SWANS FIRE BLANKS ON A DRAB DAY AT LIBERTY
SWANSEA City couldn’t break down a stubborn Birmingham City side as they had to settle for a point in their first home game of the 2020/21 Championship season.
The Swans saw plenty of the ball at the Liberty Stadium, but struggled to create many clear cut chances.
Matt Grimes, Jake Bidwell and Morgan Gibbs-White all had efforts to bulge the net for the home side, although, in truth, it was a game where creativity was desperately lacking.
However, the draw means Swansea maintained their unbeaten start to the new league campaign having claimed four points from their first two fixtures.
Steve Cooper did not feel the need to make any changes to his team from last weekend having seen his side start the campaign with a fine 1-0 win over Preston at Deepdale.
Prior to the game, the head coach spoke about his desperation to see fans return to matches as swiftly as possible while stressing the importance of being formidable on home soil this season.
And, in a poignant reminder of the times we are in, the newly-named NHS Wales Stand – previously the South Stand – had been emblazoned with the words Thank You and Diolch in tribute to those who have fought tirelessly to save lives during the pandemic.
The hosts started on the front foot as the Blues were happy to sit back and absorb some early pressure.
Jamal Lowe and Gibbs-White – both making their home league debuts for the Swans – looked lively, while fellow home debutant Korey Smith fizzed a ball across the box in the opening stages.
Gibbs-White was unable to pick out Bidwell with a cross of his own as Aitor Karanka’s side were largely restricted to counter-attacks and set-pieces.
But the visitors almost caught the hosts off guard from a free-kick on 15 minutes as Ivan Sanchez curled into the box, although his effort sailed just wide.
The Blues started to take some confidence as Swansea’s attacking play became somewhat sloppy, although neither side could create anything clear cut.
Bidwell headed straight at former Cardiff City goalkeeper Neil Etheridge – who was making his league
debut for Birmingham – from Ben Cabango’s cross with what was the game’s first effort on target on 26 minutes.
Etheridge was then alert to keep out Swansea captain Grimes’ freekick six minutes before the break after Marc Guehi had been brought down.
And, after what was a largely uneventful first half, club legend and first-team coach Alan Tate shoved Jon Toral to the ground after a verbal exchange between the pair, although tempers quickly cooled as players and coaches made their way down the tunnel with the game goalless at half-time.
Gibbs-White tested Etheridge shortly after the restart before the Wolves loanee had a tame header saved by the Philippines international as Swansea carried more of a threat as the second half wore on.
Birmingham created some chances of their own late on, with Jeremie Bela having a shot blocked by Smith before Lukas Jutkiewicz looked to trouble Freddie Woodman from a corner.
Swansea could have won it with two minutes left on the clock as Connor Roberts launched a long throw-in into the box, but Guehi’s driven effort was well saved to ensure the spoils were shared after what was a largely uninspiring encounter in South Wales. SWANSEA CITY: Woodman; Cabango, Rodon, Guehi; Roberts, Smith, Grimes, Bidwell; GibbsWhite; Ayew, Lowe (Cullen 85). Subs not used: Benda, Peterson, Fulton, Routledge, Dhanda, Naughton. BIRMINGHAM CITY: Etheridge; Colin, Dean, Friend, Pedersen; Sunjic, Clayton; Sanchez, Toral (Gardner 63), Bela; Jutkiewicz. Subs not used: Jeacock, Seddon, Medina, Roberts, Crowley, Hogan.
Gavin Ward.