Swansea City continue to go from strength to strength in 2019 as they maintained their momentum with a convincing 4-1 FA Cup 4th round win against Gillingham. The victory sees the Swans reach the FA Cup 5th round in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1965.
Gillingham manager Steve Lovell returned to his birthplace hoping for more cup success against South Wales opposition having got past Cardiff City in the previous round, but it wasn’t to be. Had they done so, they would have been only the second team in history to eliminate both South Wales sides in the competition since 1975-76.
With Tuesday night’s home Championship match against Birmingham City in Graham Potter’s sights, the Swansea boss made four changes to the starting XI that beat Sheffield United last weekend. Some of those changes were forced due to injuries. Joe Rodon’s broken metatarsal saw Tottenham Hotspur loanee Cameron Carter-Vickers drafted in alongside former Ajax defender Mike van der Hoorn.
Alongside the American was left-back Declan John who replaced Kyle Naughton which meant that Connor Roberts could return to his preferred right-back position. In midfield, Potter kept faith in the Leroy Fer, Matt Grimes and Bersant Celina trio. Courtney Baker-Richardson and Barrie McKay replaced Wayne Routledge (calf) and Nathan Dyer (benched).
After switching from a 4-2-3-1 formation to a 4-3-3 during his side’s win against Sheffield United last Saturday, Potter stuck with a 4-3-3. Celina was dropped back as Potter looked to Barrie McKay to link up with Baker-Richardson as Oli McBurnie also dropped back to link up the play between midfield and attack.
For the Gills, they made three changes. Max Ehmer, Regan Charles-Cook and Tom Eaves replaced Alex Lacey, Callum Reilly and Josh Parker. Gillingham boss Steve Lovell adopted a 3-4-1-2 system with Charles-Cook playing behind the forward duo of Elliot List and Tom Eaves.
Swansea fly out of the blocks
Swansea City manager Graham Potter has established a new and improved blueprint since the turn of the year and so far its record speaks for itself. That blueprint involves attracting the press and playing vertical passes to make use of the space behind it.
Two wide players moving inside to occupy the half spaces as the full-backs ensure width, added with good movement, creates problems. The opposition defence is often stuck between sitting in a compact, narrow shape and looking to shift out and close down the attacking full-backs.
Unbeaten with two league and two FA Cup wins, their direct style and ability to play long vertical passes to break opposition lines has been key to that success. Preston – the only side to avoid defeat against the Swans in 2019 – adopted an effective and well-structured press but the likes of Reading (4-1), Aston Villa (3-0) and now Gillingham (4-1) all suffered heavy defeats as a result of getting their press badly wrong.
Swansea City were often able to play long, vertical passes forward that bypassed Gillingham’s press with ease. This allowed their backline to get the ball quickly into the feet of the attacking players. Receiving in space, they had plenty of time to turn and progress the attacking move forward into the opposition’s half.
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