Monday 12 June 2017

Who must the Swans hold on to? Part One.

Steve Kaplan is hell bent on keeping Gylfi Sigurdsson at the Liberty and with the superstar being involved in 22 of the Swans 45 Premier League goals, you’ll be hard pressed to find a Swans fan that isn’t desperate for him to stay.

Sigurdsson was undoubtedly the stand-out performer for the Jacks, but he is far from the only player Kaplan and his associates should do everything to hold on to.

Midfield ace Tom Carroll may have only joined the club in January but his impact was instantly recognisable. The former Spurs man is great at controlling the game from the centre of the field and his passing attributes were a joy to behold. A pass success rate of almost 82% certainly isn’t bad going for the 25-year-old.

Martin Olsson joined the club alongside Carroll and is another player that the Swans should hang on to. Olsson admitted joining the club whilst they were in the relegation was a gamble but he took the risk and it duly paid off. Joining from Norwich, Olsson impressed since joining the fray and even scored two vital goals in those wins over Leicester and Burnley, it’s no surprise he’s a fan favourite!


Olsson played 15 games for the Swans and during his time in defence, the side conceded just 19 goals, averaging at 1.3 goals per game. Prior to his presence, the Jacks averaged 2.2 goals per game, so his influence is definitely notable, also helping Lukasz Fabianski to keep four clean sheets during those 15 games. The defender has worked under Paul Clement in the past, during his Blackburn Rovers stint and holding on to him makes sense for all parties.

Alfie Mawson, Olsson’s defensive partner is another key player the Jacks need to keep. More than deserving of the Young Player of the Season award, Mawson claims he is not yet the finished product, though we’re not sure just how much more the 23-year-old can prove. Not only did the centre-back chip in with four goals, three of which helped the Swans to secure nine points, he looked like an established defender far beyond his years. Clement is clearly a big fan and started Mawson in every game since his arrival, the former Barnsley man may just be a future Swans captain.
Of course, the Swans are not in need of a new captain just yet, Jack Cork should be donning that armband for years to come. Cork played the majority of the campaign for the Swans, partnering Carroll in the middle of the park following the latter’s arrival. A slightly more defensive figure than his teammate, Carroll helped to make the Swansea half impenetrable during that crucial end of season run in.

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