Sometimes it’s a good idea to pinch yourself. I left the Liberty this afternoon happy to have secured three points but generally disappointed that we had not played the free flowing football we have become so used to this season.

 

Then I reflected. We had just taken apart Southampton by three goals to nil. We had bossed the game. We had dominated the midfield and denied them any sort of possession. In fact they only managed two half hearted shots from outside the area late on. We are unbeaten at home and have looked much the better side in every game we have played at the Liberty this season. No it’s not a dream.

With Dorus’s dreadful injury keeping him out for 6-8 weeks, Roberto Martinez has brought in Dimitrious Konstantopoulos on loan from Coventry as cover. He had to be satisfied with a place on the bench with 19 year old Pole Artur Krysiak given his chance. Mark Gower was replaced in the starting line up by Tom Butler.

Side- de Vries, Rangel, Monk, Williams, Painter, Gomez, Pratley, Bodde, Britton, Butler, Scotland. Subs- Konstantopoulos, Tate, Gower, Brandy, Pintado.

Southampton set their stall out early; with just one up front and playing an off side trap at every opportunity. However, they differed to so many other Championship sides as they at least tried to play football.

Swans were frustrated early on by the off side ploy and some uncharteristic wayward passing caused a few early worries. However, Swans first attack of any sort of quality led to a goal on 11 minutes.

A flowing move saw the ball played right across the midfield to Tom Butler on the left. He made good ground and fired in a low hard cross. Darren Pratley collected and whilst most fans would have expected a first time shot, Prats controlled the ball with one touch before picking his spot perfectly to put the Swans ahead.

Despite the early goal Swans still looked far from convincing. Jordi Gomez, who has been so influential of late, looked way off the pace and Tom Butler all too often took the wrong option. In fairness to him, nobody else seemed to want to take defenders on and all our moves seemed to be coming down the left.

Defensively Angel Rangel was being given a torrid time by Bradley Wright- Phillips but that apart Southampton were poor going forward and Garry Monk and Ashley Williams were totally in command.

There was little goalmouth action at either end until just before the break when after another flowing move Angel Rangel fond himself in space in the box but he lacked composure and fired into the side netting.

Roberto Martinez’s half time talk would have been interesting. Southampton had not managed a single shot and we were 1-0 up but surely had we been at our best this game would have long since been over.

Within a minute of the restart Jordi Gomez played a perfect pass into the path of Ferrie Bodde but the Dutchman dragged his shot wide.

A seemingly innocuous challenge on Marcos Painter saw him stretchered off with what appears to be a knee ligament problem. He was replaced by Alan Tate who went to right back with Angel Rangel moving across to left back.

Swans should have extended their lead when Jordi Gomez picked out Ashley Williams’s run from a free kick but the defender got the header all wrong with the goal at his mercy.

Swans weren’t to be denied for long and just a minute later they scored the all important second. There didn’t appear to be too much danger with Swans awarded a free kick 35 yards out. With only one or two Southampton players in the wall Ferrie Bodde went for goal and fired a shot around the side of the wall. The shot was hard and low but straight at Kelvin Davis in goal. But the ball bounced just in front of him and zipped up off the greasy surface. Davis couldn’t hang onto the ball and with his defenders flat footed and watching on Jordi Gomez nipped in to smash the ball home.

With a two goal cushion Roberto Martinez took off Jason Scotland who trudged off at a snails pace milking a tremendous ovation which disappointingly he didn’t acknowledge. He was replaced by Gorka Pintado.

Swans put the game safe on 71 minutes when Tom Butler cut in from the left and fired in a right foot shot that seemed to take a deflection and leave Kelvin Davies rooted to the spot.

With a three goal advantage against a poor Southampton side Swans could have gone on to score another goal or two but it wasn’t to be. Swans continued to look much the better side. Fabien Brandy replaced Leon Britton and he and Gorka Pintado gave the Southampton defence the run around.

In the last five minutes Southampton managed their only two shots at goal, both half hearted efforts from outside the area that the young keeper handled easily.

