while I would like to see us put out a Strong side for the Cup match - a win and a hatful of goals would do us a load good - I am wary of a number of players that need a break/rest to clear up some injuries. Britton is one, and I think Gomez needs a break too (he's not played as many games in his life!)

So lets go 4-4-2. Bring Brandy in (his pace will scare the crap of of them) up front alongside Scotland, and Macca/Orlandi on the wing with Allen and Prats minding the middle. I'd also have Butler on the left instead of Gower who is also struggling for form/fitness.

Tudor,

I thought the article was good too until I read that Richard Barker's comments:

Blues have the better players. Anyone who argues with that is wrong. It's a fact. Ask a random, neutral manager to pick between each player in their respective positions in the Blues and Swansea sides, and whilst you might not quite get a clean sheet of eleven Blues players, you'd get nine at least, I'm sure.

Nine? Who is he kidding? I'd take Maik Taylor, Kevin Phillips, McFadden and maybe Jaidi, but not sure about any of their others - certainly not Quedrue, Jerome, Parnaby, Murphy or Ridgewell!

Tudor - I must have been reading that when you posted up the link!

Its worth putting up here so more read it.

From Birmingham City Mad:

Blues 0 Swansea City 0 .. Ron's Report
by Richard Barker
Things aren't quite right at Blues at the moment. As I've said before the season, there are almost two camps - the moaners and the moaners (who moan about the first set of moaners).

As with everything in life, it's not quite as simple as that, and I'd like to think that I'm not really in either camp.

On the one hand, yes, we're third in the table, level on points with the second placed team and we've accumulated a healthy number of points for this stage of the season. Maybe, with football being a fairly simple game, we should just be happy with that?

I like to look a little deeper than that though, and when you do look deeper, there are a number of questions that need to be asked, and a worrying lack of answers.

Twice this season Swansea have outplayed Blues. The fact that they only have one point to show for it is an injustice, and the fact that Blues have four points to show for it is fuel for the fire of those who say "it's all about points". In many ways, they're right. However, if Blues continue to be outplayed by the likes of Swansea, Blackpool, Doncaster, Coventry and QPR then, well, their luck will run out, the points will dry up, and that argument will fall away.
Having been at Swansea on that Friday night six weeks or so ago, I had seen first hand what a bloody good footballing team that they are. For 45 minutes they made Blues chase shadows - more so than some of the top Premier League sides have in recent years. Yes, they ran out of steam, made errors and Blues took advantage, but the warning was there.

So, for Round Two, you'd have thought Blues might have been on their guard a little more. They weren't though, and Swansea outplayed them comfortably again. David Murphy was sent off for a second bookable offence in the second half, but Swansea had been the better side until then anyway. The fact that Murphy and others in blue shirts had been booked in the first half was a sign that Blues were frustrated at chasing shadows. That old footballing cliche "the bloke behind" berated Mike Riley for all of them, suggesting that he was cheating and also impying that he had certain sexual preferences. The bloke behind was wrong though - they all deserved bookings, if not for the challenge itself, but because of a cumulation of challenges by the bookee.

What's the difference between the sides then? Blues have the better players. Anyone who argues with that is wrong. It's a fact. Ask a random, neutral manager to pick between each player in their respective positions in the Blues and Swansea sides, and whilst you might not quite get a clean sheet of eleven Blues players, you'd get nine at least, I'm sure.

So, how can Swansea outplay Blues so easily? Their players aren't as good. Having watched the two encounters between the sides, it's quite clear that it comes down to management/coaching.

Swansea play football the way fans like to watch it. They retain possession as much as possible. They hardly ever resort to playing a ball that there is a doubt about. Ball retention is the key. There were a number of free-kicks in this game, for both sides. When Swansea won one, the excellent Leon Britton was there, putting the ball down and knocking it a yard to a team mate. Thus, Swansea retained possession and built again. When Blues won one, both centre halves ambled forward and a full back or Lee Carsley lobbed a ball to around the six yard box. Blues had a 50% chance of winning that ball, and then as the ball dropped, probably a 40% chance of winning the second ball, given that there is always more defenders than attackers. 40% of 50% is 20%. As such, one in five Blues free kicks might lead to Blues retaining possession? That seems about right in my head, having watched Blues. However, approximately 95% of Swansea's free kicks led to them retaining possession.

