Ashley Williams: From Stockport to Stamford Bridge

He puts his body on the line for Swansea City week-in, week out: Ashley Williams. While the captain of Wales has suffered periods of poor form in recent months, there are few others that make it onto the team sheet before he does. To celebrate our captain, ForzaSwansea blogger MATTHEW JACOB brings us a passionate tribute.

---

By Matthew Jacob

"Well done Ash!" - a sentiment echoed by Jacks everywhere time and again over the last six years since Ashley Williams joined Swansea City from Stockport County.

And back then, when the Swans were in League One, even the most optimistic fan could not have anticipated the player we had just acquired. It took £400,000 to bring him to South Wales - a club record fee at the time - yet Williams has repaid that sum ten times over.

Ashley Williams was born and bred in the West Midlands and began his career at West Bromwich Albion in the youth set up at the Hawthorns. Yet like so many footballers his age Williams was released at sixteen having failed to convince the hierarchy at Albion that he was worth a senior contract.

The defender slipped into non-league football, plying his trade at Hednesford Town and working part time at Drayton Manor theme park to make ends meet - humble beginnings for a man who now proudly wears the captain's armband for club and country.

He eventually moved on to play for Stockport in 2003 and made his international debut while captain there, finally moving to Swansea City in 2008 initially on loan. Then on clinching promotion to the Championship under the leadership of Roberto Martinez the move was made permanent.

Williams is an imposing figure. At six foot tall, his broad shoulders carry the hefty expectations of the Jack Army. My first impression was how mobile would he be? He stood enormous, even at 24-years-old when he first joined the club. Thankfully that concern was driven from my mind as Williams conquered all who came against him as Swansea took the League One title and then stood firm in their first foray into the Championship.

It's hard to nail down Williams 'strength' because he's such a complete all round defender. A strong mental attitude and bravery, coupled with pace, physical strength and tactical nous - Williams possesses all of these traits. Most importantly he's an excellent footballer in defence, but he also has an attacking attitude towards the game, namely his ability to play superb cross field passes to the wingers and the obvious threat he poses from set pieces.

Williams has courted the attention of top clubs since our arrival into the Premier League and following the end of the 12-13 season it seemed Arsenal would make a move for the Welsh international. To the delight of the Jack Army no offer materialised and Williams remained a Jack.

But it's not just on the pitch where he shows dedication and selflessness for the cause. He uses his status as a professional footballer for the benefit of others and is often commended for doing so. One example is WillsWorld, the charity he started to benefit under-privileged children with his wife Vanessa, along with his community soccer schools which are very popular with children in Swansea.

He commands the respect of the crowd and his team mates. When Williams is absent you cannot help but feel our cause is weakened. But with him Swansea always have a chance. With the current rough patch we are going through, the Swans will need the influence of Williams more than ever if they are to remain a Premier League side come May.

The story of Ashley Williams is one of a man cast into the football wilderness, rising to lead a club that were faced with bankruptcy and relegation into non-league a little over ten years ago. He now battles for Swansea at grounds like Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge and typifies our bold playing style and bravery against the odds.

Let us hope he continues to lead the club for many years to come.

---

You can pick up Ashley Williams' book, charting his first year in the Premier League. It's available in all good book shops and online.

#Brickgate - The rise, fall and rise (and fall) of Chico Flores

We all cringed when we saw that Swansea City had made the back pages yesterday morning for the wrong reasons - all thanks to our hotheaded defender Chico Flores and 'the brick'.

ForzaSwansea's newest blogger GAVIN TUCKER takes a look at what happened, why it happened and tries to examine Chico's escalating unstable nature.

---

By Gavin Tucker

Every team has 'bust-ups' from time to time.

From infamous incidents involving Craig Bellamy, a sleeping John Arne Riise and a golf club; to player and manager coming to blows on the training ground (most notably Balotelli and Mancini).

The Daily Mail was the first to post the story of an altercation between Chico Flores and Garry Monk - an outlet that has a history when it comes to tales of unrest in the Swansea camp. But these stories don't get run without there being at least some truth in them. They will, however, sensationalise it and try to make it more than it may have been. After all, that's what sells.

Our fiery Spaniard in a moment of deserved glory

We as Swansea supporters are naturally sensitive to any negativity aimed at our club by national media. The fact remains though that an altercation did happen and (maybe unnecessarily) police were called to the scene. It was most likely an accumulation of little things that led to this point with neither party completely innocent.

If you look at the wording of the original Mail article they do not actually say Chico threatened to harm Monk with a brick - they leave the reader to assume that. The diablo is in the details. When Chico responded via Twitter I believe he was being truthful when he stated he did not threaten anyone with a brick.

So what happened with the brick? Where did this brick come from? What made him snap and want to brick things?

