Dying Swans give next boss plenty to ponder
PERHAPS it was for the best that Paul Clement opted against turning up for some first-hand reconnaissance. If ever there was a performance to inspire cold feet, it was this one.
And yet it was also a true picture of what awaits Clement, who is expected to take over as Swansea boss.
This was a display of hopeless defence and questionable attitudes, a portrait of a side that appears to lack the pride and competence needed to fight when relegation comes knocking. Their caretaker, Alan Curtis, had called for strength in the post-Bob Bradley era and what he got was a second straight home defeat.
Curtis recalled earlier in the week how Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe used to watch Swansea train under Brendan Rodgers, with the lessons he learned playing a key role in helping Bournemouth follow the Welsh club through the divisions.
But while Swansea have ground to a halt, Bournemouth are having the time of their life. Key has been the rebuilding of Jack Wilshere, but as ever, it is about the collective.
Ryan Fraser, for one, was excellent, playing a major part in Benik Afobe’s opener and then scoring the second himself on the stroke of half-time. Swansea made a better fist of the second half but gave up a third to Josh King. It was the 22nd goal they have conceded in seven games. Perhaps Bradley wasn’t the major problem. The next man up will have to figure out how to solve it.
Curtis said: ‘The explanation is we are bottom of the table, conceding too many and we seem to have a crisis of confidence. Staying up is going to be very difficult. There should be enough there [in the squad] to get better results but confidence in football is a fragile thing.’
The club are still keen to have their next manager in place for Tuesday’s game at Crystal Palace, but it remains the case that a new leader can only do so much with a squad that needs drastic work. Their game simply wasn’t up to the task, but they also had the misfortune to run into a Bournemouth side moving at full speed into the top half of the table. Howe said: ‘This league is incredibly difficult so with a couple of defeats you can still be looking over your shoulder. We are yet to consolidate a consistent run but we are also very good at recovering from losses.’
On Wilshere, Howe added: ‘He is getting better with every game. He did things again that were crucial, he was involved in the first two goals and put a tireless shift in off the ball.’
SWANSEA (4-3-3): Fabianski 6.5; Naughton 5.5, Amat 4, Mawson 5, Taylor 5.5; Ki 5, Britton 6 (Cork 66, 6), Fer 4 (Barrow 37min, 6); Dyer 5.5, Llorente 5 (McBurnie 57), Sigurdsson 6. Subs (not used): Nordfelt, Rangel, Borja, Fernandez. Booked: Ki, Amat. Bournemouth (4-5-1): Boruc 6; Francis 7, Cook 6.5, Ake 7, Daniels 7; Stanislas 7.5 (Smith 73, 6), Wilshere 8, Surman 6.5 (Gosling 89), Arter 7, Fraser 7 (King 73, 6); Afobe 7. Subs (not used): Federici, Mings, Ibe, Wilson. referee: K Friend 5.5.