Swansea's accounts

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Jones gets way too much stick for not starting with Ramsey in the cup final.

The kid was just 17, had only started a handful of games in his senior career, playing in a cup final, against a team from a higher division.

By the time of the cup final, Ramsey had started 12 league and cup games out of the previous 18 (including the whole 90 minutes at Middlesbrough) and made a further 3 substitute appearances.

In his first season at Arsenal, while he was limited to only some brief Premier League appearances, he was given plenty of Champions' League experience.

He was also the best player we had at the club, even at that young an age.

Of course Jones should have started him.

[Rjk]

By the time of the cup final, Ramsey had started 12 league and cup games out of the previous 18 (including the whole 90 minutes at Middlesbrough) and made a further 3 substitute appearances.

In his first season at Arsenal, while he was limited to only some brief Premier League appearances, he was given plenty of Champions' League experience.

He was also the best player we had at the club, even at that young an age.

Of course Jones should have started him.

I really don't agree. you could see he was going to be a quality player but he was still a kid, and playing against a powerful Portsmouth side
of those games he had managed a goal against Burnley and one against chasetown.

and as we played ,4 across the midfield at the time we would have been dropping one of mcphail, Rae, Ledley or whittingham.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

I really don't agree. you could see he was going to be a quality player but he was still a kid, and playing against a powerful Portsmouth side
of those games he had managed a goal against Burnley and one against chasetown.

and as we played ,4 across the midfield at the time we would have been dropping one of mcphail, Rae, Ledley or whittingham.

Rae could have been dropped. Pompey went with a midfield 3 and Rae's aggressive style was completely nullified.

A better option would have been to drop Hasselbaink and go 4-5-1. Whitts played on the right that day and had a bit of a stinker. He could have been given a freer role with Ramsey out on the right.

Of course, that would have meant Jones having a plan B.

[splott parker]

Rae could have been dropped. Pompey went with a midfield 3 and Rae's aggressive style was completely nullified.

A better option would have been to drop Hasselbaink and go 4-5-1. Whitts played on the right that day and had a bit of a stinker. He could have been given a freer role with Ramsey out on the right.

Of course, that would have meant Jones having a plan B.

Hasn't Robbie Fowler claimed that he was fit enough to play? He may have given Portsmouth a bit to think about.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Hasn't Robbie Fowler claimed that he was fit enough to play? He may have given Portsmouth a bit to think about.

I think so. He barely gave Championship defenders much to think about. There was talk before the game that he might have been ready. Thankfully he wasn't.

[Rjk]

I think so. He barely gave Championship defenders much to think about. There was talk before the game that he might have been ready. Thankfully he wasn't.

when he actually played he was still decent, just he played so few games.

[Rjk]

Rae could have been dropped. Pompey went with a midfield 3 and Rae's aggressive style was completely nullified.

A better option would have been to drop Hasselbaink and go 4-5-1. Whitts played on the right that day and had a bit of a stinker. He could have been given a freer role with Ramsey out on the right.

Of course, that would have meant Jones having a plan B.

well we can agree to disagree. I think a midfield of whitts, mcphail, Ledley and a teenage Ramsey would have been fun to watch with the ball but we would have been torn to shreds without it.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

well we can agree to disagree. I think a midfield of whitts, mcphail, Ledley and a teenage Ramsey would have been fun to watch with the ball but we would have been torn to shreds without it.

It was anyway.

In the Leicester playoff semi final we had a midfield of Burke, McPhail, Whitts and Ledley. Last year, when someone pointed this out I thought that couldn't be true. It turned out that that quartet played quite a few games and was very successful. I looked at it and thought powderpuff, but it worked.

[Rjk]

It was anyway.

In the Leicester playoff semi final we had a midfield of Burke, McPhail, Whitts and Ledley. Last year, when someone pointed this out I thought that couldn't be true. It turned out that that quartet played quite a few games and was very successful. I looked at it and thought powderpuff, but it worked.

Those were the days eh?
Imagine having all those players able to pass the ball on the pitch at the same time?
That said we could play a very direct game when we needed to as well.