There are rumours strewn across the internet. There are allegations that it all started over physio comments on Chico's breakfast diet of Coco Pops and too much sugar in his OJ. It may have been property (i.e. Garry Monk's car) Chico threatened to damage with a brick? Or maybe he just snapped and had it in for that horrendous pink jeep somebody had parked in the space reserved for his Ferrari... who knows?

We'd rather have a bowl of Chico Pops!

Social media goes crazy with things like this - calls for him never to play for the club again, denial of any incident, a media conspiracy against Swansea, mixed in with a tidal wave of humour about building defensive walls, photoshopped Chico pictures, links to Pink Floyd songs and, of course, its own Twitter hashtag.

I like Chico and he has been a good player overall in his time at Swansea. He has has made some superb last ditch tackles and regular diving headed clearances millimetres off the floor more times than I can remember. Also not forgetting his almost unsurpassed ability of perfectly controlling a ball with his chest whatever speed it's falling through the air.

But, I never feel completely comfortable.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I'm praying there's not an unnecessary rash challenge around the corner, some slightly embarrassing play acting or a lapse in concentration that costs us a goal.

His form has notably dropped this season and if it wasn't for our current injury crisis in midfield then there is a fairly strong case to start with Jordi Amat at centreback given his pretty consistent form and reassuring performances.

What matters most now though is that whatever the finer details of the incident, it's best for players involved and supporters to move on. Whatever tensions and pressures that built up to the incident have hopefully been vented and any damage repaired because Swansea need the good side of Chico more than ever with some massive fixtures approaching.

We've had more than our fair share of negative press and pundit opinion since promotion to the Premier League. Our first season we were universally tagged as going straight back down. The following campaign losing our manager and some important players was only going to add to the mythical second season syndrome that we would apparently suffer from.

The media have seriously stepped up their soap opera narrative this week - an early relegation scrap, team bust-ups, manager and player falling-outs and Laudrup leaving whatever happens (okay, we kind of guessed that one anyway...).

Swansea can hopefully take this negativity and flip it into something positive. We do better when the world is against us. We need to get back to that siege mentality, back into underdog mode and prove to be as good as we know we can be.

Swansea City: Who else has a rallying call?!

Today is the day dubbed 'Blue Monday' by the media - supposedly the most depressing day of the year for an array of reasons. And if you are a Swansea City fan you'd be inclined to agree!

It's a frustrating time for all Swans supporters: the club have been pulled into an early relegation scrap, 50% of the first team are out with injuries, Swansea have the worst home record in the Premier League this season (just two home wins), they've picked up just three points in the last eight games, Laudrup and the team are showing no fight and some fans are seriously questioning the manager's immediate future with the club... it makes for bleak reading, doesn't it?

Looking at the back pages of the Evening Post over the last few weeks there seems to have been a constant stream of "rallying calls" issued by the players, but no-one seems to be listening to these calls when on the pitch. The displays are dull, passionless and frustrating.

Although it's not the only problem, injuries aren't helping. Currently the first team looks like this:

Tremmel

Rangel, Chico, Williams, Davies

Lamah, Amat, Britton, Pozuelo, Routledge

Bony

In fairness that wouldn't be so bad, but the fact that nobody is in form makes it painful to look at. In fact the only player who seems to have grown in confidence while the others have become shells of themselves is Wilfried Bony.

Many fans - myself included - are questioning why there has been no activity in the transfer window. There have barely been any rumours this Janurary, let alone fresh faces at the club. With the injury list growing by the day (with the current casualties being Michu, Shelvey, Vorm, Dyer, de Guzman, Hernandez and Canas) and defenders having to replace midfielders, it wouldn't be unrealistic to say Swansea need at least three new players to help out.

What this all means is Swansea are now 15th and three points from the bottom of the table. Yes, it's been a hard winter of tough fixtures and the injuries have made a serious impact, not to mention the extra games, but something has to change.

Before you start crying, what are the positives?

As I just mentioned, Bony is in great form. It seems he has found the spark that was missing earlier in the season. He almost looks like a £12million player. Maybe it's just because other players are feeding the ball to him more, but his shots are the only impressive thing in Swansea's game at the moment and it looks like he could score another ten this season.

It's a shame it's happening now when the rest of the team are so poor, but at least it is happening. 

Another positive is Swansea's defenders are all fit, even if they are out of form. Chico seems terrible at the moment and it's a shame Amat has to play in the midfield because I'd much prefer to see him start alongside Williams at the back. But this is good - at least defence is one of the areas we still have a choice in.

So looking on the bright side, we have defenders, we have Bony and it's also not just us who are looking poor - there are nine other teams all in this scrap for the Championship. But it's up to Swansea to start winning games and sending themselves up the table and the others down.

