Grimes gives Potter a winning start - just
GRAHAM Potter and Swansea City tasted victory in their pre-season opener as Matt Grimes produced a stunning stoppage-time strike to see off Yeovil.
The Swans had trailed to Jordan Green’s first-half effort, but levelled through a deflected strike from new signing Yan Dhanda before Grimes’ superb thunderbolt.
New boss Potter would have been pleased to see his side battle back for victory but he will be more than aware that this is the start of the phony war with three-and-a-half weeks ahead before the Championship campaign opens at Sheffield United.
There were glimpses of some of the football he has spoken of wanting Swansea to play, although the brushing off of some inevitable rust and some heavy legs ensured it may not have happened with the speed and accuracy he will eventually want to see.
Yet there were those who took the chance to catch the eye, with youngsters Connor Roberts, Daniel James and Grimes among them, while Dhanda would have been delighted to mark his Swans bow in goalscoring fashion.
No-one likes to lose, but it is a feeling Swansea have become all-too familiar with over recent seasons, so the merits of avoiding that outcome with a late double should not be overlooked.
However, they will look to step up with four more friendly assignments lying in wait in Germany and Austria before the serious business commences that first weekend in August.
Potter dished out game time to the majority of the squad who travelled, although he will know that several players on show against the Glovers may well cease to be Swansea players before the window for sales is closed.
Kyle Bartley, meanwhile, was not involved as talks continue over a move to West Brom for the defender.
On a perfect summer’s evening the visitors had started sharply enough and nearly led when Roberts saw his strike from Wayne Routledge’s cross deflected onto the woodwork in just the fourth minute.
There were also some nice touches from Roberts, Oli McBurnie and George Byers as they linked well, although Swansea had a scare when they switched off from a short freekick and allowed Green to test Erwin Mulder.
And Potter would not have been too happy with how the opener was conceded, Swansea were slow to pick up and the ball was flicked through a number of bodies and Green turned home.
After that 25th minute strike Swansea were less convincing, with Potter electing to switch from the 3-5-2 with which he had started the game to a 4-3-3.
Green, full of confidence after his goal, flashed wide after a superb turn in the box to end the half, with both sides then ringing the changes.
The likes of James and Grimes made an impact against a Yeovil side fielding an increasing number of trialists, and Swansea had control without making the most of a number of surges by James and Luciano Narsingh.
Andre Ayew and Adnan Maric, both on at the break, could not turn in the best chance from a James cross. But, with 13 minutes remaining the leveller arrived through Dhanda.
James worked space for a cross and the former Liverpool man fired home via a deflection when the hosts failed to clear.
Dhanda followed that up with a thunderous strike that was tipped round the post.
But Grimes had the last word in emphatic fashion. JEFFERSON Montero is set to belatedly return to Swansea City for preseason training after visa problems.
Winger Montero, 28, spent last season on loan, firstly with Spanish club Getafe before being sub-loaned to Ecuadorian outfit Emelec.
He had been expected back in South Wales for the start of pre-season training under new manager Graham Potter on July 2.
However, visa issues meant Montero, who has two years remaining on his contract with Swansea, has not been able to return and is currently in Spain awaiting clearance.
Potter confirmed the reason for Montero’s absence at last week’s fans’ forum at the Liberty Stadium, but stated he was hopeful of having the former Villarreal man involved in training in the not-too-distant future.
And Swansea are optimistic >
Montero will be back in SA1 by the end of this week and are confident those visa problems will be resolved.
Montero’s previous work permit had expired, requiring the player and club to re-apply for him to continue playing in English football.
However, the process has taken longer than anticipated. The application is believed to include paperwork from the Ecuadorian FA outlining that Montero’s absence from a number of recent international fixtures has been due to injury issues as opposed to him not being considered good enough for selection.
This is necessary due to rules governing international players and the number of times they play for their country over a certain period.
Montero has been regularly troubled by injury in recent seasons, missing a number of international fixtures. He has made three appearances for Ecuador in the last two years.
That would theoretically fall below the threshold for an automatic granting of a work permit, complicated by Ecuador’s tumble down the FIFA rankings, which has a knock-on effect.
The lower down the rankings the nation the player represents, the more often he is required to have played for them in a two-year period.
Montero would have needed to play in at least 75 per cent of Ecuador’s fixtures over the last two years but, in terms of being selected and playing when available it is understood he does actually pass that criterion.