Sunday 6 October 2013

Southampton vs Swansea - Live commentary/blog

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15:21
FULL TIME Southampton 2 - 0 Swansea
Game over. Saints will feel they did enough and that would be true, but we had enough chances to get something out of this. Professional display from Pochettino's men, but some Swansea fans' concerns are unfounded. Southampton will surprise a lot of people this season.

15:20
Just not clinical enough from the Swans today. They can't complain as they had their chances, but they didn't take them.

15:18
We're into the four minutes of injury time, and Saints have a corner.

15:14
There's been very little through the middle today. Bony & Michu haven't linked well enough, and they've had little to no joy out of Lovren & Fonte.

15:13
That's likely game over. Less than five minutes left, and we haven't fashioned enough chances in the second half to play with the belief we'll get something here.

15:10
GOAL Southampton 2 - 0 Swansea (Rodriguez 82')
Despite the presence of Amat and Chico Jay Rodriguez manages to collect a high bouncing ball and scuff a finish across Vorm and in. Poor, poor defending. Simply not good enough.

15:08
Dyer puts a decent cross in from the right, but Michu couldn't get past Clyne to direct his header on target. Goal kick.

15:07
Wanyama booked for a foul on Dyer. Swansea free kick - Shelvey to swing it in... but again it's cleared out - this time by Boruc. Chico then attempts a bicycle kick when it comes back in - that's the second time in two games he's tried that...

15:06
We are so bad at attacking set pieces...

15:05
Surely the Swans must now rally and go in search of an equaliser? Pressure in the Saints box ultimately leads to a Swans free kick on the right hand side. Ben Davies to take...

15:02
DISALLOWED GOAL
Canas gives the ball away and it leads to an attack first down the right through Lallana, who produces a cross which drifts to the back post. Another corner is given, and it's in after a mumbled finish. Nothing wrong with the finish, but the ref gives a free kick to the Swans, probably because there's no way it was a corner in the first place. Bloody dodgy officiating, but at least it worked out fair...

15:00
Swansea are firmly camped in the Southampton half at the moment. Jose Canas did, however, just play a pass to no-one and it's a Saints throw.

14:58
The ball comes to Schneiderlin but his effort is high, wide, and not at all handsome.

14:57
Jose Canas is on a one-man defensive mission. He blocks out a prospective cross from Clyne (I think) and it's a corner to Saints, but it's cleared back out to Lallana who'd taken it. It's deflected out for another corner.

14:56
Still 1-0, and the longer it stays like this the more confident Saints will become. Despite how deep they're sitting we haven't really tested them so far in the 2nd half.

14:53
Substitute Ward-Prowse almost collects a back-post cross but Rangel snuffs it out for a corner. It's cleared out and Davis lashes a shot over on the volley. Pozuelo comes on to replace Routeldge.

14:52
More Swansea pressure but Dyer's cross is deflected and Boruc collects easily.

14:51
Southampton are sitting so deep here. The Swans need to make the most of this.

14:49
Jose Canas just played a 15 yard pass with his chest. Epic.

14:49
Swansea looking the team in the ascendency here...

14:44


14:40
Contentious. Bony is brought down on the edge of the area, and both Saints centre-halves have been booked. They'll have to be careful from now on...

14:39
Rangel crosses it in from the right but Bony's header is high and wide. There is no way this is going to finish 1-0. Both sides seem intent on scoring goals.

14:38
A lovely passing move sees Dyer gets flicked through by Routledge but his effort is sliced and goes out for a goal kick.

14:37
Swansea get a freekick after Routledge is fouled by Clyne. They take it quickly and it comes to Jonjo Shelvey, but his cross-shot is weak and collected by Boruc.

14:35
Swansea look up for this...

14:33
Osvaldo down. Seemed fairly innocuous, but replays show Canas did indeed clatter him somewhat.

14:31
We're back underway.

HALF TIME TWEETS!










14:18
HALF TIME Southampton 1 - 0 Swansea
Much better from Swansea after they'd got up to speed, and they caused serious problems for the Saints defence in the second half of the first period. Hopefully they'll come flying out of the blocks.

14:17
Osvaldo just made a comical attempt to earn a foul with an exaggerated dive. Shameful.

14:16
Routledge gets into the box but his cross is snuffed out.

14:13
Another sliderule pass from Rangel plays Dyer into the box, but Nathaniel Clyne blocks Routledge from getting to the ball at the back post and it's out for a corner. It's cleared away, but the Swans collect and

14:12
Some Trundle-esque skill from Routledge there. Baller. It leads to Dyer swinging a ball in from out wide, and Bony's header produces a wonderful save from Boruc. Swansea corner, but Saints scramble it clear. Swans' pressure is building.