While it's a shame we didn't beat Man United or Spurs, the reality of it is that those games are much less important than the upcoming ones against Fulham, West Ham and Cardiff, which are all six pointers (apart from the Cardiff game which is a nine pointer!).

Forget about the FA Cup - put out a full team of reserves. I don't want to see Bony, Britton, Tremmel, Williams or Rangel near the midlands on the 25th! They all need time to rest and, hopefully, by the time the Fulham game comes around on January 28th we'll have a few of the other first team players back.

While this doesn't guarantee a win, it does give us more hope.

Then it's up to us as fans to support the team and make some noise. Three wins in three games is a big ask, but against equally poor opposition it's not impossible. An extra nine points would probably see us back in the top ten and give everyone a much needed boost of confidence.

The next three weeks and the action of the management, players and fans will all be vital in the survival of this fine football club.

Swans On Film: "Alan Tate scores a stunner"

He scores when he wants! He scores when he waaaaants... Alan Tate, he scores when he wants!

This one's a real blast from the past - Swansea City legend Alan Tate scores a superb volley in the 1-1 draw against Tranmere Rovers in March 2008, when the Swans were back in League One.

Take note Vazquez!

Brazil 2014 - "You're only here to watch a Swan!"

While it's constantly pissing down in Swansea, the prospect of the summer is absolutely wonderful at the moment. And although it seems a world away, June - and with it the 2014 World Cup in Brazil - will swing around in no time at all.

The summer may mean no Swansea City footballing action, but this year we may still see our favourite Swans players take to the field as we have an array of fine international talent in the squad.

It may be a little premature, but who cares? The World Cup is a big deal and I'm getting my thoughts in before everyone else!

So, from the Swans squad, who is likely to be travelling to Brazil?

Michu

Spain

Spain are again one of the favourites going into this tournament and with good reason - look at their squad! We all know Swansea's beloved Michu made his international debut last year, but has he done enough to warrant a place in the World Cup squad? At this stage of the season... probably not. This is mainly thanks to his injury, although even before the injury he seemed less groundbreaking than last year. And with the likes of Torres, Negredo and Villa battling for spaces (not to mention Spain's attacking midfielders) Michu will have his work cut out to impress in the next five months.

Likelihood: 5/10

Wilfried Bony

Ivory Coast

There's plenty of attacking talent in the Ivory Coast squad for Brazil, including Didier Drogba (their captain) and Roma's Gervinho, but they'd be stupid to leave Wilfried Bony in South Wales this summer! While he's been slow starting for the Swans, he's now knocking them in on a more regular basis. His strength in holding up the ball and his shot power alone should see him on the plane.

Likelihood: 9/10

Michel Vorm

Holland

Vorm - like Michu - has been blighted with injury this season (hasn't everyone in the Swans squad?), so he's not had as many chances to shine as he would like. But he's still likely to be heading to Brazil in the summer as he's one of the best goalkeepers Holland has to offer (possibly after number one choice Maarten Stekelenburg). Providing he stays injury free in the next few months and gets some more first team action with Swansea until May he should be in the squad.

Likelihood: 7/10

Ki Sung-Yeung

South Korea

As it stands, Swans fans are desperate to get Ki back to the club. However it seems neither Michael Laudrup nor Ki are keen for this to happen. Regardless, Ki is still a Swansea City player and he will be going to the finals in Brazil this year. The 24-year-old already has 55 caps for his country and is very likely to add another few this summer. Hopefully he'll be picked ahead of Cardiff's Kim Bo-Kyung!

Likelihood:  9/10

Jonjo Shelvey

England

This is a tough one. Shelvey has been a revelation for Swansea compared to his time at Liverpool and surely it has caught the attention of Roy Hodgson. Then again we know the mentality of the England management over recent years and because Swansea are not a 'big' club, their players are often overlooked - Nathan Dyer and Leon Britton to name two. And, with the likes of old hands Gerrard, Lampard and Milner in the running for the central midfielders, Shelvey won't be the frontrunner. However Shelvey has played well at England's Under-21 level so you never know.

Likelihood: 5/10

Roland Lamah

Belgium

He made his senior international debut in 2009 but has played only 11 times since. The 26-year-old has impressed during the limited game time he's had for the Swans (mainly in the Europa League), but he hasn't played enough to warrant an assumed place in the Belgian squad. With other wingers such as Chelsea's Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne it's unlikely he'll be first on the plane. Still, as with all the players on this list, you never know!

Likelihood: 4/10


Fast forward to the World Cup Final... Spain vs Holland. Penalty shootout. "Michu steps up against his Swansea City teammate Michel Vorm for the chance to win the final..."

We'll see!

---

AGREE? DISAGREE? Your comments are appreciated! You can quickly leave your opinion below, or on our new Facebook page.