Yes, that's over-simplifying and getting a bit mathematical, but it's one basic thing that Swansea do far, far better than Blues. Why waste possession?? What can you possibly achieve if you don't have possession? In their build-up play, Swansea move for one another. If they need to pass two yards, they pass two yards. It's basic, simple football. They rarely, if ever, launch a ball forward. When Blues lump a ball forward at Marcus Bent's head, they have a small chance of retaining possession (some of the idiots who cheered him off when he was substituted would probably say "no chance"). When a Swansea centre half knocks the ball five yards forward into midfield to Britton to turn and pick a pass, well, they've retained possession. To score goals, you need possession of the football. To have possession of the football, you need to make sure you keep it. Blues don't do that.

But earlier on we established that Blues have better players than Swansea? Plus Swansea are several places and many points behind Blues, so what's the fuss about? Well, if Roberto Martinez can get a bunch of no-mark British players and a few journeyman Spaniards doing that, why can't Alex McLeish and his coaching staff get Blues' team full of internationals doing it? The reason that Swansea aren't as high up the table is because their players aren't good enough to be any higher. They're playing to their potential now, and are doing bloody well as a result of it. Can we honestly say that Blues are playing to their potential? No chance in hell. Why not? Well, that's a question I can't answer. I virtually guarantee (as much as you can guarantee something hypothetical) that if Blues approached the game in the way that Swansea do, then they'd have more points than they do now.

Swansea's players aren't as good as Blues', and that's why they don't do so well. They'll make mistakes, and mistakes will be punished. Playing that kind of football means that mistakes will happen, especially when your players are playing at a level higher than the majority of them have ever played. Their football though, well, compared to Blues it's streets ahead. "Clueless" is a term thrown around a lot, but at times here, Blues were genuinely clueless. Football's not all about possession and attacking - you have to do the defensive basics well too. Swansea did that, and with Blues' chronic lack of movement, all that was left was a long ball forward to Bent. Swansea players move for one another and always have a pass on.

A week on from Reading out-doing Blues at the basics, another team did the same. Thankfully Swansea's players aren't as good as Reading's and Blues got away with a draw. The fact that Blues are unable to do the basics well though, well, that's a real, real worry. The players are more than good enough, and therefore by process of elimination, questions must be asked of those working with the players, picking the side, working on tactics, etc. I know it's easy to say, but sometimes the most obvious answer is the right one. It's a worry, because we're getting to the stage of the season where the top sides always kick on. Blues look like they could potentially be left behind when they do.

Yes, the points are there now - but will Blues have enough when it comes to the end of the season? Personally, I'm beginning to have my doubts.

As stated by other posters below, Roberto should definitely put out his first team on Saturday - they need to experience scoring again and winning again no matter how lowly the opposition, and also it is important that we have a good Cup run since the realistic hopes for this season must be to establish the club in the top-half, no more than that. I wince at the (remote) prospect of too early a promotion to the top flight. The club is not ready for it and it would take another 20 years to recover from the inevitable demise as it did last time. Anyway on Saturday the players should be told that they will not be substituted and rested until we have established a 3 goal lead. Ambitious? No, Swans must be capable of trouncing this part-time outfit, if they set their minds to it. No complacency - play to potential and take the inevitable scoring chances that are going to appear. No more second strings please Roberto.

Taff

“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers …….. and sisters!”

How lucky, how fortunate we are to be witnessing some of the finest football ever to be produced by a Swans team. I am old enough to have been witness to the last high watermark achieved by this club and whilst I will acknowledge that some of the football played under Tosh was also of the highest most exciting quality it was achieved in the main with a higher calibre set of players at one point most of the Welsh squad were picked from the Swans team our club was littered with Internationals and ex-internationals.

