goal. 

Andi Weimann joined at half time for Tanner as City tried to create a press, but it was all Swansea. First Vyner's stooping header just inside his own half from a through ball was straight to an opponent who teed up Piroe to stride in and see a shot deflected wide. A minute later Cullen's vicious riding shot just flashed over the angle of post and bar with O'Leary beaten. Less than ten minutes into the half and yet more space opened up on City's right as Ryan Manning swung another cross in which Piroe headed onto the post. 

Pearson's side had little threat, Cam Pring heading back across the six yard box from Scott's tree kick after Weimann was fouled, before winger Anis Mehmeti came on for the  tireless but erratic Cornick. Beyond the hour City's first clear threat of the match as the Albanian was sent clear into space by Scott to dance inside along the edge of the box before laying off to Taylor-Clarke to slam a low shot through a crowd which Fisher held. Next Sykes won it back and fed Weimann in space whose shot was handled in the box. 

As usual City seemed to have been denied a clear cut penalty, but that was as close as it got for the out of sorts visitors - who largely relied on Vyner overhit long balls to no one. And with less than a quarter of an hour left surprise yet another cross from City's right and surprise won at the far post again, half cleared to Ntcham edge of the box who had Taylor-Clark twisting and injuring himself to close the shot, the Swans midfielder turning sharply and able to drill his low shot directly through the box and under O'Leary's dive. 

That was it as a contest, and in the last ten minutes former City star Jamie Paterson on as sub had his former side back tracking on the run, his pot shot deflected wide by Andy King. The away side offered little in return bar Nahki Wells tussle with tetchy Manning who fouled Sykes then threw himself to the ground demanding a fight. The last highlight came in injury time as first Mehmeti's quick free kick to Weimann was adjudged too fast for Swansea, then he was offside heading in at close range from the retaken set piece.

City could feel aggrieved about their penalty shout but not about the result. Swansea had been winless for a long time yet the visitors were uncertain in the press and allowed the hosts easy passing lanes and crosses from  their right to setup a succession of chances. Conversely the away side largely went long and rarely broke their opponents lines, with their forwards strangers to one another and Andy King in midfield entirely anonymous - only teenager Taylor Clarke on his full debut coming out of the fixture with any credit.

 

O'Leary 5

Tanner 6

DaSilva 6

Vyner 5

Pring 6

King 4

Taylor-Clarke 7

Scott 6

Sykes 5

Bell 5 

Cornick 5

 

Weimann 6

Mehmeti 6

Wells 5

Wilson 5

[Major Isewater]

It was just like being there . Thank you very much . 

[Alex_BCFC]

I’d probably put Cornick at 4 too. Max maybe too as he should save definitely first and kicking poor. Maybe a better keeper saves 2nd too although certainly nowhere near as bad as the 1st.

Why Weimann wasn’t played from the start down the middle god only knows. I’m generally supportive of Pearson but that wasn’t a great choice. 

[AshtonGreat]

12 minutes ago, Alex_BCFC said:

I’d probably put Cornick at 4 too. Max maybe too as he should save definitely first and kicking poor. Maybe a better keeper saves 2nd too although certainly nowhere near as bad as the 1st.

Why Weimann wasn’t played from the start down the middle god only knows. I’m generally supportive of Pearson but that wasn’t a great choice. 

I agree - not sure what he was thinking sticking Bell and Cornick up front

[redkev]

Injuries apart and I know things would be different with kalas James Naismith Atkinson & Conway would probably all have played , but im afraid that performance was simply not good enough , that was a typical city end of the season ( even though there are 8 games to go ) performance, if you ever want to define on the beach that was it , Swansea all though they tippy tapped it about quite nicely at times are nothing special . 
When are city going to lose this soft touch tag it really does my head in . Unless there is a change in mindset it could be a long run in im afraid 

[The Bard]

There's definitely a pattern developing where our poor run of form coincides with having a lot of evening games in quick succession.  It was the same last season and also in October and November this season.  We tend to pick up injuries as well which isn't a surprise.  On the plus side, we have hopefully held James, Naismith and Conway back a bit and if they do come back into the squad after the break we will be an entirely different proposition.  

I would love us to get 60+ points and finish top half but frankly as long as we stay up and we have blooded more players, that will do in my book. 