Swans On Film: "Goals from the Beast"

We've always been fans of Wilfried Bony on this blog, despite his slow start for Swansea City.

Well, I call it a 'slow start' but he's already knocked-in 10 goals in all competitions, and has taken the most shots this season. He's now looking strong, fit and growing in confidence with each passing game.

So I dug out a video which features an array of his goals for past clubs (and a healthy dose of dancing in between the football!)

Check it out and leave a comment if you think there's a better Bony video out there.

Like us on our new Facebook page... go on. It's free and you get updates when new blog posts, videos and competitions are released. And we'll like you forever. Win win.

ForzaSwansea Exclusive: Alan Curtis interview!

From time to time we have some great interviews on ForzaSwansea, and today we have a true Swansea City legend grace the pages of this fine blog.

I've interviewed former Swans player and now club coach Alan Curtis over topics such as the Cardiff game, his favourite memories and this season's expectations, along with some fun quick-fire questions. Enjoy!

Chris: You've been a player and a coach, but which have you enjoyed more?
Alan: Coaching is a close second but nothing beats playing. That's why I tell everybody to play as long as they can.

What is your favourite memory as a player for Swansea?
My two favourite games were playing against Preston and Leeds - both great occasions.

And what has been your favourite Swans game as a coach?
It would be both Wembley appearances (play-off final and league cup final) and wins at the Emirates and Stamford Bridge. A special mention goes for the first 45 minutes against West Brom last season!
 

Alan playing for Swansea City back in the day

In the current squad, who do you enjoy working with the most?
I can't pick anyone out individually, but I enjoy working with all the forwards and the attacking players.

Who's usually the first and last out on the training field?
Both first and last are Ben Davies and Jazz Richards - they're always practising.

What are the main differences between Michael Laudrup's coaching style compared to Brendan Rodgers?
Both managers are very similar in footballing principles - lots of possession drills and small sided games.

We've had a tough winter but have got through it intact - in May, where would you be happy to see Swansea finish the league?
I'd be happy to try and finish in the top ten again, and hopefully we can have another good cup run in both competitions.

If we survive Napoli, can we go all the way in the Europa League?
Absolutely - if we play to the top of our game we can beat anyone.

What went wrong in the last South Wales derby?
We underperformed badly and talked too much about the occasion, rather than concentrating on the game itself.

So, despite Solskjaer's intentions, do you see us finishing above Cardiff?
Yes.

Some fun ones to finish - if Swansea could sign any dream player (from today or anytime in history), who would you choose?
Diego Maradona - he was an unbelievably good player.

Who's going to win the World Cup this year?
Playing at home will give Brazil a massive advantage but I wouldn't discount Germany.

We have readers from countries across the world - but can you speak any foreign languages?
Not really... but I can order a round of drinks in six languages!

Okay so you're at the bar - what are you drinking?
I'm a beer and lager man.

And, finally, what's your favourite blog?
Forza Swansea!

 ---

A massive thanks to Alan for taking the time to answer our questions - it's proved a very enjoyable read!

To read more about Alan and his brilliant career, you can buy his book Curt: The Alan Curtis Story in good bookshops or online.

In case you missed them first time around...

We're all busy people and some articles are easy to miss. So here are some highlights from ForzaSwansea over the past few weeks:

(The links will take you to the relevant blog post)

• To complement the season of copious booze and football, our American writer Jacob Cristobal gave us the rules to The Jonjo Shelvey Drinking Game (enjoy at your peril)!


• Our newest contributor, Gavin Tucker, put together a brilliant game-by-game recap of Swansea City's Europa League adventures so far.


• Former Swans player, football agent and now ForzaSwansea writer Alec Johnson gave us his expert opinion on the Swans at the half-way stage this season.


• I spent ages setting up a vote and collating the results to bring you the Swansea City Team of the Season so far, as voted for by you the Swans fans.


• And to finish it all off, the contributors and myself collaborated our opinions on the upcoming January transfer window with an always popular Blogger Q&A (titled "Vazquez is this season's Shechter").

Save them, read them, share them and - as always - let us know your thoughts via the comment form below or the Facebook page.

---

If you have a small business and don't already have a free blog, check out this new blog which offers free small business blogging advice.

Swans On Film: Pratley... 60 yards

I bet the majority of you knew exactly what this video was before you even clicked on it!

In 2011, when Swansea were battling a last minute effort from Nottingham Forest in a game that would decide who would be heading to the Championship play-off final at Wembley, something mental happened. Forest pushed their keeper up for a corner that was punched away by De Vries and the ball eventually found its way to Darren Pratley. The midfielder ran to the halfway line then hit it as far as he could...

Seconds later Swansea City were on their way to Wembley! Just watch the crowd in the background!

If this doesn't give you goosebumps...