So I feel what Roberto has achieved with on the whole a fairly average set players is quite remarkable and marks him out as an exceptional manager. Assembling a promotion winning team for next to nothing, whilst playing an exciting skilful brand of football not seen in these parts for a long time. The energy, fluid movement, slick passing is of the highest quality the sheer brain achingly different approach Roberto brings to the game is in it’s self mind blowing. Not only do we have a much loved adopted son coming to Swansea and understanding the style of passionate, free flowing football we want played we finally have someone who has the brains, skill and ambition to achieve it. We are the luckiest club in the land we have a manager who loves this club has one of the sharpest football brains around and more than that is an honest, loyal, intelligent man on a mission to get us to the top (where have we heard that one before and did we believe it then?).

My New Years wish is more of the same on the footballing front with a steady cautious constant improvement for the future, a board who will do their finest to support Roberto and a fan base that turns up in large numbers to support a movement that I honestly feel places us on the brink of something great, finally a chance for this generation to leave it’s own high tide mark in the chronicles of Swansea City.

Colin

Look in your own back yard before criticising when we were in the top flight it nearly crippled us so I do not think we have anything to gloat over Cardiff as they have not had to go to the high court every 2 weeks to save the club as Doug Sharpe did.

As for Birmingham they have rich owners, good sponsors and a big support (plus parachute payments) them and WBA have the philosophy that its ok to bounce between Premiership and Championship and eventually they will get it right and establish themselves in the top flight. It is a risky strategy but has worked out well for both clubs. Not many clubs can do that but I do not see them running into administration in the near future and if they need to spend to get back up who can blame them.

We have become a decent Championship side without spending much and I am sure we can achieve mid table finishes for the next few seasons if Roberto stays but will the fans settle for your good run ship philosophy and draw after draw or will the pressure mount and the board start a more risky strategy.

To be honest I do not see us ever being an established premiership side but maybe we can have one or two seasons up there and cause a few shocks as Stoke and Hull are doing but if we were to get there we would see if we really do have a prudent manager and board or will they fall into the gambling trap many have fallen into before and we did circa 1981.

Have a read of this excellent article
http://www.birminghamcity-mad.co.uk/news/loadrprt.asp?cid=MTCH&id=424570

Speak up Bobby Williams (17554), we CAN'T HEAR YOU!

Sunday's performance at Birmingham was amazing. It made me so proud to be a Jack, and I agree it's hard to criticise when you're provided with that quality of play against good opposition, but I believe it is vital to address weaknesses constructively.

Our midfield looked mostly predictable going forward on Sunday. Gomez and Gower would take up the run and turn inside, looking for an opening to shoot. But Brum are no mugs and closed them down well, so we ended up pushing the ball across the penalty area and out to the opposite wide position. Often JS and Pintado played little or no part in these moves, but if either of them made runs to create space for through balls, the midfield didn't see them (and neither did I).

Prats had some success bursting into the box with direct runs, but the best chances came from through balls to Brandy when he came on, because his diagonal runs were creating space. If he'd been match-sharp, he could have had a hat-tick himself in the last 20 minutes.

We can control two-thirds of the pitch and dominate possession, but we can't get our strikers or midfield runners making space to play the ball into in the danger area. Partly that's because of a lack of pace in the build up (except when the excellent Rangel comes forward - someone will offer £5m or more for him one day soon) but you also have to look at the guys up front.

We tore Norwich apart with great flowing moves at pace, scoring 3 goals in 5 glorious minutes either side of half time. In truth the other 85 minutes were a bit like Sunday, with plenty of possession and no cutting edge, except we lost those 85 minutes 2-0!

Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed watching and I believe we are a few tweaks away from being an excellent Championship side. The strikers are taking longer to adjust to this level than others but then, this is such a tight division, defences are most managers' first priority and so it's inevitable.

For what it's worth, I think we are now strong enough to play 4-4-2 more often and not get trounced like we did at Reading. Two clean sheets, so much possession and so many chances tells me the defence and midfield are ready for that. It would be good to see Pintado starting more games with Jason, and Brandy getting 30 minutes rather than 2 or 20. El Gaffer could make them more interchangable once they've all had enough match practice to show what they're really worth at this level, because we haven't seen the best of any of them yet.