14:09
Despite the occasional defensive frailty the Swans have been a lot better this last 10 minutes. As I type, Routledge fouls Osvaldo out wide, and Saints have another chance from a free kick.

14:08
Dyer nails Fox moments after Davies is similarly clattered by Clyne. Neither challenge results in a card.

14:06
So close! Dyer darts through several challenges and unleashes a stinging left footed drive which beats Boruc at the near post but cannons off the inside of the post, across goal and away. Best chance for the visitors yet.

14:05
A couple of times Saints have played men in behind the Swans, and this time Lambert finds himself in behind the defence. His centre hits Amat and almost finds it's way into Vorm's near post. Home claims for a penalty for handball are dismissed.

14:04
Shelvey manages to fall over onto the ball. Yep, he just did that.

14:03
Free kick out wide. Shelvey delivers but in truth it's another poor delivery, and Chico can't direct his effort on target.

14:02
A good burst by Shelvey through the middle sees the ex-Liverpool man find Bony, whose snapshot is weak. Boruc collects. Swans looking a bit better at the moment...but as I type we give the ball away. Won back though, and Davies almost finds Routledge bursting through.

14:01
Vorm scrambles it away. Saints take a quick throw and pump it into the box but it's cleared away.

14:00
Canas penalised for a pretty good tackle, if you ask me. Free-kick for Saints about 35 yards out, which Lambert clearly fancies...

13:59
Great knock from Rangel finds Dyer bursting through, and his centre is collected by Boruc with Bony lurking. More good play from the Saints keeper.

13:58
The Swans come again, and Shelvey produces a snapshot which draws another save from Boruc. We hold possession for a minute before Davies and Routledge confuse themselves and give the ball away, but Davies tracks back and puts it out for a throw.

13:57
Rangel puts a cross in for Michu, and Boruc makes a great save. Corner, which Shelvey wastes.

13:56
A nod-down for Lambert should find Lallana but he can't quite get to the ball. If he'd have gone for a header then it wouldhave been 2-0

13:55
Lallana produces an effort which flies past Vorm's left hand post.

13:54
The Swans need to wise up here. If they play like this for 90 minutes they won't get anything, and could concede more goals.

13:53
Ben Davies goes on a surge down the left, but he's outmuscled by Wanyama. That guy is a monster.

13:52
Routledge does well to win a corner, but Boruc collects.

13:51
Ben Davies fouled, but Shelvey's free kick is very poor. The Swans are now back playing the ball around their defence...

13:50
GOAL SOUTHAMPTON 1 - 0 SWANSEA (Lallana)
It's been coming. After more sloppy Swans defending the ball falls to the Saints winger, who creams a finish across Michel Vorm. The keeper got a touch but he wasn't stopping that.

13:50
Swansea sitting very deep at the moment. Against a team like Saints that's very dangerous.

13:47
Lallana fails to collect a pass when well placed. Let off...

13:43
Saints corner after Amat closed down Lallana well, but Vorm eventually collects after some penalty area pinball.

13:40
Swans coming under some pressure here, but Davies is climbed all over competing for a header and the Swans have a chance to clear.

13:39
Swansea fans in good voice, coming through loud and proud on the stream I'm watching.

13:37
First real chance. Sloppy play from the Swans sees Osvaldo get played in, but a scrambled tackle from Chico forces him to put his shot wide. Shaky from the Swans' backline.

13:35
Bright start from the Swans, pressing high up the field. Ben Davies just struggled to keep the ball in after a lovely knock from Shelvey.

13:30
We're underway at St Mary's...

13:23
A pretty tasty stream:

http://livesport4u.com/stream1.html



13:15
Why is Ashley Williams on the bench? If he's not fit enough to be in the team he should be resting. Weird.

13:01
@Matt_The_Jack on twitter has just posted this pic of Michu, complete with new headgear:


12:57
Apparently Michu will be doing his best Petr Cech impression today, wearing a scrumcap to protect his head after needing stitches to a headwound sustained in the match against St Gallen. The guy is a warrior.

12:56
Despite the rumours Bony would be on the bench, he's starting, and I'm so glad about it. Backing him for a big performance today.

12:52
TEAM NEWS

Southampton: Boruc, Clyne, Fonte, Lovren, Fox, Wanyama, Schneiderlin, S. Davis, Lallana (c), Lambert, Osvaldo

Swansea: Vorm, Rangel (c), Amat, Flores, Davies, Shelvey, Canas, Dyer, Michu, Routledge, Bony