{"id":540232,"date":"2020-01-12T12:34:33","date_gmt":"2020-01-12T17:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonfootball.com\/?p=540232"},"modified":"2020-01-12T12:34:33","modified_gmt":"2020-01-12T17:34:33","slug":"lack-of-quality-shows-in-south-wales-derby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2020\/01\/12\/lack-of-quality-shows-in-south-wales-derby\/","title":{"rendered":"Lack of Quality Shows in South Wales Derby"},"content":{"rendered":"

History has repeated itself once more. Neither Cardiff City<\/a> or Swansea City<\/a> have ever done the double of each other in a league fixture. A drab 0-0 continued that record in a South Wales Derby that lacked quality and a cutting edge.<\/p>\n

Lack of Quality Shows as Cardiff City and Swansea City Play Out Drab South Wales Derby<\/h2>\n

Cardiff Physicality Puts Pressure on Swansea Defence<\/h3>\n

The opening exchanges had all the hallmarks of a typical derby day encounter. It was scrappy and fast-paced, lacking an edge of quality.<\/p>\n

However, tactics were prevailing for Neil Harris’ side. They targeted the young Swans defence, bullying them into physical encounters. Balls were flying high into the box from the left-hand side and then the right, trying to force a mistake from their opponents.<\/p>\n

However, Swansea were holding their own. Ben Wilmot<\/a> and Benjamin Cabango<\/a> matched their South Wales rivals and kept Cardiff’s lone striker Robert Glatzel<\/a> quiet for much of the game, an all too familiar tale for the German striker since his arrival in the summer.<\/p>\n

Not the Day to Be a Striker<\/h3>\n

Chances were few and between for both sides, and when they came, they were really from either striker.<\/p>\n

Rhian Brewster<\/a> struggled on his Swansea debut, having only joined<\/a> earlier in the week on loan from Liverpool<\/a>. His small stature could not compete with Curtis Nelson<\/a> and Sean Morrison<\/a> at the heart of the Cardiff defence.<\/p>\n

Instead, Steve Cooper’s tried to utilise Brewster’s pace, waiting for patient openings before releasing him to run the channels.<\/p>\n

Swansea’s lack of attacking threat was shown in their lack of shots on target. It took until the 80th minute for the Swans to test Alex Smithies<\/a>\u00a0when Andre Ayew<\/a> cut inside and fired a shot straight at the Cardiff keeper.<\/p>\n

While tactics were different, it was the same story at the other end of the pitch for Cardiff and Robert Glatzel. The 26-year-old saw the ball sparingly, a feat that saw him substituted in the 70th minute.<\/p>\n

Lack of Quality Reflective of League Positions<\/h3>\n

The game’s poor quality reflected the two sides’ position in the Championship. Swansea looked the more promising, with a young side that are lacking a goalscorer that would undoubtedly help push for a play-off spot.<\/p>\n

Cardiff showed that they were a side in transition, under the still relatively new Neil Harris in the dugout. A mid-table finish is perhaps the best that they can hope for after relegation from the Premier League last season.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>