So my New Year wishes:

* Play a strong team against Histon so all the forwards can get some shooting practice in and raise their confidence levels

* Draw a Champions League team in the FA Cup R4, so we can all get excited about it - away to Chelski would be ideal for me and I think we can win that!

*Attract a couple of good players on loan - a wide man with pace and a proven goal-scorer would be ideal (Loans better than buying, for now - we can afford a couple of high wages but prices are still too high to commit large sums of capital we don't have)

* Trounce Burnley, get pay-back against Reading and march on to the 5th round to draw another top-four team at the Liberty

* Finish in the play-offs or just outside, but please don't go up until we're ready for it - I'd hate a seasson like Derby had last year.

Happy New Year to the team, club officials and all Jacks everywhere!

Cant sleep.
Re the striker debate, I believe that we need at least one pacey midfielder/winger in the Paul Anderson mould, that way we will be getting the ball into the box quicker giving JS, who in my opinion has been excellent in recent games, and the other midfielders a chance to do the business inside the box. At the moment most of our build up play is so slow that JS is forced to come short or go wide to get the ball, he cant be every where. We are definetly missing Bodde for his shooting alone.
That said, I would have been happy with finnishing fourth from bottom at the strat of the season. I have not seen any team in this division really better than us, did not see the Reading game. I dont think the standard is that good in this league this year, I think who ever goes up will be coming straight back down.

Paul B
I am not doubting that Jordi has skills, he has them in abundance. What i am saying is that i have been very dissappointed with his performances in the last three home games. Didnt sound as if he hasd a bad game yesterday, but i didnt feel he was pulling his weight. He is a talent of that there is no doubt but i just wonder wheteher a one game rest would do him the world of good, for all you lot that were there yesterday how did he perform?

TIM
GREAT POST MY SENTIMENTS EXACTLY.
WE DO NEED THAT CUTTING EDGE IN THE BOX, AND IF WE DID WHO WOULD MATCH US. I CAN TELL YOU NOBODY.
AS IVE SAID IN EARLIER POSTS IF BRANDY STAYS THEN GIVE THE BOY A RUNOUT AND GO 4-4-2.
STID

I've slated Scotland for his inability to play the lone striker role and had quite a lot of abuse for it.

Since then, he's the only player who's scored for us this month!

He's scored 4 goals in 6 games.....that's more than acceptable.

The extra goals, in this 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation needs to come from others too.

JS missed some sitters as did Brandy yesterday but we simply can't rely on JS or the lone striker to score in a 4-5-1 formation.

Leon, Pratley, Gower, Butler and Gomez need to step up as in our last 12 games, our midfielders have contributed 6 goals (2 x Bodde, 2 x Pratley and 2 x Gomez) but most worryingly, none of them or anyone except Scotland has scored in the last 6 games.

We're playing AMAZING football and all the players are making this happen so I'm happy to go with the flow and read the papers saying how we stuffed Birmingham City whilst we all politely discuss how better we can be.

I didn't expect such a performance on Saturday but we do seem to be able to rise to the challenges so well.

Martinez seems to find a reason to give it all no matter who we play. Be it Yeovil with the "we've never won there" or "Doncaster are the form team of the league" or "this is a Premier team in the Championship".....he motivates the boys for every game.

Every game's a cup final!

I love it...what amazing times these are to be a Swans fan.


In Roberto We Trust

Dr Scroat,In terms of goals scored overall though,we are where we are,10th or 11th!,and 20% of those have come from a guy who has been injured for the last 8 games,Bodde.So prolific goalscorers we are not!!

Leicester Swan
so you are quite prepared to follow a side into the Premiership with a huge overdraft rather than a club that is slowly making it's way, within a budget, and continuing to gather admiring remarks along the way.
There's a team you can follow further east who would be appreciative of the way you think your club should be run.

17549) Dr. scroat

Correct m8, also Chopra going back to Sunderland wed, called back by new manager, Ohhhhhhhhhhh, what a pity, will the so called CCFC have many more penalties now, we will see.

People keep harping on about strikers yet we've scored more goals at home than any of the 4 teams in the play-off positions, including Brum who have Phillips, Jerome and Bent to choose from and Cardiff with Chopra, McCormack and Bothroyd. So we can't be doing too bad.
If we carry on keeping clean sheets as we've done in the last couple of games the wins will surely come.