Exclusive Sunderland POV: "Ki has been a revelation"

The transfer window is open and Swansea City are desperate for something to freshen up a tired squad. But who exactly are we looking for?

Apart from a goalscoring striker to take the pressure off Bony, we are after someone strong, someone with good feet and someone who can pass the ball. But who?

The answer is actually pretty obvious - Ki Sung Yeung! He's already a Swansea City player, but he's currently on a season-long loan to Sunderland (with a mid-season re-call option, which may prove to be important).

So how has Ki been doing up north? By all accounts very well. But who wants to hear all accounts? We want a concrete answer! So I've recruited David Boyle from the popular Sunderland website The Roker Report to give us the Sunderland perspective on Ki and how effective he's been for the Black Cats:

Ki has, quite simply, been a revelation on Wearside, especially under Gus Poyet. That may that sound like a ridiculous thing to say given Sunderland’s current predicament but Poyet has pretty much set his side up around your man and has given Ki licence to dictate play from the middle of the park with basically every attacking move we make going through the South Korean’s feet first.

It is no secret how Gus Poyet likes his teams to play - very much a style which is especially reminiscent to that of your own which won Swansea many plaudits over recent seasons and given the freedom to play in a central midfield of three, Ki has flourished.

Obviously transfers are a hot topic up and down the country at this time of year and I would not be exaggerating when I say that Ki would be top of my shopping list such is his importance to the side.

Quite whether or not a deal can be agreed either now or in the summer remains to be seen and would ultimately hinge on whether or not the club can beat the drop come May, but either way, we look incapable of playing possession football without Ki in the middle of the park.

Ultimately I fear the Ki situation on Wearside may well play out just like Danny Rose’s loan stint last year where he too caught the eye and won the admiration of the home fans for his superb performances at left-back only to play his way back into contention at White Hart Lane.

Selfishly, I’m desperate to see Ki make his spell with Sunderland a more permanent arrangement, although I could perfectly understand if Swansea were to give their man a second chance given the level of performance he has put in of late.

That's some praise! Perhaps we at Swansea didn't see the potential of Ki when he was sent out on loan, but it seems he's one loan player who would be in our best interests to get back as soon as we can.

A big thanks to David for taking the time to give us his opinions on Ki. You can follow David on Twitter.

Swans On Film: "Leon is King!"

Swans On Film is a very simple new feature for ForzaSwansea, where we show a Swansea City themed video! It could be a fan-made tribute, an amazing goal, a funny off-field skit or a blast from the past. Basically anything to do with the Swans!

---

Today's Swans On Film is: "Kings of Leon - Leon is King"

This is a parody of a famous Kings of Leon song with a Swansea City twist - it's a dedication to our legendary midfielder Leon Britton! It was originally created for SCFC2.co.uk and performed by Swans fan Dan Edwards.

Leon! Leon! Leon!

If you've got a video you'd like to nominate for Swans On Film, just tweet me, leave a message on our Facebook page or just comment below!

---

Are you a Pescetarian? If you've given up meat or want to read about a Welshman who has, check out a new blog made by a friend of mine, charting his meat-free adventures for the next six months!

Blogger Q&A - The Transfer Window (or "Vazquez is this season's Shechter")

It's that time of year again! The Christmas tree is being taken down, the hangovers are settling in and football managers are making changes to their squads - it's the transfer window!

And what better way to judge what kind of action Swansea City need to take than by a quick-fire Q&A with the ForzaSwansea bloggers. I've set three questions and we all have a go at answering them:

Chris's dream signing - Juve's "atomic ant" Sebastian Giovinco

Q1: What kind of player do Swansea really need to sign this January?

Alec Johnson: We need a nuisance with a creative edge - somebody to pop around the final third and wander into the gaps. A young player without fear to add the same edge that Borini and Siggi did.

Gavin Tucker: Firstly - an option that would cost Swansea nothing - I'd like to see Ki return. His consistency at maintaining possession in the middle of the park would surely be of value to our heavily rotated squad. As signings go, a pacy winger who can beat a defender, delivering an early, accurate cross or reaching the by-line and cutting it back for Bony or Michu would give an added dimension.

Jacob Cristobal: We need a striker!

Jules Price: Ideally another striker and a wide player. Unfortunately, Laudrup seems to have his favourites and this has meant limited time for Routledge this season. However I'm intrigued by the possibility of Luis Alberto being linked to Swansea. Judging by the reaction of some Liverpool fans, they really don't want to see him leave Anfield.

Chris Carra: Where do I start... a striker is vital as Vazquez is not much use and if Bony gets injured we are pretty much buggered. Elsewhere another assured goalkeeper could be a good investment. Anyone with some quality that we can get our hands on as the squad is suffering from so many games.

