MATCHWATCH : Swansea City (h)

[NewCorkSeth]

So who looked most "ready"? I know it's tough to say given the makeup of the team but anyone look a little sharper than the rest? Or a little more physical?

I also want to say I'm really glad that the club threw the game away. Immediately helps us just by having one less game to play and, if by some miracle we won, we would only use the next game the same way anyway.

[Coppells Lost Coat]

I'm just plain confused.

How can it be 'good experience' to throw raw youngsters into a first team game with a crowd?

Surely it's more likely to have a negative effect and stunt their confidence and mindset?

But beyond that, why set the team up in a way that doesn't allow Puscas to express himself?

Surely, this would have been an ideal opportunity to set the team up to play to his strengths (I know, we can debate what they are, but he's a full Romanian International...) and at least show some flexibility and ambition.

Instead of which, the team shape just made the youngsters chase shadows all night.

Also, given the run at the end of last season and now 2 defeats on the bounce puts undue pressure on Saturday.

As I said at the start, I'm confused

Think its more of a test than anything. See how the kids react etc. Best to test them in an environment where A) the crowd is small B) expectation is low. Doubt it would have a negative impact from 1 game. This is when the real professionals would reflect and work on how to improve. See last night as a benchmark for them to see how far they are away from 'making it'.

In relation to Puscas - why set up a team to suit 1 player when there is 9 others out on the pitch which basically have played together for the last few years. It is a shame and i do feel for him - but good players adapt, and do it quickly.

[Hound]

I don’t think it’s ideal at all to throw in such inexperienced players. The likes of southwood, Tetek and Bristow - close to the first 11 - yes ideal, but not the others

I’m absolutely sure Pauno would not be wanting to throw in 18 year olds against a solid side. It’s solely the circumstance we are in.

Also - ‘good with kids’ doesn’t mean he can send out a team of 18 year olds and beat Swansea. It means being able to bring the ones who are ready through to eventually be first team - so the likes of Tetek and Azeez are the ones for this season. Olise, Holmes last season

[bakerlou]

So who looked most "ready"? I know it's tough to say given the makeup of the team but anyone look a little sharper than the rest? Or a little more physical?

I also want to say I'm really glad that the club threw the game away. Immediately helps us just by having one less game to play and, if by some miracle we won, we would only use the next game the same way anyway.

Southwood for sure, without him it would have been 5 or more. There were too many players out of position to make any sort of judgement, The two in the middle, Tetek and Osario (?) both looked good on the ball but were muscled off it too often - either one of them would have been ok next to (for example) Laurent or Rhino (or Parky or Sanchez or Mick Tait) but not both together. Clarke, when he came on for Ehibhationham, was a massive improvement but he had to shift to LM when we went down to 10 and wasn't as good there.

TBF we changed to 5-3-2 at half-time and we looked way better as a result for a short period but the lack of height at set-pieces and the general frailty were the clear differences.

[NewCorkSeth]

So who looked most "ready"? I know it's tough to say given the makeup of the team but anyone look a little sharper than the rest? Or a little more physical?

I also want to say I'm really glad that the club threw the game away. Immediately helps us just by having one less game to play and, if by some miracle we won, we would only use the next game the same way anyway.

Southwood for sure, without him it would have been 5 or more. There were too many players out of position to make any sort of judgement, The two in the middle, Tetek and Osario (?) both looked good on the ball but were muscled off it too often - either one of them would have been ok next to (for example) Laurent or Rhino (or Parky or Sanchez or Mick Tait) but not both together. Clarke, when he came on for Ehibhationham, was a massive improvement but he had to shift to LM when we went down to 10 and wasn't as good there.

TBF we changed to 5-3-2 at half-time and we looked way better as a result for a short period but the lack of height at set-pieces and the general frailty were the clear differences.

Yeah, kind of included Southwood as a senior player already. Glad he looked decent, how was his delivery? Rafaels was mostly poor on Saturday.

Tetek being muscled off the ball is interesting, despite his size, in his cameos last season he looked capable of throwing his weight around.

Is Osario not a winger? Have I made that up?

[bakerlou]

Is Osario not a winger? Have I made that up?

I may have meant Camara there, sorry - very small guy who played CM for most of the match.

Clarke was the only one who looked physically ready.

[bakerlou]

I should add. I couldn't have cared less about the result but it was great being back at the ground, supporting the team.

[URZZZZ]

Best thing was VP got to see the academy lads play against more experienced pros and how they would fit in his team.

