Right so grumps out first.
I've gone right off the new kit! Yes I know it's a proper blue and white but the halves should be quarters. Watching from the JW they looked like the lads were in all white for the first half. No doubt making the 'body' out of two pieces of material rather than four saves on stitching but the overall effect isn't pleasing to my eye.
Still taking the knee. Another No No in the eyes of most spectators. The club needs to bin this nonsense off in the best way they can.
So onto the match and with heavy rain before and at the start the ball was zipping about on the turf. Manna from heaven for strikers but the stuff of nightmares for defenders.
MK Dons have the best possession stats in the entire football league last season and with Russell Martin the new Swans manager fresh from his post at MK Dons it's obvious that he wants his team to follow that mantra, in fact it's probably how he got the job as Swansea's delightful passing game of 10 years or more ago will live long in the memory of the supporters and more precisely their Board. Unfortunately whilst the forwards look to have risen to the challenge of passing play and possession the defence are definitely all at sea. Most floundering in the Bristol channel waves being their giant German keeper Steven Benda. I said after just 10 minutes that he'd screw up here......
https://roversfans.com/index.php?threads/rovers-v-swansea.1160/post-73711 and true enough although it took until the start of the second half for 'Mighty Mouse' Dolan to nip in to his loose possession and draw a penalty from his desperate lunge to attempt to repair his mistake. Cue Brereton to thump home a top quality no nonsense penalty. Benda guessed correctly but the pace of the ball gave him no chance.
I think Martin who has been in the job for less than a week will have learned a lot about his team from today and will have to address the case for the defence as a priority.
In the early stages the Rovers came straight out of the traps and tore into Swansea without mercy. Great build up play after great build up play only to fall down in the box. BB missing a finish but the greatest fail was Dolan who could and should (if he had been christened Adam Armstrong) have notched a hat trick by half time. Lots of missed chances to take the lead and yet Swansea with their first attack could have grabbed the opening goal but for a top save by Kaminsky. Nevertheless it was a good open game and a fine spectacle for any neutrals who might have ventured into Ewood this afternoon. A wonderful interception and even better lobbed pass by John Buckley on 35 minutes saw Ben Brereton clear in a one on one with Benda, Benda managed well to stop BB's shot only for it to rebound to the incoming Sam Gallagher who stroked the ball home under the goalkeepers body. 1-0 and despite a little late Swansea pressure the scoreline remained the same until the HT whistle.
Second half and no doubt with Tony Mowbray's advice ringing in his ears Tyrhys Dolan kept tight, closed down and robbed possession from a careless Benda who in panic hacked down Dolan and drew the penalty from Referee David Webb. 2-0 up and a little breathing space.... for precisely 4 minutes until Paterson's shot gave the Swans hope at 2-1. A few scary moments and a number of chances to score a third in the final 38 mins or more accurately (after David Webb had somehow judged 6 minutes extra time) 44 mins later the Rovers held out and the final whistle heralded 3 points in the credit column for the new 2021/22 season.
Kaminsky... 7 No chance with the goal but made a number of last ditch saves to deny Swansea.
Nyambe... 7 Defended solidly, overlapped well but as usual failed to provide a telling cross or finish. Gave away corners a little cheaply when a cooler head could have chosen other options.
Lenihan .. 7 Defended solidly and won just about every challenge in the air.
Ayala.... 7 Slotted in well with the defence.
Pickering... 6 Gave a decent display without standing out. Seems to be our new corner and spot kick taker. Booked for 'winning' the ball and clattering the man afterwards. Times appear to have changed since I was a lad!
Travis... 7 Solid, combative and professional in midfield despite late Swansea attempts to wind him up into lashing out and getting a red.
Buckley... 6 Great run and through ball for the opening goal, energetic display too but let himself down with a number of wayward passes in the second half.
Rothwell... 8 Flitted in and out of the game at times but when he 'flitted in' he gave Swansea plenty of problems as he carried the ball forward with his trademark close control and pace. Denied a goal with a wayward finish and denied an assist when BB just failed to convert his pass with an open goal at his mercy. My mate disagrees but I feel if BB had taken a flying feet first lunge at the ball he'd have wrapped the game up early.
Gallagher... 6 Fooled me at first in identifying him with his new shortie haircut but put a decent shift in both in attack and defence.
Brereton Diaz ... 7 Good things and bad in almost equal measure but he is looking stronger and more of a threat than he has over the past 3 years. Could have scored with our goal, should have scored at the death but this IS BB through and through
Dolan... 7 Snatched at chances in the first half when he should have put the match beyond doubt. Looked like that was based on nerves but he put such an energetic shift in in the second half that he redeemed himself in spades. Won the pen by the same method.
Subs
Davenport (Gallagher 73 mins) 6. Brought on to stiffen up midfield and did just that. Guilty of fouling a player unnecessarily when his opponent was hemmed in by the corner flag in extra time. Why give them the chance to go down when they are cornered Jacob?
Butterworth (Buckley 83 mins) 7 Came on and looked dangerous and lively. Should have scored if only Davenport had passed to him.
Carter (Dolan 84) 6 Came on for imo the purpose of getting a round of applause for Dolan in recognition of his tireless running. Too late to make much difference but did get a solid block or two in.
Tony Mowbray... 7 Well done for setting the team up to combat Swansea's new style even though he can't have had much idea what it was going to be. It was a very good game overall for the neutral. Obviously Armstrong is a gonner but if he'd have been playing we could have chalked up 4 or 5 goals easily enough.... but then again if the Swans had had Ayew available??? It could have ended 5-4 or similar. Que sera sera eh?
Referee David Webb... 7 Decent match. Got one or two decisions wrong but whose perfect? One plus point, unlike many of his fairy footstep colleagues 10 yards do mean 10 yards at free kicks.
BBC... Stats show the possession 28:72 in Swansea's favour with shots 21:7 in the Rovers favour with shots on target 10:4 again in the Rovers favour. How on earth does that figure?
i thought he was one of our poorest players. Funny game football! Kaminski was great though il watch the goal back as my initial thoughts were his positioning was poor at first and got wrong footed for the goal despite getting a touch to it.