Monk Deserves Credit For 2nd Half Improvement

Swansea City manager Garry Monk deserves credit for boosting his team today as they went on to beat Stoke City 2-0 at the Liberty Stadium.

The Swans boss wanted to avoid the match feeling like a mid-table ‘nothing to play for’ type of game, as he said that the crowd needed to make it feel like a ‘title decider’.

It hardly felt like a title decider in the first half – more like the sort of match that he wanted to avoid. The atmosphere – rather flat to begin with – reflected the football that was on display as neither side were able to create much in front of goal.

Shelvey saw a shot hit the post before Fabianski had to tip a shot over the crossbar but there was little else to get excited about in the opening 45 minutes that saw both sides cancel each other out.

However, Garry Monk deserves credit for inspiring his side in the second half as they produced a match-winning performance while Stoke City failed to step up their game.

Monk felt that his side were only playing at 70% in the first half, and the intensity and tempo of the passing was lacking – and he was right. The Swans were often letting themselves down by some basic errors in the final third which was why, despite their spells of possession, they rarely created a chance on goal.

But they took full control in the second half, Shelvey picked out Montero for him to head home at the far post before Ki added an injury-time second.

“We were good first half but probably playing at 70 per cent – our intensity and the tempo of our passing wasn`t quite where it should be,” said the Swans boss.

“But the reaction in the second half was what we wanted. We were dominant and had chances to take the lead, and the goals eventually came and quite rightly so. Three points and a clean sheet is a great achievement.

“The key today was consolidating our top ten finish. We`re in eighth place now and the result helps us control that spot.

“We have three really tough games coming up, but we want to finish well.

“If we perform like we did in the second half in those games, we will be a handful for anyone.”

Monk also praised his wingers, as well as Jonjo Shelvey and defender Federico Fernandez.

“I don`t think Jefferson has scored too many with his head before,”

“He`s come back from injury, and he was sharper again this week. Both him and Nathan were excellent today, especially in the second half.

“I thought Jonjo was excellent too. I thought he was our best midfielder last week in terms of managing the game, and in the first half he and Federico were excellent. Everyone needed to raise their game to their level, and we did that.”