How many would have guessed that our win against Norwich in mid-November would be our last of the year? Amazingly though we are still only a couple of good results away from being back in the thick of things.
This time last season Hull City were in mid-table with the same number of points as we have now. Something to think about.

Josh Jack

"JS has been playing well, he just needs someone to do his running for him. We have all seen that he can finish!!"

Josh,I am 50 years old and 16 stone.The law of averages says that someone does my running for me and I will finish as well!!!!

When will people realise that JS or the formation or both is not the answer.Ian Dowie was summarising yesterday's game on Sky and was asked whether he was impressed with the Swans.He said he was hugely impressed,had not seen a better passing team,BUT,no cutting edge!!.He basically summarised what a whole host of managers/pundits have been saying about us all season.

It is no coincidence that our run of draws has coincided with Bodde's injury,but our strikers aren't doing it,and as someone said earlier if our "strike force" matched our passing ability to the 18 yard box then we would be up there and clear with Wolves.! The question of whether we would want to be up there and clear with Wolves in our first season at this level is for debate.

What a performance yesterday. I thought that we dominated the game from start to finish.

If we had been a bit more clinical in front of goal we would have taken all three points.

The defence was once again outstanding.

Anyway, for those that are interested, I have uploaded some pictures from yesterday's game. If you would like to view them just copy the URL below into your browser.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ynysforgan_jack/sets/72157611746400079/

Everyone is saying about us needing a striker in the January sales but who are the likely options? How much money have we got to spend?
JS has been playing well, he just needs someone to do his running for him. We have all seen that he can finish!!
I suggest we see a bit more of Brandy, inject a bit of pace into the game.
People mention Trundle coming back but I really can't see this happening!!!

dear bobby - check out the skill of gomez, the goals the assists, the dead ball ability. the class of a la liga player. frankly he is one of our best players. we do not need any other physical ball winners. he supplies a completely different creative role and gives good balance to the midfield. i daresay we haven't even seen the best of him. it can't be easy to adjust to british football. have a rethink Bobby - i believe you may begin to see his worth. our team is now playing beautifully as a unit. every player has his part to play. i am glad that we have a player of gomez's ability. sorry you don't see it.
still i will trust the manager and gomez has been a pretty much ever present since he got into the side.
that i think sums up his importance.

fantastic year 2008 for the swans and well done to everyone. funniest moment of the year was darren pratley being interviewed live on sky sfter the plymouth away game in august. when asked what he thought about the plymouth disallowed goal he replied, what goal, i never saw any plymouth goal

I think the financial comparisons would carry more weight if:
1. We were above them in the League.
2. They had not taken four points to our one in the two corresponding matches.

Colin

But however well we played which side is most likely to be in the Premiership next season (or in any of the 3 or 4 after that)????

I wonder which of the two chairmen in Brum's Boardroom were the happiest after yesterday's match. The Brum one who has given upwards of around £13M to his manager for the following players,
M Taylor-£1.5M
S Parnaby-free
R Jaidi-free
L Ridgewell-£2M
F Quedrue-£2m
D Johnson-£100k
L Carsley-free, but career transfer fess totaling-£7.3M
J McFadden-£4.75M
D Murphy-£1.5M
K Phillips-free, but career transfer fees of £5.3M
M Bent-£1M, and career transfer fees of £13M
Substitutes,
N Hunt-Bolton, loan
O-Abeyie-loan ex-Spartak Moscow, ex-Arsenal
C Jerome-£3M
Not Used,
C Doyle-trainee
K Agustien-loan ex-AZ Alkmaar

Or the Swans' chairman with his team costing around £800k,
Dorus-free
Rangel-£10K
Tate-free
Monk-free
Williams-£400k
Britton-free
Allen-trainee
Pratley-£100k
Gower-free
Pintado-£120k
Subs used,
Brandy-loan
Butler-£50k
Scotland-£25k
Subs not used
Serran-£80k
Orlandi-free

Of course there are the player's wages to add to the above financial statistics. Is it any wonder why there are so many 'big' clubs teetering on the edge of meltdown, and messrs Gold and Sullivan at Brum were a tad annoyed following relegation last May.

stats-soccerbase.com

Sorry,spacebar not working properly

PaulJewel walks outon Derby

Two interesting points of opinion from a Birmingham City fan on the BBC 606 forum.