Although the front 3 clearly wasn't our strongest, you have to assume that certain players are probably not at 100% and their gametime is being managed which means that out of form players are playing.

[milo1111]

10 minutes ago, The Bard said:

There's definitely a pattern developing where our poor run of form coincides with having a lot of evening games in quick succession.  It was the same last season and also in October and November this season.  We tend to pick up injuries as well which isn't a surprise.  On the plus side, we have hopefully held James, Naismith and Conway back a bit and if they do come back into the squad after the break we will be an entirely different proposition.  

I would love us to get 60+ points and finish top half but frankly as long as we stay up and we have blooded more players, that will do in my book. 

Although the front 3 clearly wasn't our strongest, you have to assume that certain players are probably not at 100% and their gametime is being managed which means that out of form players are playing.

I’m hoping you are right as if he’s picking the front three purely on ability then I fear he’s lost the plot!!!

[LondonBristolian]

5 minutes ago, milo1111 said:

I’m hoping you are right as if he’s picking the front three purely on ability then I fear he’s lost the plot!!!

Thing is we're looking unlikely to go up and unlikely to go down. We've got seven forward players under contract, all of whom we presumably want to keep hold of. (Three are new signings this season, two are young players, one signed a new contract in January and one was our top scorer last season). I'd imagine the front three is a combination of managing fitness/fatigue and trying out combinations so players are used to playing alongside each other ahead of next season. At the moment, I don't think NP knows our best front three. But if he can by August, that will be key for next season. 

[GrahamC]

19 minutes ago, The Bard said:

There's definitely a pattern developing where our poor run of form coincides with having a lot of evening games in quick succession.  It was the same last season and also in October and November this season.  We tend to pick up injuries as well which isn't a surprise.  On the plus side, we have hopefully held James, Naismith and Conway back a bit and if they do come back into the squad after the break we will be an entirely different proposition.  

I would love us to get 60+ points and finish top half but frankly as long as we stay up and we have blooded more players, that will do in my book. 

Although the front 3 clearly wasn't our strongest, you have to assume that certain players are probably not at 100% and their gametime is being managed which means that out of form players are playing.

I think it’s a consequence of trying to run this season on such low numbers.

We have basically flogged the same 12/13 players for almost a month now & although I didn’t see the game so won’t comment on the marks, we simply had no one else to play bar King, who wouldn’t be expected to start 4 consecutive games in centre mid at 34 having barely featured even as a sub since Xmas.

I don’t think we’ll be signing in anywhere near the volume that some posters do, but we badly need to add a couple of experienced players to our core this summer.

As for the front three Wells is struggling of late so I get why he’s dipping in & out. I’m not starting the whole Cornick debate again but I understand why as we have little to play for we’re trying to get him bedded in.

[Davefevs]

27 minutes ago, redkev said:

Injuries apart and I know things would be different with kalas James Naismith Atkinson & Conway would probably all have played , but im afraid that performance was simply not good enough , that was a typical city end of the season ( even though there are 8 games to go ) performance, if you ever want to define on the beach that was it , Swansea all though they tippy tapped it about quite nicely at times are nothing special . 
When are city going to lose this soft touch tag it really does my head in . Unless there is a change in mindset it could be a long run in im afraid 

That wasn’t anything like “on the beach”…the players cared, the players worked hard, they are just mentally and physically fatigued from a tough run of games with an ever decreasing number of players to choose between.

I can’t believe you start off with your or being sentence and then conclude by completely ignoring it.

I I let my head rule my heart pre-match, I see:

- a left back (Pring) playing CB who looked like Wednesday caught up with him.  That’s no slight on Pring either.

- a second choice left back (Dasilva) who isn’t gonna be here next season, playing outside of a stand-in LCB (Pring).

- a 19 year old full debutant in CM (OTC) playing alongside a 34 year old back-up (King) being included in the squad more for his experience than ability to run a midfield.  That is no slight on either, and OTC can hold his head up

and potentially gonna struggle to feed the front-four, of which one is out of form / struggling to adapt to a new club (Cornick), another who’s had his little first team burst (Bell) and is now finding he’s no longer an unknown.

I do wonder what some expect.  They tried, they weren’t good enough.  We’ve shown at various points this season, this is no longer a soft club…lack of quality today doesn’t mean soft.

Sorry.