MATCHWATCH : Sheffield Wednesday (h)

[Millsy]

Semedo was bloody immense.

Winning everything, playing like Maradona, wtf.

[Royalwaster]

Guy who got sent off ripping his shirt as he was walking off was highlight for me

[South Coast Royal]

Swansea are one of those blander than bland clubs that I genuinely forget exists

They've got a very good fanbase ... not that bland if you watch them play.

fanbase was bang average before they got PL football. If they don't go up for another couple of years they will be back down to those levels again. IMO just a bit of a nothing club who got a shiny stadium and experienced top level football for a brief moment so attendances went up. See Hull City for another example.

and yeah, before you say it, I know

Fans in shiny stadia shouldn't throw stones etc.

[royalp-we]

Puscas and Joao starting to get the best out of each other and Wednesday really struggled to deal with their power and movement yesterday, with Olise in the hole too it worked wonders. The big question for Pauno is does he stick with 2 up top at Forest?

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Puscas and Joao starting to get the best out of each other and Wednesday really struggled to deal with their power and movement yesterday, with Olise in the hole too it worked wonders. The big question for Pauno is does he stick with 2 up top at Forest?

i reckon no changes needed next Sat, but we'll hopefully have stronger bench, and, with Meite, Rino and Ejaria back soon and refreshed, things look good.

It got me thinking what is our best 11 with everyone fit?

[South Coast Royal]

Puscas and Joao starting to get the best out of each other and Wednesday really struggled to deal with their power and movement yesterday, with Olise in the hole too it worked wonders. The big question for Pauno is does he stick with 2 up top at Forest?

Pauno must be delighted to have proper alternative options, especially if Meite ( once again one of our injuries lasting longer than expected) is soon available again.

I am not so overwhelmed (pleased but not overwhelmed) as some by Puscas' return (he should have done better with that early chance) but he is so much better than Baldock and is fully committed to the cause.
As others have said, the return of our walking wounded could be at just the right time for the run-in and with a fully-fit squad the top 2 may well still prove to be beyond reach but it does firm up the likelihood of that top 6 finish being attained.

[Snowflake Royal]

It's a real tough call. We've got a quality squad.

There's really not a lot of difference in the defence down to Gibson, with Esteves really being the only one of the regulars I'm not really happy seeing start. And Araruna had impressed me at RB... I wonder how he is at LB - thinking next season.

At midfield, Semedo and Aluko are a little behind, with Tetek only really in the running for cameos. But that still leaves Laurent, Rinomhota, Ejaria, Swift and Olise.

I don't think the first 14 are up to the 106 standard, but I think the next 4 or 5 are way ahead of the 106 reserves. Especially in defence. And I think this is a better squad than McDermott had.

..........................Cabral
Yiadom, Morrison, McIntyre, Richards
................Rinomhota, Laurent
Meite................ Swift....................Olise
............................Joao

It's almost impossible to pick. Just look at the players I've left out. Holmes, Moore, Ejaria, Puscas, Semedo...

[Zip]

It's a real tough call. We've got a quality squad.

There's really not a lot of difference in the defence down to Gibson, with Esteves really being the only one of the regulars I'm not really happy seeing start. And Araruna had impressed me at RB... I wonder how he is at LB - thinking next season.

At midfield, Semedo and Aluko are a little behind, with Tetek only really in the running for cameos. But that still leaves Laurent, Rinomhota, Ejaria, Swift and Olise.

I don't think the first 14 are up to the 106 standard, but I think the next 4 or 5 are way ahead of the 106 reserves. Especially in defence. And I think this is a better squad than McDermott had.

..........................Cabral
Yiadom, Morrison, McIntyre, Richards
................Rinomhota, Laurent
Meite................ Swift....................Olise
............................Joao

It's almost impossible to pick. Just look at the players I've left out. Holmes, Moore, Ejaria, Puscas, Semedo...

Nice decisions for Pauno to have to make if we ever get to the luxury of a fully fit squad. I suspect he will pick Moore over TMac but I wouldn’t. TMac really does look the part of a ball playing centre back now. He was very unlucky to be dropped last week. I suspect he may be dropped again next week if Rino is back.

[WestYorksRoyal]

That foul for the penalty really was stupid. Puscas had a good chance, but not as good as a penalty and it also ensured they played with 10 men. Basically killed the game.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

That foul for the penalty really was stupid. Puscas had a good chance, but not as good as a penalty and it also ensured they played with 10 men. Basically killed the game.

Yes agree, was on his weaker foot too and there was another defender coming across.

[Snowball]

That foul for the penalty really was stupid. Puscas had a good chance, but not as good as a penalty and it also ensured they played with 10 men. Basically killed the game.

Yes agree, was on his weaker foot too and there was another defender coming across.

Hey, stop complaining; that took me £2,500 in an envelope...

[Horsham Royal]

That foul for the penalty really was stupid. Puscas had a good chance, but not as good as a penalty and it also ensured they played with 10 men. Basically killed the game.

Yes agree, was on his weaker foot too and there was another defender coming across.

So daft it got me looking at it in slo mo.
Looks like the defender's left knee got whacked by Puscas's foot as he chased and that made him stumble onto Puscas.
So perhaps not what the defender intended.

Or maybe just daft.
Yep.

[Lower West]

Without Ejaria our tempo was so much better. The movement didn't grind to a stop.

[Snowball]

Without Ejaria our tempo was so much better. The movement didn't grind to a stop.

I don't think it had anything to do with Ejaria.


Looked to me like the manager just said, "Go at 'em hard and early" knowing that
they would probably crumble if they conceded.

[Snowflake Royal]

Without Ejaria our tempo was so much better. The movement didn't grind to a stop.

Until you said it, I hand't noticed. But you're absolutely right we transitioned to attack quicker without him.

Our best attacking displays seem to either involve him playing a blinder, or not being on the pitch at all.

[South Coast Royal]

Without Ejaria our tempo was so much better. The movement didn't grind to a stop.

A fair comment.
We were however playing against the team that is second from bottom, had lost 6 on the trot and were down to 10 men so our boys were not under great pressure when they were on the ball.

Against the better teams and (hopefully) for the play-offs we might well need the guile that Ejaria brings and the control, just as we might need the vision of Swift.
With the youngsters having come on so much at the back, including Richards who is now Premier class, our fully fit squad looks quite strong.

The issue with us is the word "fit" as players not only seem to get injured a lot but also are always out for so much longer than initial bulletins suggest.

[Zip]

Without Ejaria our tempo was so much better. The movement didn't grind to a stop.

Nah. We didn’t look very creative or played with a high tempo when they had 11 on the pitch. The pen and sending off changed the game.

[glenroyal]

It's a real tough call. We've got a quality squad.

..........................Cabral
Yiadom, Morrison, McIntyre, Richards
................Rinomhota, Laurent
Meite................ Swift....................Olise
............................Joao

It's almost impossible to pick. Just look at the players I've left out. Holmes, Moore, Ejaria, Puscas, Semedo...

Nice decisions for Pauno to have to make.

Nice to see Swift in a preferred 11
I'd probably have Ejaria in mine (for Meite?), but yeah, a fantastic squad right now.

[Snowflake Royal]

Ooof, brave choice not to pick your top scorer for the previous two seasons who adds a different dimension.

A lot of brave choices required with this squad though.

[glenroyal]

Ooof, brave choice not to pick your top scorer for the previous two seasons who adds a different dimension.

A lot of brave choices required with this squad though.

Yes, I was thinking a luxury to have both Olise and Ejaria ... probably best to think in terms different tactical combinations (inc subs) during any given game. Decisions, decisions.