MOWBRAY PERIOD STARTS WITH JAMES DELIGHT, BUT THERE IS

Tony Mowray period starts with James delight, but there is still a lot to learn.

Wayne Rooney reigned something. What a farce it was. With each passing game, players’ confidence began to dwindle, since they didn’t know which route the club would go.

Rooney blasted the squad and demanded that the blame be shifted to the team and a probable lack of quality, but in the end, the former Manchester United attacker was let go.

Tony Mowbray is aware of the lack of confidence and saw it in his team as they toiled in the second half and became too vulnerable. He witnessed a fantastic first half in which Siriki Dembele had one of his best performances of the season and Scott Hogan emerged from the shadows.

Captain Dion Sanderson appears to be the player who needs to restore the most confidence. Imperious at center back for the majority of his time at St Andrew’s, although serious questions have been posed to him.

And Sanderson gave winger Jamal Lowe too much time to score for Swansea in the second half, and the club decided to retreat into their shells and fail to do the fundamentals effectively from then on.

Sanderson was given a significant position under Rooney. His primary responsibilities were looking for hazardous but progressive passes from the back that would attempt to open up the opposition. There was obviously a lot of pressure on him to keep the ball on the ground and accept responsibility.

It worked at times, but not all of the time. And Sanderson was sharing the load at times with the inexperienced Emanuel Aiwu, who was also struggling.

But this is a new day for the captain, and he must restore his composure and produce. Because after Lowe put Swansea ahead, it appeared as if the floodgates might open. Swansea were allowed vast amounts of space to play in, and the home defense simply crumbled under the strain. The tide practically turned with the flip of a switch.

But this is understandable given the recent string of gloomy and ineffective performances. Some will shine at such times, but the majority will not. Because self-assurance is essential in football.

We’ve seen this tale before with different management and owners. The wrong systems were introduced, and the players were not used to their full potential. Only a handful have shone in the last stages of 2023 and the early part of the new year. Jordan James is among them.

The game was in desperate need of a breath of fresh air. A breath of fresh air that would allow the Blues to gradually claw their way out of the bottom three. And the young Welshman would not disappoint. With barely seconds left on the clock, a clean and low drive from the edge of the D. I’m digging you out of the mud.

I appreciated how much flexibility the players had in the first half. They were able to express themselves, but Mowbray was also utilizing them correctly.

He noted Miyoshi was quiet and happy, and when he shifted to the right, he was much more impactful cutting inside on his left foot.

Cody Drameh was given the freedom to move forward, which is where his strengths lie. Siriki Dembele was given the opportunity to experiment with the ball, fooling his opponent and beating his guy. A fantastic finish for 1-1, but he could have added to his goal tally for the afternoon.

When Mowbray was at Sunderland, it was all about space, with the former Blackburn manager desperate for Jack Clarke and Amad Diallo to contribute to the team’s success last season. As time passes, I see Dembele and Miyoshi in a similar way.

He learned a lot, Mowbray, and the players would have as well.