Gavin's dream signing - Alfred Finnbogason

Q2: Your super-cool Swansea City dream signing?

AJ: Cesc Fabregas. He would slot right in and add 20 extra goals together with a corner that beats the first man.

GT: Icelandic striker Alfred Finnbogason. 17 goals from 15 games so far this season, the 24-year-old currently plays under Marco Van Basten at Dutch side SC Heerenveen. A product of the youth team of Breidablik playing alongside Gylfi Sigurdsson and a recent transfer target of Celtic. He is available for around £5 million and would offer a quality alternative up top to Bony.

JC: Alvaro Morata - this kid is going to be special!

JP: I would like us to sign a big-name player who has played at the highest level but may be slightly passed his very best. Such a signing could lift the team and certainly the supporters. Just look at how well former Swans target Marcos Senna has done for the New York Cosmos this season. Del Piero is still a hero of mine and fits the bill nicely, however I think Falcao of Monaco would suit Swansea and Swansea would suit him.

CC: I always say someone Italian and 2014 isn't going to be a change of habit... I would love to see someone like Sebastian Giovinco (Juventus and Italy) who would offer a completely different attacking threat to Bony. He's tiny, fast and could change a game when needed (which is quite often with Swansea if we're being honest!)

Q3: Who wouldn't you really miss if the Swans let them go? 

AJ: Vazquez has offered nothing more than giving Bony a rest for parts of a game - he's nowhere near good enough for this level.

GT: Tiendalli - he just doesn't seem up to the job that Laudrup is asking of him. When he pushes up in support it's usually too slowly, and once he does he usually fails to track back if the move breaks down. I'd like to see him go, but in reality nobody paying attention would buy him.

JC: Tiendalli - HOW AND WHY IS HE A PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYER?!?

JP: Dare I say it but would we miss Tate or Monk if they left the club? It is quite apparent these two players will not see any first team action while Laudrup is in charge. You only had to look at the body language between Laudrup and Monk at Wembley in February to see there isn't a close relationship between them.

CC: Vazquez isn't great - he's basically this season's Itay Shechter (or is that too harsh?). Either way he is giving the illusion that we have a qualified striker on the bench when we really need someone more capable of scoring on demand.

---

So there we go, that's the ForzaSwansea blogger's opinions on the transfer window. What are your thoughts? Who should we get rid of and who should we grab with both hands? Let us know in the comments box below (just leave your name and write a comment - simple!) or via our new Facebook page.

Swansea City - Our expert dissects the first five months!

In the final blog post of 2013, ForzaSwansea's former Swans player ALEC JOHNSON gives us his expert opinion at the half-way stage - who's impressed and who hasn't? Which were the best and worst games? And what should we be looking forward to in 2014? Read on to find out!

---

By Alec Johnson

This is our golden era! Let’s have a look at the first half of our third successive season in the most exciting and competitive league on earth.

Expectations
It’s amazing what a few successful seasons do to people’s minds. I find myself preaching to the newbies that this is as good as it gets while reminding the oldies of the dark trips to Torquay and Hereford every year. Earlier in the season Laudrup was merely managing expectations by stating that an investment of two hundred million would be required to get us to the next level. He’s not wrong and despite the significant profits in the club there isn’t a spare safe to break open, nor would I want there to be.

Best players
Despite our mediocre results, individual performance levels have been consistently high through a number of key players. Ashley Williams has been his usual self and remains our rock at the back. Leon hasn’t had enough play time but hasn’t given the ball away or lost a tackle for around a decade now. Nathan Dyer has scored some crucial goals and his presence ensures that we are on the front foot - we miss him every second that he isn’t on the pitch for his mercurial abilities in the final third.

This time last season, our Michu was considered to be the player of the year and the find of the decade, however this season he has really struggled to make an impression. People question whether he was a one-time hit but I have no doubts about our talisman and I can't wait until February for his reappearance.

The definition of 'best player' could be interpreted in many ways: most exciting, most goals, the greatest man of the match performances... irreplaceable? This leaves us with Ben Davies, who tops it for me. He is truly irreplaceable and, while he doesn’t receive many man of the match awards, he is a consistent nine out of ten. His game has developed to provide attacking options, goals and his runs create so much space for other players. Add to this his ability to win headers from set pieces at both ends and he is certainly my most valuable player this half of the season!

Best newcomers
We have a few contenders after splashing a record amount last summer. It’s fair to say that most have settled and all have contributed. Looking at them individually, Jonjo looks to be a shrewd addition given his age and initial outlay of £5m. His influence grows in each game and as he matures he will be a top player for us. Just behind him Canas delivers the best value signing after arriving on a Bosman (free transfer!) - he acts as a third centre half and does the dirty bits very well. At the back Amat is growing in stature and for me is close to dislodging the inconsistent and erratic Chico, who has gone slightly backwards. Amat’s positional play and reading of the game is exceptional for such an inexperienced player at this level and £2m looks a steal.

