Norwich play decent football, but they are not a team the Swans should be losing to at home. What was the problem? In a word, defence. I wonder if the Swans board will regret not signing Ryan Bennett in the long run? The present defenders face only limited competition for places, and on the evidence of the last match, I wonder if it is making them complacent, even lazy.
For two of the last three games, Neil Taylor has found the wrong net, and ironically has now 'scored' more goals than over half the team. He means well, but someone needs to remind him he has Michel Vorm behind him and that he might just be better off getting out the way and letting the Dutchman do what he does best.
If that seems harsh, then here's a real complaint; where was the marking? For significant portions of the game, Grant Holt couldn't have been more alone if he'd taken a restraining order out on the entire Swans defence. Come the second half it almost looked like Brendan Rodgers had used the interval to tell the team to not mark Norwich's top scorer under any circumstances whatsoever.
Playing in the right-sided slot of Lambert's chosen two-striker set-up, harnessing Holt was a duty that ought to have fallen squarely at left-sided central defender Ash Williams' door. He wasn't home. Holt 2, Swansea 0, although Holt's first shouldn't have counted due to Ward being offside when he played the ball back. That shouldn't and doesn't excuse the Swans defence for assuming the ball was dead instead of making sure.
Onward the newborn crawl of goal-line video technology. Right now the only subtleties the television cameras are picking up are the furrows of frustration breaking across Michel Vorm's mistreated brow, hung out to dry and victimised by one bad bounce after another. Of the goals conceded by the Swans, how many have been freak goals? Taylor's brace. The Vorm-Rangel Arsenal sabotage. Giggs gift versus United. Graham's deflection against the Baggies. Leon's helping-hand header. The list goes on.
If the Swans defence looked badly in need of a shake up or a wake up (half time double espresso shots rather than oranges, maybe?), then at the other end, the Swans were nearly perfect. So many chances; Siggy's free kick, Caulker's two corners, Graham's last-moment near miss and Ward's unfortunately fantastic sliding tackle which denied Graham the right to ice the prettiest cake of the day. McEachran's eye for a pass was in evidence, and the last five or ten minutes felt like a playoff final. Alas, it was not to be. More lessons to learn, but at least eleventh is a comfortable seat from which to study. As is Tenerife, which is where the team has gone to regroup during the off week. The timing couldn't be better.
Positives : Fluidity, aggression and persistence in attack. Graham's awkward penalty kick going in. More shots than happy hour at a tequila bar.
Negatives : Defenceless defence. Home fortress compromised. Having to see Grant Holt semi-naked.
Max Hicks is a writer, musician and former Sunday League left winger. Despite never playing professionally, Hicks has walked onto the hallowed turf of the old Vetch field in full Swansea whites... as a mascot. These days, when not writing, he plays in defence in a weekly jumpers-for-goalposts kickaround.
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