Firstly, Confirmation from other opposition fans opinion of our scoring record. Although his choice of striker, Kevin Doyle is out of our price range he still makes a point.

'We were totally outplayed by a far better footballing team! I thought Swansea were superb and played better even than Reading, the only difference being that Swansea are clearly in need of a good striker and I would say that if you put Kevin Doyle up front in the Swansea team then they would be where Wolves are right now.'


Secondly, an oppositions view of Joe Allan. As Colin said, his bulking up and first team games for Wrexham has boosted his confidence which became slightly dented last year after a promising start.

I do believe though, that yesterday, anyone present in the ground watched one of the stars of the future, and that was the Swansea no. 24, Joe Allen, who remarkably I understand, is only 17 years old. The kid was outstanding and ran the show first-half in my opinion. He reminded me of Neil Kilkenny but much more attacking minded, more skilful and basically, better! He made runs forward, was always looking for the ball, he always found a white shirt in space and was creative, making things happen. He sat just behind the front men but got back to tackle to – in short, I think he would be the answer to Blues’ fans prayers! He would be exactly the type of guy to fit the description of the creative midfielder we need that I described last week after the match v Reading, and at 17, he’s only going to get better! You may say I’m going over the top, but I was seriously impressed and if I was McLeish, I would put a bid in for him on the 1st of Jan! I can’t honestly remember a more impressive performance by an opposing player playing in the Championship since possibly Pierre Van Hooidjonk playing for Nott’s Forest and scoring two goals from outside the area to beat us 2-1 late on, back in front of the old Railway Stand. Anyway, if he plays like that every week then please sign him McLeish!

Joe Allan's performance yesterday has certainly shown he has taken the next step up the ladder in his playing career. The time spent in the gym since the end of last season, building up his upper body strength is plainly evident, giving him the stature to handle bullies like Brum's Carsley yesterday.

But well done to a top referee who, like Alan Wiley in the Carling Cup tie against Cardiff clamped down instantly on the thugs whose only contribution over 90 minutes is leaving their stud marks on the opposing players. An early booking for Carsley yesterday saw him become totally ineffective, unable to prevent Joe Allen, within the laws of the game, from becoming a huge influence during the period he was on the field.
Tanner and Attwell should take note.

Joe Allen has certainly benefited from playing on loan at Wrexham prior to his injury, now is the time for Shaun MacDonald to take the next step up the career ladder and do the same as Allen, get him out on loan, and you will see a different player when he comes back. That is what the loan system is there for. He is not going to progress otherwise. He was not even in the matchday squad that travelled for yesterday's game. A young lad with his potential should be battling for 90 minutes rather than going looking for bargains in the sales back in Swansea.

well done swans yesterday did us all proud,decent ref for a change.only downside was waiting on the supporters bus for nearly and hour and missing kick off,never seen such shambolic organisation in my life.we were told there were problems,butcome on how much practise has this club had with its policing policy :confused
man of the match for me darren pratley

MOM- MARK GOWER? HA HA HA HA, i thought apart from maybe 2 cross field passes and 1 cross, he had a really bad game.... lacking bottle and the ability to beat a man. Thats just my view though.

I know that there has been no wins in 9, but any Swans fan who was there yesterday can't possibly have a single word of criticism.

We were absolutely magnificent and I'm really proud of every one of them! To go away to Birmingham and produce a performance like that is something I've waited a long time to see!

With only a little bit of luck we could have won by 3 or 4 goals and would have thoroughly deserved it too.

Prune of a ref, we had last Friday against Coventry, say no more.

[news.bbc.co.uk]

Interesting article from Guardian today on yesterday's match:

The last time Birmingham City played out a 0-0 draw they took a point home from Anfield. But that was 16 months and 56 games ago and, if the Midlanders fancy visiting Liverpool next season, they will have to avoid too many performances like this.