Up front, Bony divides most opinion in a way others like Scotland or Fallon did before him. I could write a whole article on the big Ivorian and may do so later in the season. It's taken time for him to settle and much criticism comes from the fact that he isn’t the hardest working player on earth, but he is making progress. People need to appreciate what he does offer and not what he doesn’t. He was bought to hold the ball up and bring people into the game and this he does very well. I can’t remember another striker doing this at the club as well in recent times.

Now, here’s where I put my tin hat on. This guy can play, and score, but we have to be more adventurous to get the most from him. First thing is to play him every game from the start. Secondly, let’s throw it in there, let him fight for it, get bodies around him for the second ball and he will score or at worst create havoc. At Villa Park on Saturday I counted four balls knocked into him in the box - that’s with 77% possession. He makes the runs, dragging people with him, but becomes disillusioned with the lack of ambition and opportunity. The other reason that he has to play is the shape of the team - he sits far up field without wandering into deep positions maintaining our shape and leaving our midfielders to dominate the possession across the middle third.

Worst newcomers
The final new additions add almost no value in my opinion. Pozuelo has been a major disappointment and lacks pace and strength, He has amazing feet and a football brain but he just doesn’t affect games or hurt teams. Alvaro simply shouldn’t be at the club - if we wanted an athlete to run around we could have gone to the Harriers and recruited better.

Best game
To date, we have underperformed against the big boys and haven’t got close to threatening any of them over 90 minutes. We have the ability, but seem to lack the mentality and belief. Laudrup’s public comments stating that certain teams are not in our league have receded, however you do feel that the mentality hasn’t changed. Therefore, in previous seasons, though a victory against Arsenal, Man City or Liverpool would have won the ‘best game’ category we have to look at victories of equal importance but less eye catching headlines this time out. I’m going for the 3-0 victory over Newcastle who arrived at the Liberty on a long winning streak, yet we dominated every minute of that game and seemed to play with far more tempo and belief. More of this in 2014 would be nice.

 
Worst game
Losing to our neighbours! Having witnessed so many derbies where we triumphed through greater passion and determination, the reverse was the case this time. Was it having too many foreigners? I don’t think so - we beat them with our fair share of them three years ago. Are they better than us? Nowhere near. They simply worked harder. Having been the club looking up at us for the past few seasons, it’s been painful for them and they had their moment of glory at the cost of three precious points, pride and the suffering of the 2,000 Jacks in their ‘soon to be red’ stadium. Let’s move on.

What next?
We are hours from January and the usual mayhem that surrounds it. As per all previous transfer windows I expect us to end the window stronger than we start it. The rumours of Moses, Sterling, Ince and Aspas all seem very far-fetched for different reasons. I expect Laudrup to deliver a few pearls from another planet and therefore off everybody’s radar. Without Michu we need another spark in the Borini or Siggi mould, both January additions, somebody to buzz around the final third and deliver end product to our beautiful game. Beyond January, I expect the second half of the season to deliver the 25 or so points required to maintain 10th position. My hope is that Michu and Dyer return quickly to their best as they offer the most penetration and unpredictability. My belief is that they will return as strong and that we will take some big scalps and knock our neighbours back into their dirty hole before their shambolic relegation party.

It all starts against the richest club on the planet and I can’t wait.

---

Follow Alec on Twitter. And if you fancy sharing your opinions, leave a comment below or on our new Facebook page.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

RESULTS: Swansea City Team of the Season (so far)

A week or so back I encouraged you to vote for who you believe should feature in the Swansea City Team of the Season so far, on the basis that it was not a decision that should be made by just me!

Many of you voted. Some results were very predictable, some less so. Only one person voted for Tiendalli (I have a suspicion that it was Tiendalli himself).

So, without further babbling, here is who has impressed you the most this season for Swansea City!

The Team

Goalkeeper

Michel Vorm
Although he has suffered injury problems in recent weeks, you voted for Michel Vorm as first choice ahead of Gerhard Tremmel. Despite his mixed form and a few nerve-wracking punches, it's safe to say Vorm is still Swansea's best keeper.

Defence

Ben Davies
First on the list with one of the highest votes is Ben Davies (or Daveeees as one commentator persisted with...). Davies has had his share of blips, but is undoubtedly the best left back Swansea City have. He's also great going forward, scoring two league goals this season.

Angel Rangel
Another emphatic result was Angel Rangel, who you selected as the best right back. Even though Michael Laudrup has overlooked Rangel for Tiendalli at times (an incredible decision) Rangel is probably Swansea's most consistent defender and should always make the team.