Don’t think last night’s team would have revealed too much information about how they would have fitted in the first team given that very few first teamers were actually playing. Almost impossible to gauge as collectively we never got a foot hold in the game

Start of Stam’s downfall was him trying to send messages out over his disappointment of not making the signings he wanted (naming 6 on the bench on the opening day, repeatedly not starting a striker etc). Understand that Paunovic isn’t blessed for options but hope he isn’t going the same way

[SCIAG]

Is Osario not a winger? Have I made that up?

I may have meant Camara there, sorry - very small guy who played CM for most of the match.

Clarke was the only one who looked physically ready.

No you’re right, that was Osorio.

Camara was the little black winger who mostly played down the left, got booked and substituted.

Leavy the little white right winger.

Osorio probably the smallest of the lot, relatively light skinned black kid with voluminous hair in central midfield.

[NathStPaul]

Is Osario not a winger? Have I made that up?

I may have meant Camara there, sorry - very small guy who played CM for most of the match.

Clarke was the only one who looked physically ready.

No you’re right, that was Osorio.

Camara was the little black winger who mostly played down the left, got booked and substituted.

Leavy the little white right winger.

Osorio probably the smallest of the lot, relatively light skinned black kid with voluminous hair in central midfield.

Perfectly normal post. Probably could have used shirt numbers but please do continue to identify our players by how dark their skin is.

[Zip]

Do we have any tall Academy boys.

[SCIAG]

Do we have any tall Academy boys.

Ehibhationham and Clarke both seemed to be quite big, and there’s the centre backs of course. But the midfield was very very small - Tetek was the tallest!

[Coppells Lost Coat]

Best thing was VP got to see the academy lads play against more experienced pros and how they would fit in his team.

Don’t think last night’s team would have revealed too much information about how they would have fitted in the first team given that very few first teamers were actually playing. Almost impossible to gauge as collectively we never got a foot hold in the game

I get what you are saying, but VP and his team would have been keen to see certain players, probably the ones that the youth team coaches have ear marked as having potential. They may have got over run and chased shadows but certainly things like positional play, movement and what runs were not seen by team mates, those sort of would have been picked up.

[Snowflake Royal]

Is Osario not a winger? Have I made that up?

I may have meant Camara there, sorry - very small guy who played CM for most of the match.

Clarke was the only one who looked physically ready.

Don't know about Camara but Osario is tiny

[morganb]

Best thing was VP got to see the academy lads play against more experienced pros and how they would fit in his team.

Don’t think last night’s team would have revealed too much information about how they would have fitted in the first team given that very few first teamers were actually playing. Almost impossible to gauge as collectively we never got a foot hold in the game

I get what you are saying, but VP and his team would have been keen to see certain players, probably the ones that the youth team coaches have ear marked as having potential. They may have got over run and chased shadows but certainly things like positional play, movement and what runs were not seen by team mates, those sort of would have been picked up.

Regarding observing players, at the Crystal Palace pre-season game not all of the coaches stayed in the dugout for the full game. At half-time I noticed Marko Mitrovic doing keepy-uppies in front of Y21. When the second half started he simply took a seat behind the advertising hoardings and made notes throughout the second half. I guess it gives them a different perspective of the game and players as it's probably tricky to see the other side of the pitch from the technical area, though you would expect coaches to have some modern technology available to monitor/record players these days.

[RFCMod]

F**k me Stricklands follow through was so late they'd turned the floodlights off

[Mr Optimist]

I think it is also possible Pauno wasn’t anticipating Swansea to put out the strength of side they did…..

[Lower West]

I think it is also possible Pauno wasn’t anticipating Swansea to put out the strength of side they did…..

That was average second string Championship side. Pauno had no other options. No point risking those who'll definately start on Saturday. McInytre only played 45 minutes to gain fitness and match practice.

[Sanguine]

Is Osario not a winger? Have I made that up?

I may have meant Camara there, sorry - very small guy who played CM for most of the match.

Clarke was the only one who looked physically ready.

Don't know about Camara but Osario is tiny

Listed as 5ft 6ins. Which is two inches shorter than Keith Jones, who himself always looked tiny out there.

[blythspartan]

Been reading some of the media’s comments about Swansea’s win last night and some of the eulogising is ridiculous. Anyone would think that they’d just thumped Brazil 3-0. I fully expect them to be fighting for promotion this season but they may face a few tougher challenges than our youngsters.