- Oct 31, 2010
- 24,131
- 10,010
Argyle 1 - 2 Swansea.
Hardie 47.
Attn: 3,391.
A very enjoyable evening and soooooo good to be back at Home Park. Great mutual appreciation between players and fans throughout the game, particularly during the warm up and after the match.
There were very tight airport-style security checks to get into the Lyndhurst - empty all contents of your pockets onto a table outside the turnstiles and then a security wand around your body which is fair enough but will cause long queues in a crowd of 10,000+ at league games.
In the blistering heat we started well, Edwards put in a superb cross for Ennis but he headed down from 6 yards and the ball bounced over. It was a glaring miss.
Hardie also missed two good chances, his pace and strong running unsettled the Swansea defence.
Scarr had a free header that missed the target.
We pressed very high which is a new tactic, Hardie and Ennis pushed right up against the Swansea defenders and Mayor and Grant pressed up right behind them and it worked a few times and we won the ball started an attack. The problem is when Swansea did beat the press with a ball through the middle they were suddenly running through the space at Randell and the back 3.
As the half wore on our good start faded and Swansea controlled the game, taking the lead with a long range shot after Mayor lost possession and adding a second soon after.
The second half was a lot better. We didn't press and leave gaps, Hardie and Ennis dropped deeper and we had bodies in midfield. The high press might be better used against League One teams.
Hardie grabbed his deserved goal when he placed a close range shot past the Swansea keeper after a low cross from Grant.
Law at left wing-back was having a storming second half after an indifferent first period.
He ignored Mayor on the over lap several times and on one such occasion he cut inside and sent a right footed curling shot crashing against the post. That would have been a fantastic goal!
The new slim line Jephcott had a shot well saved following a flowing move.
We played some good football at times, triangles - pass and move.
It helps having the security of three men instead of boys as the back three. It allows the team to attack with confidence.
A raft of substitutions unsettled the game and I guess both teams were happy with the work out.
We didn't get hammered by a team who were fighting to get into the Premier League last season. At one stage late in the first half it looked like it could have been 4 or 5 Swansea goals but Lowe's change in tactics for the second half helped us in midfield.
Randell was good on the ball, he sure can pick a pass but his lack of physical presence might hinder him in the hurly burly of League One.
Law was impressive in the second half, we do lack left wing-backs so he's likely to start against Rotherham.
Scarr is the second coming of Sonny Bradley, the vocal leader at the back we really needed last season. Wilson, Scarr and Galloway were communicating with each other constantly.
Still no Bolton.
Cooper played the whole game so I'd expect Burton to play 90 minutes against Middlesbrough.
It's only a friendly and not too much can be read into it but like a lot of teams last season Swansea exploited the space behind our wing-backs which pulls our left and right centre-backs out of position. It's just the natural downside of our formation.
A nice minute's applause before the game in honour of Paul Mariner and Peter Hall.
The mask wearing was respectful and the majority removed their masks once sat down.
Our kit would look so much better with white shorts.
Swansea fans spent most of the game mocking England losing in Euro 2020!
Hardie 47.
Attn: 3,391.
A very enjoyable evening and soooooo good to be back at Home Park. Great mutual appreciation between players and fans throughout the game, particularly during the warm up and after the match.
There were very tight airport-style security checks to get into the Lyndhurst - empty all contents of your pockets onto a table outside the turnstiles and then a security wand around your body which is fair enough but will cause long queues in a crowd of 10,000+ at league games.
In the blistering heat we started well, Edwards put in a superb cross for Ennis but he headed down from 6 yards and the ball bounced over. It was a glaring miss.
Hardie also missed two good chances, his pace and strong running unsettled the Swansea defence.
Scarr had a free header that missed the target.
We pressed very high which is a new tactic, Hardie and Ennis pushed right up against the Swansea defenders and Mayor and Grant pressed up right behind them and it worked a few times and we won the ball started an attack. The problem is when Swansea did beat the press with a ball through the middle they were suddenly running through the space at Randell and the back 3.
As the half wore on our good start faded and Swansea controlled the game, taking the lead with a long range shot after Mayor lost possession and adding a second soon after.
The second half was a lot better. We didn't press and leave gaps, Hardie and Ennis dropped deeper and we had bodies in midfield. The high press might be better used against League One teams.
Hardie grabbed his deserved goal when he placed a close range shot past the Swansea keeper after a low cross from Grant.
Law at left wing-back was having a storming second half after an indifferent first period.
He ignored Mayor on the over lap several times and on one such occasion he cut inside and sent a right footed curling shot crashing against the post. That would have been a fantastic goal!
The new slim line Jephcott had a shot well saved following a flowing move.
We played some good football at times, triangles - pass and move.
It helps having the security of three men instead of boys as the back three. It allows the team to attack with confidence.
A raft of substitutions unsettled the game and I guess both teams were happy with the work out.
We didn't get hammered by a team who were fighting to get into the Premier League last season. At one stage late in the first half it looked like it could have been 4 or 5 Swansea goals but Lowe's change in tactics for the second half helped us in midfield.
Randell was good on the ball, he sure can pick a pass but his lack of physical presence might hinder him in the hurly burly of League One.
Law was impressive in the second half, we do lack left wing-backs so he's likely to start against Rotherham.
Scarr is the second coming of Sonny Bradley, the vocal leader at the back we really needed last season. Wilson, Scarr and Galloway were communicating with each other constantly.
Still no Bolton.
Cooper played the whole game so I'd expect Burton to play 90 minutes against Middlesbrough.
It's only a friendly and not too much can be read into it but like a lot of teams last season Swansea exploited the space behind our wing-backs which pulls our left and right centre-backs out of position. It's just the natural downside of our formation.
A nice minute's applause before the game in honour of Paul Mariner and Peter Hall.
The mask wearing was respectful and the majority removed their masks once sat down.
Our kit would look so much better with white shorts.
Swansea fans spent most of the game mocking England losing in Euro 2020!
Last edited: