Ki Sung-Yeung starts for Swansea Sept 22

Sept 22, 2012

Right now, I’m looking at glorious HD on ESPN2 and surprise: Ki Sung-Yeung is making his first Swansea start before a home crowd at Liberty Stadium. As I furiously write this, both Swansea and Ki playing tentatively at the start, Ki playing a quiet defensive midfield role. He’s got a few touches, but playing very cautiously. Everton however has been dominating Swansea, they go 2-0 into the half. Replays show the first goal was in fact helped by a handball by Fellaini.  The home side picked up the pace with a more agressive offensive display toward the end of the half. DeGuzman, Michu and others had some excellent chances, but fruitless in getting the equalisers.  Ki curled in a long shot, a fantastic hit, but just wide of the goal. He helped create some chances afterwards, culminating in a fantastic through ball to Angel Rangel, but Rangel’s shot blocked by a great save by the American Tim Howard.

More to come today, including some indications that Park Chu-Young might get his first start with Celta Vigo later at noon today. Be back with you soon, gonna grab some coffee and swmarf down some cereal. For this game, Tavern will be updating live on Twitter with the handle [ taeguk_warrior ] 

2nd half, right away, Swansea aggressive from the start – Ki got in some great vision long passes, creating some excellent chances – he had a cracking shot from the top of the penalty area but a save from Tim Howard again denied Ki his first Premier League goal.  Then disaster: Dyer substituted in at the half, got an early yellow and perhaps in one of the fastest exits ever, got the boot with a red card challenge in around the 54 minute.  Ki once again becomes part of a 10 man Swansea team; he was directed by Ladrup to play a center back role, obviously not his usual role.  From then on, Ki was D and wouldn’t be part of some cobbled offensive charges Swansea would make up front.  Ki was paired at times against Anichebe, who scored early in the first half. Ki’s debut as a center back was passable, he made some crucial tackles and generally did his job, albeit uncomfortably. The icing on the cake goes to Everton, adding insult to injury with a Fellaini goal in the 82nd minute.  Despite an overly cautious, possibly nervous start for Ki, he got better as the game progressed, and by halfway through the first half, Ki was a key Swansea player on an extremely fast pitch. Ki earned some praise from the crowd for his effort, especially from the ESPN commentators. ESPN viewers were privy to some accolades to Ki for “intelligent passing,” and Sky Sports twittered, “Showed flashes of class before having to fill in at the back.”  Ladrup kept him in the for the full 90 minutes, and while it’s back to the drawing board for Swansea with 2 losses in a row, they showed potential and offensive flair that would’ve resulted in some goals in the back o’ the net were it not for some Tim Howard awesomeness as Everton’s netminder.   Good for Tim (Damn you Tim!)

and Son Heung-Min SCORES IN THE 2nd minute for Hamburg as they face off against Borussia Dortmund!!!   Time for a new post!  See ya, Tavern over and out.