The Swansea manager, Roberto Martinez, has seen his side play out eight consecutive draws since Birmingham beat them 3-2 in the Liberty Stadium in November and he knows this was an opportunity missed to exact revenge against a team he thinks are too good for the Championship. Instead he must now try to solve the profligacy of his strikers, who failed to punish 10-man Birmingham.

"There have been too many performances like that," said Martinez, who watched his substitutes Jason Scotland and Febian Brandy spurn chances that any Championship striker should be taking. "You shouldn't take for granted the amount of possession we had and the way we controlled the game. Not too many teams will do that here. I think everyone would agree that the least we deserved was a draw."

Alex McLeish called Swansea "the best footballing team" he has played this season but added: "I'm grateful for small mercies from what was a poor performance. They outmanoeuvred us in the midfield with the extra man and we never got into our way of style."

Swansea had the best chance of the erratic and scrappy opening exchanges. Mark Gower curled a shot wide, Jordi Gomez tested Maik Taylor from distance and at the other end James McFadden shot straight at Doures De Vries.

The home crowd grew restless as the second half began but individual errors were rife and more attacks were broken up by misplaced passes than good defensive work. Birmingham were reduced to 10 men for the last 22 minutes as David Murphy got a second yellow card for a clumsy tackle.

In the closing stages Scotland and Brandy both wasted wonderful opportunities, Scotland twice before Cameron Jerome almost stole the three points on his introduction for Marcus Bent but his right-footed shot from a tight angle was just off target. Moments later he broke with strength down the right channel only to find no one in the box.

Man of the match Mark Gower (Swansea)

My thoughts are now turning to Saturday, particularly how vital it is we put in a solid perfromance and WIN. No messing about with the line-up, Roberto, put out the best possible starting eleven and do a professional job. I want a confidence booster and I definitely want to be in the hat for Round 4. Their pitch is very likely going to be crap and they will no doubt be going Route One at every opportunity, so we need to be ready for a physical battle.

Tony S said:
"Do you realise that after 26 games in our first run in the Coca Cola Championship we have lost to only four [4] teams?"

Er, that's Charlton, Palace, Reading, Wolves and Birmingham.

I demand a recount!!!

it's getting quite embarrassing now for these 'established' Championship sides to be totally outplayed by a team from the 'sticks' who play the pretty passing game, and retain possession, very much like Arsenal really.
Forget about the numerical superiorirty of having one man more than Brum in the second half, the home side didn't change their tactics of two banks of four, and any attacking instincts were left to long hopeful balls to chase, or set pieces. Set pieces, the domain of almost all of the teams who have come to the Liberty this season, and the ONLY outlet for quite a majority of sides to score goals. Perhaps that is why 99% of teams who gain promotion to the Premiership always come down after one season. But there again they do get the parachute payments to satisfy their chairmen!

OK, Scotland and Brandy missed good goalscoring opportunities during the last 10 minutes, but the vital, missing ingrediant of pace was clearly evident again yesterday. Get pace out wide(Anderson) and teams will be torn apart. After Brandy came on the field, his pace when let loose clearly showed how important that particular ingrediant is too the Swans team.

Two players shone for me yesterday for different reasons. Joe Allan showed his immense maturity in midfield(going to be some player, and was not fazed by the bully Carsley), and Alan Tate at left full back. Out of position he again gave his all for the team, a couple of poor passes, but no complaints from me, playing on his wrong side, and OK, restricted in his attacking ability, did enough to warrant being selected.

Imposible to nominate a man of the match yesterday, such was the good form by so many players. If Rangel isn't the best right back in this league I havn't seen one yet. Ash Williams was immense, Pratley, Britton and Allen, like the Duracell bunnies, wind them up, and they go on for ever.

Finally, nice to see a Premiership referee show how the game should be controlled. Top marks Mike Riley.

Swans fans-2000. Top marks again, unlike the usual 700 that arrive at the Liberty from the so called 'big clubs.'

Sido,

Ok, a left back (take your pick from any three), Bodde, JS (benched due to foot injury), Britton (also carrying an injury but started), Pintado (due to have an operation on a painful groin which he shouldn't be playing on) and Gower (who'd been laid up with flu for a week).

