SWANS IN FULL FLOW SEND OUT A MESSAGE TO RIVALS
SWANSEA City halted their four-game losing run in style as they thumped Millwall 3-0 at The Den. It was a result that came out of the blue, and, more importantly, it was a performance that was so unexpected.
Gary Rowett’s men caused problems early on, but once Steve Cooper’s side got to grips with the game they took control of the contest, which is something they have rarely been able to do of late.
Arguably the biggest plus point was seeing the visitors play with confidence and a boldness that has been alarmingly absent in recent weeks.
It all started with some major calls from Cooper, the man who has been the recipient of some serious flak due to the turgid nature of many of his side’s recent performances.
The head coach boldly handed
Ayew 45 (+1) Lowe 76, 85
Wayne Routledge his first league start of the season, while Connor Roberts was dropped, which ensured his astonishing record of playing every single minute of Championship action this term was brought to an end.
He also persisted with the 4-3-3 system that flunked against Preston on Easter Monday when Swansea failed to register a single shot on target against the Lilywhites.
But they were calls that reaped huge rewards as Routledge rolled back the years with a classy display, while Kyle Naughton provided the defensive solidity needed to help Swansea keep only their second clean sheet in 10 games.
The middle third was wide open at times, and it was the midfield battle – one that Swansea emphatically won – that provided the platform for the visitors to be far more creative than they have been of late.
The collective efforts of Matt Grimes, Jay Fulton and Conor Hourihane allowed the front three of Jamal Lowe, Routledge and Andre Ayew to look far more dangerous in attack, an area where Swansea have been horribly blunt recently.
Vice-captain Ayew showed great composure and skill to fire home his 15th goal of the campaign after the experienced pair of Routledge and Hourihane kept an attack alive in the dying stages of the first half in London.
The Ghanaian’s celebration was telling.
After beating Bartosz Bialkowksi in spectacular fashion, Ayew raced over to Cooper on the touchline before hugging the head coach in what was a clear show of the solidarity within Swansea’s ranks at present.
The worry then was whether the away side would drop deep in the second half in a bid to preserve what they had.
It quickly became evident that wouldn’t be an issue as Swansea continued to play on the front foot and went in search of more goals, while proving defensively solid to restrict
Millwall at the other end.
And the second half provided two enormously uplifting moments for the club’s supporters.
Lowe has looked bereft of confidence during Swansea’s recent struggles, although after missing a glorious chance in the first half he netted twice in nine minutes with two clinical finishes to take his tally to 11 goals for the season.
It also ended his run of 17 Swansea games without bulging the net.
Even before his second-half brace, the Jamaican international’s desire to fight for the cause was commendable, but the real key is for Lowe to use his latest strikes as motivation to help Swansea maintain the level of performance they showed at Millwall over the course of their final six games.
Victory saw Swansea net more than twice in a league game for only the second time this season, while they scored as many goals from open play in 90 minutes against the Lions than they had managed in their previous eight outings combined.
Credit is deserved. In huge quantities.
Swansea looked to have run out of steam at a crucial moment, but on Saturday they showed they are still a force to be reckoned with.
That performance now has to be the standard.
Swansea have at least six more games to ensure what’s already been a hugely positive campaign turns into a magnificent one.