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Swans A-Swimming. Or Something.
Posted by
kperdnusse
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Match Review
19 December 2011
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I went to the match on Saturday for the first time this season and Pat said I have to blog about it, so here it is.
The matchday experience started when Pat took me to a pub (Three Bulls Heads, I think) to meet some people. I'm not entirely sure who they all were, but it was very nice *hi people**waves*.
We went to Shearer's next to meet Nige, Cade and their friends. Shearer's is an odd bar. It has three half-levels and no full ones. It's quite roomy inside though, presumably to accommodate his ego. I definitely prefer pubs to bars. To be honest, the drinking part is a bit of a blur. Cider makes me sleepy.
Anyway, they let me into the ground that the envelope my ticket arrived in tried to tell me is called Sports Direct Arena, or 'Arse Pants Director' if you prefer. I know I do, but we all know that's bollocks, don't we? Even some mackems agree.
So I found my seat and my dad. We agreed that sitting where we were was weird because we weren't in the seats where we used to have season tickets. That singer with the Welsh name that I can't remember appeared and we all sang Cwm Rhondda but in English, in the apparent mistaken belief that we were singing Bread of Heaven, but I have learnt that it's a common error. It lapsed into a minute's applause and I admit I had a tear or two in my eyes. Unfortunately, since I was sitting (well, standing at that point) next to my dad, I heard him sing. This is not good. Usually when he sings, we all tell him to shut up, but I couldn't this time.
Now, to football. Well, we should have murdered them. The woodwork got a pounding again, as it did against Chelsea, and I don't remember Krul doing very much. There were a couple of goal kicks and he caught a corner, I think. MotD later confirmed my thoughts when it informed me that Swansea had a total of zero shots on target, so well done Krul on that clean sheet. There was something early on in the game which prompted the words my dad and I never thought we'd say: 'Thank God for James Perch'. I think it was a block he made.
As last time, the applause for Speed started on 11 minutes. I always liked him, good player who we sold far too soon. RIP Gary.
Anyway, play happened, we were better, Obertan is rubbish and Cabaye is quite nice to stare at but not brilliant at corners. Tiote tried to replicate his equaliser against Arsenal last season but possibly put a wee bit much swerve on it, meaning it ended up closer to the corner flag than the post. I think. I was in the opposite corner of the ground so it's hard to tell sometimes. Also cider. Then there was that one Ba should have scored at the start of the second half. If only Shola had been on the pitch... Or, y'know, someone good. Is Shearer the last decent striker we had? Ba's canny enough, it seems, anyway. Just not on Saturday.
Shola then appeared, so that's nice, and later Obertan was finally removed, but where was Ben Arfa? No offence to Vuckic or anything, but Ben Arfa's meant to be good. Sammy had a go then as well, but it appears we were destined not to score, if you believe all that astrology bull.
Nice blogging to you again,
KP
The matchday experience started when Pat took me to a pub (Three Bulls Heads, I think) to meet some people. I'm not entirely sure who they all were, but it was very nice *hi people**waves*.
We went to Shearer's next to meet Nige, Cade and their friends. Shearer's is an odd bar. It has three half-levels and no full ones. It's quite roomy inside though, presumably to accommodate his ego. I definitely prefer pubs to bars. To be honest, the drinking part is a bit of a blur. Cider makes me sleepy.
Anyway, they let me into the ground that the envelope my ticket arrived in tried to tell me is called Sports Direct Arena, or 'Arse Pants Director' if you prefer. I know I do, but we all know that's bollocks, don't we? Even some mackems agree.
So I found my seat and my dad. We agreed that sitting where we were was weird because we weren't in the seats where we used to have season tickets. That singer with the Welsh name that I can't remember appeared and we all sang Cwm Rhondda but in English, in the apparent mistaken belief that we were singing Bread of Heaven, but I have learnt that it's a common error. It lapsed into a minute's applause and I admit I had a tear or two in my eyes. Unfortunately, since I was sitting (well, standing at that point) next to my dad, I heard him sing. This is not good. Usually when he sings, we all tell him to shut up, but I couldn't this time.
Now, to football. Well, we should have murdered them. The woodwork got a pounding again, as it did against Chelsea, and I don't remember Krul doing very much. There were a couple of goal kicks and he caught a corner, I think. MotD later confirmed my thoughts when it informed me that Swansea had a total of zero shots on target, so well done Krul on that clean sheet. There was something early on in the game which prompted the words my dad and I never thought we'd say: 'Thank God for James Perch'. I think it was a block he made.
As last time, the applause for Speed started on 11 minutes. I always liked him, good player who we sold far too soon. RIP Gary.
Anyway, play happened, we were better, Obertan is rubbish and Cabaye is quite nice to stare at but not brilliant at corners. Tiote tried to replicate his equaliser against Arsenal last season but possibly put a wee bit much swerve on it, meaning it ended up closer to the corner flag than the post. I think. I was in the opposite corner of the ground so it's hard to tell sometimes. Also cider. Then there was that one Ba should have scored at the start of the second half. If only Shola had been on the pitch... Or, y'know, someone good. Is Shearer the last decent striker we had? Ba's canny enough, it seems, anyway. Just not on Saturday.
Shola then appeared, so that's nice, and later Obertan was finally removed, but where was Ben Arfa? No offence to Vuckic or anything, but Ben Arfa's meant to be good. Sammy had a go then as well, but it appears we were destined not to score, if you believe all that astrology bull.
Nice blogging to you again,
KP
I'm still a bit bewildered that we ended the game without scoring but there you go, stuff happens and the Swansea GK had a disappointingly good day and improved his time-wasting skills no end.
The tribute to Gary Speed was very sad and I'm glad to hear your dad sang - a lot did around me, including myself but you couldn't hear the crowd on MotD. Strange that.
Obertan needs to pass quicker than he does - the longer he has the ball, the more gift-wrapped it becomes and given away to the opposition. I got a bit festive there.
Nice blog, again.