I would agree that the team wasn't THAT far off our best XI but to perform as we did, against a team assembled for 20x ours, away from home and with all the injuries made it even more amazing....especially when we should have won!

In Roberto We Trust

I see the gobshite Jewell has fallen on his sword and resigned at Derby.

guto,what do you mean todays performance with an injury hit squad? we had bodde out,also painter,bessone& o'halloron but thats 3 left backs so only 1 of them would have been playing if all fit,in my calculations we were only missing 2 players from the probable 16 through injury,thats not injury hit in my book!

Really proud of my boys today.
We outplay Brum in their back garden and still only get a point.
We would all have settled for that before the game. It just goes to show how far we have come this season. Its blatantly obvious now that we need someone to sick the ball in the back of the net. Where would we be if we had a natural goalscorer. Listened to all the game on the radio and we bloody murdered em. Top three side full of premiership players outplayed by us.
And all you suporters who went today desereve a pat on the back. The singing came out really loud on the radio.
When will our lucjk change. Who should we be afraid of. Oh for a goalscorer and i reckon we,re the best team in the league.
If Brandy is staying time to give a chance to start, lets be honest he cant do any worse than our other strikers.
PROUD TO BE A JACK AS ALWAYS.
IN ROBERTO WE TRUST.
WHO ARE WE?

Just got back from a very enjoyable day in Birmingham.

I don't know how much the Birmingham fans knew about us before we came today, but against famous, recognisable faces, our boys were fantastic. With a good striker we would have won that match 4-0, but luck was not on our side and I once again had to settle for a draw.

But our players deserve a massive pat on the back for what they did today. They outclassed a teamsheet that would hardly look out of place in the Premier League.

I don't care that much about the result now that we look quite safe in this league even before January's started. The excellent play tells me that perhaps in the second half of the season, perhaps next season, we'll be getting the wins that we deserve.

This was the last match before the transfer window opens and I think we're all agreed that Martinez's main priority is a striker that can stick the ball in the back of the net! Today's performance by an injury-hit squad tells me that the rest of the squad is good enough as it is.

Just back from Birmingham, just wanted to come on and say how pround I was to be Swans fan today, our team did us proud, it was a tremendous performance, I know we didn't win or score, but we totally outplayed Birmingham, Pratley, Britton, Williams and Monk were outstanding, the others were not far behind. Only slight dissapointment was Gower, looked short of confidence.
We are now a a quality championship team and have no reason to fear anyone. I went up today with some trepidation but after 10 minutes my only concern was the fact that we are not quite able to finish sides off. I would like to wish Roberto and the boys a Happy New Year and thank them for 12 brilliant months.

Ash Williams & Darren pratley are immense. Jenkins, we need to sign a winger & striker then we will definitely make playoffs

8 games unbeaten. The first stage of winning is not losing.

I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the negativity of some posters. I would suggest some of you start being supporters (in the most explicit sense of the word), and keep your inane, unsubstantiated, unqualified ramblings to yourselves.

Great squad, Great Manager, Great Stadium all achieved without endangering the financial security of the club. Life isn't really that bad is it?

Not long got back from the game. Magnificent performance, magnificent support. I cant remember the last Swans game I watched that we didn't deserve to win comfortably, however Scotland should have had a hat trick! Please Roberto buy a finisher in the January sales and we would be a complete footballing side sitting amongst the top two!

Tony S:
Illegitimi non carborundum. :type:

Carry on the good work. You Jack B*****d !!

If we sign a martian I will support him

Roy,

Your now comparing a black person with a martian, stop digging holes.

Re: 17511) Thanks, j4cka.

It takes more than one lark to make a morning. Or something about one bird something something.

Hey everyone, great result (and performance by the sounds of it today). Some of you may know I write a column for swanseacityafc.co.uk (vital swansea). Am hoping in the long run to become a sports journalist - with this in mind ive made a website www.osheasport.co.uk - Ive archived all my Swans articles and theres other, general sporting articles and features to it. Please have a look and leave some comments if you get 5 spare minutes and tell others about it!! Thanks, Dom