So, Swans are now seven League games undefeated at home and lying in 7th place. No, I’m not dreaming.

Ratings-

Krysiak 7 – Couldn’t have asked for an easier debut. Looked comfortable and distributed the ball well.

Rangel 6 – Given a hard time early on by Wright- Phillips.
Monk 8 – Excellent game from our captain.
Williams 9 – One blemish on a superb performance. A miss at the other end.
Painter 7 – Lacked understanding with Tom Butler at times but defended well. Everyone’s hoping to see him make a speedy recovery.

Butler 6 – It says a lot about his character that after a poor first half he comes back to score an important goal.
Pratley 7 – Usual all action display.
Bodde 8 – Again totally controlled the game.
Britton 8 – Tremendous engine, never stopped chasing and harrying.
Gomez 7 – Poor first half very good second half capped with yet another goal.

Scotland 7 – Lacked support first half.

Subs-

Tate 7 – Often looks more agricultural than cultured but effective and gave 100%.
Pintado 6 – Seems to have lost his zip from a month or so back.
Brandy 6 – As with Pintado probably needs to play more to see his best.

More Pictures from Andrew Thomas

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Swansea City 3 Southampton 0 - Report by Western Mail, Pics by Dai Smith

Swansea eased to victory against Southampton to extend their unbeaten run to five in the Coca-Cola Championship.

A first-half strike from Darren Pratley was followed up by goals from Jordi Gomez and Thomas Butler in the second half.

Both sides started the game nervously and the first real action of any note was a yellow card to Gomez for a challenge on Rudi Skacel after seven minutes.

The game burst into life after 12 minutes when Ferrie Bodde fed Butler on the left wing, he ran to the byline and pulled the ball back across goal for Pratley to slot past Kelvin Davis in the Saints goal.

The visitors struggled to gain possession but were almost gifted a lifeline back into the game when the Swans defence invited Bradley Wright-Phillips to run at them but his shot was saved by debutant Artur Krysiak.

The hosts controlled possession around midfield despite not making any clear chances although Bodde’s shot from 20 yards whistled over the bar.

Nigel Pearson’s side began to find their feet with Adam Lallana causing the home team’s defence a number of problems with his bright play.

Wright-Phillips had his second chance of the match after 37 minutes when Lallana played him through but his shot at goal was blocked by Garry Monk.

Angel Rangel should have made it two for Swansea when he ran onto Gomez’s through ball but his shot crept wide of the upright.

As the half drew to a close Swansea came close to doubling their advantage but Butler’s shot at goal was deflected past the upright by Wright-Phillips.

Swansea suffered a scare early in the second half when full-back Marcos Painter was carried off on a stretcher with a bad leg injury.

It did not deter Roberto Martinez’s side from continuing their search for a second goal and Ashley Williams came close when heading Gomez’s free-kick inches over the bar after 55 minutes.

And the goal came moments later after a horrendous error from Davis, Bodde’s free-kick looked to be safely collected by the Saints’ stopper but he dropped the ball and Gomez responded quickest to fire the ball into the net.

Butler added a third after 72 minutes, cutting in from the left wing and curling a right-footed shot into the corner of the goal to ease the Welsh side into the comfort zone for the remainder of the match.

Southampton failed to find a way back into the game as their run of games without a win extended to four while Swansea edged closer to the play-off places.

Swansea City: Krysiak, Rangel, Williams, Monk, Painter (Tate 50), Britton (Brandy 76), Bodde, Pratley, Gomez, Butler, Scotland (Pintado 63).

Subs Not Used: Gower, Konstantopoulos.

Booked: Gomez.

Goals: Pratley 12, Gomez 58, Butler 72.

Southampton: Davis, Gillett, Perry, James, Cork, Lallana, Surman, Schneiderlin (Mills 62), Skacel, McGoldrick, Wright-Phillips (Paterson 62).

Subs Not Used: Wotton, Forecast, Euell.

Booked: James, Gillett.

Att: 15,564

Ref: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).