Match Day Thread Swansea City v Middlesbrough

Swansea City v Middlesbrough

Competition - Sky Bet Championship
Venue - The Liberty Stadium
Date - 6 March 2021
Kick off - 15.00


Following their last minute victory over Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium, next up for Steve Cooper’s promotion chasing Swans squad is a return to home pastures with the visit of Neil Warnock’s Middlesbrough - Warnock has this week signed a contract extension until the end of the 2021-22 season.

In Wednesday’s late match, Andre Ayew's last-gasp penalty gave Swansea City a contentious 2-1 victory at Stoke and saw them close the gap on the automatic promotion places to a point.

Ayew converted in the 96th minute after Jack Clarke was adjudged to have tripped Kyle Naughton.

Stoke had gone ahead through Nick Powell's measured finish following an uncharacteristic error by Marc Guehi, before Connor Roberts levelled with a fine volley.

Whilst Potters’ boss Michael O'Neill was left fuming over the late spot-kick, opposite number Steve Cooper celebrated with his staff after seeing Swansea snatch a welcome win following two defeats in their previous three games.

The Swans stay fourth in the table but have two games in hand on the three sides above, while Stoke - who hit the woodwork twice - remain 11th.

The previous evening, Middlesbrough came from behind to beat Coventry City and reignite their Championship play-off push.

Having taken just a single point from home games against Bristol City and Cardiff City, Neil Warnock's side registered back-to-back away wins to keep them within three points of the top six.

Coventry had gone ahead early on when Boro centre-back Anfernee Dijksteel diverted the ball into his own net after Sam McCallum's long throw-in caused confusion in the six-yard box.

The visitors improved and were rewarded shortly before half-time when Grant Hall headed in Paddy McNair's free-kick at the back post to level.

The second half was low on quality and both sides looked set to continue their indifferent form with a draw until George Saville won it for the visitors late on - Jonny Howson made a surging run to the byline and played the ball across the face of goal for Saville to tap into an empty net.

The Swans have played Boro 49 times since their first meeting 95 years ago, with Swansea winning 18, losing 20 and 11 drawn.

In the corresponding match last season, thanks to a brace from Andre Ayew and one from Sam Surridge, the Swans ran out 3-1 winners against a Boro side reduced to 9 players:

Turning to Saturday, it is essential that the Swans build upon the win at Stoke if they are to maintain their quest for an automatic promotion spot.

Whilst Boro will be buoyed by their win at Coventry, I have a feeling that the Swans will win 2-1

 

Back in the optimistic mood 2-0 Swans.

 

2-1 Swans

Thanks Taff,as always sir

 

Thanks Taff again...my cup is half full again now and as long as we start on 5he front foot we will by two goals

 

But your cup is always half full. You've never predicted a Swans defeat

 

We'll do Warnock's whiners

 

The top 5 all home Saturday. Judging by the fixtures of the other four, I don’t expect any slip-ups. We have to beat Colin’s Boro, we just have to.

 

Thanks Taff.
It will be interesting to see the starting line up but I can see us winning 2-0

 

Depends if he brings Hourihane back into the starting 11. Could start with the team that ended the match. With Hourihane at the top of a midfield diamond off Ayew, Fulton/Smith across the middle & Grimes at the bottom. Go with Manning/Roberts supplying the balls from wide, in the 3-5-2. Lowe to the bench then.
We need to command our midfield again. Even when we’ve not conceded of late, we’ve often looked open & vulnerable. Might be too physical, with a Colin team, to start with the likes of Dhanda.
I still feel Jamal has not been the same since being ‘rested’ as a starter against Forest in the Cup. When he did come on, he immediately seemed like the player prior to hitting form. Trying too hard, half a yard short & leggy. When he hit form, he was going past players like they weren’t there, unstoppable almost. I know you have to ‘manage’ players as such, but I still can’t understand why he was rested. If they loving their game & buzzing, play them.

 

meh, don't think we've turned the corner yet.

 

I hope that we have .... but I suspect that you may be correct

 

I can see this being a draw, maybe 1 - 1. Hope I'm wrong. We're still riding our luck but that will run out. Coops has to be positive, we're in the play-offs no matter what, so go for second place!

 

Not if Cardiff replace us...

 

We'd have to implode pretty spectacularly to drop out of the play off positions. Not that we're not capable of it, I just can't see it happening this time around.

 

Don’t tempt fate, at least I hope you had your fingers crossed when you typed that!

 

Cardiff's luck continues as Huddersfield miss a penalty

 

You're starting to sound like a Brentford supporter

 

Brentford v. Rotherham postponed due to Covid outbreak in Rotherham squad.

 

That’s the second time this season that Rotherham have postponed because of covid...