Ashley Williams
While the results were less clear-cut for centreback, it should come as no surprise to find captain Ashley Williams makes the list. He's been to blame for a few opposition goals recently and has lost vital possession much more than in previous seasons, but Williams always puts himself on the line and can usually rival most Premier League defenders.

Chico Flores
Finally, you selected Chico Flores to partner Williams in the centre. This is one I don't fully agree with and would have opted for Jordi Amat instead (who was quite close behind in the votes). Chico hasn't impressed me as much this season (especially his acting skills) but - like Williams - he can keep great strikers quiet on a good day. He provides a talking point if nothing else!

Midfield

Jonjo Shelvey
The results clearly show that you choose Jonjo Shelvey as Swansea's best midfield player and I'd have to agree. While he does have his moments of madness, Shelvey is creative going forward and can pick an effective long pass. He also shoots and often scores, which is what Swansea are crying out for when passing becomes tedious. Shelvey will be key in Swansea's European and domestic progress in 2014.

Leon Britton
Next up you picked Leon Britton - the rottweiler in midfield. Okay, less intense than a rottweiler but just as effective. He has seen more time on the bench than he would like this season, but fans are usually crying out for his inclusion. He passes, wins possession and is one of the coolest heads on the field.

Michu
Michu is your final choice of the central midfielders. I prefer him in this attacking midfielder role instead of lone striker. Unfortunately we haven't seen as much of the Michu/Bony partnership as we'd have liked thanks to injuries, but on paper it should be a match made in heaven. Michu's work-rate and goals are his tickets to this team and there is no way he could be left out.

Nathan Dyer
On the wing Nathan Dyer is clearly your first choice. The little man is currently out with a bad ankle injury, but he has been terrorising opposition fullbacks as he has done for the past few years. He's also scored four goals, making him joint top league goalscorer (with Bony) so far this season.

Alejandro Pozuelo
Pozuelo has had moments of brilliance for the Swans even if he is a little unpolished. He's featured in more games than any other player, though he has impressed the most in the Europa League. He has the drive to win the ball and is quick with his feet, and even though much of his talent is better harnessed in an attacking midfield position, he's probably the second most effective winger after Dyer.

Striker

Wilfried Bony
Well... it's not going to be Vasquez is it?! Swansea are a little bare up front when it comes to choice, but Bony is definitely the first choice striker. He's strong and can hold the ball up well even though he hasn't been shooting as much as he perhaps should be. Still, he's top goalscorer in all competitions (with seven goals) and is a key man for the team.

---

Agree or disagree with these choices? Let me know your thoughts in the comment box below, via Twitter (@ForzaSwansea) or on our new Facebook page.

New page - Swans Books!

We all love watching, listening and - if the popularity of blogs are anything to go by - reading about Swansea City!

So I have created a page dedicated to the best Swans books out there, from the complete history of the club to Ashley Williams Premier League Diary.

Look at the top of this page for the link!

Check the page out here and let me know if you have any suggestions for other books I should include. Cheers!

Happy Swansmas!

I just want to take a few seconds out of your day to say Merry Christmas (or whatever alternative your culture prefers) from all of us at ForzaSwansea.com.

Thanks for another year of reading this blog and supporting the Swans. Here's to Swansea City grabbing the title of Europa League Champions 2014 and (at least) mid-table in the Premier League in May!

All I want for Christmas... (not really - that kit is sooo last season!)

Lee Trundle vs. Swans fans - A Festive Battle

I was mentioned in a tweet (on Twitter of course) along with Lee Trundle. The tweet noted Trundle's comments in the Evening Post about Swans fans' negativity.

I read the first tweet, then popped to make myself a coffee. When I returned I had around 60 unread interactions. Something had kicked off...

It seemed to be a disagreement between Trundle and Swans fans over the club's recent form. But, instead of trying to voice my opinion with an ever growing number of Twitter users in 140 characters, I've taken to ForzaSwansea.com to briefly share my thoughts!

Trundle - he scores when he wants!

At the end of the day both parties have given good arguments.

Firstly, it's hard to deny that Swansea have been oddly poor in form and results over the past few months. The full reason is unknown, but the European games and squad rotation have clearly been playing their part. The team are not gelling - Bony is not scoring, Michu is not scoring (Tiendalli is scoring... which is odd), and generally players are looking tired.

As many have pointed out, the Premier League table is pretty unstable at the moment and a poor run of results could throw Swansea into the relegation zone in less time than you may think. The way the winter is shaping up, with games against Man City and Chelsea coming up, Swans fans have every right to be worried - lose both those games (which isn't that unlikely) and things may start to look bleak.
 
However...

It's not all bad (and this is where Trundle's argument comes in). He says in his Evening Post column that he is "tired of all the complaining about Swansea City's performances". I agree with his idea that Swansea overachieved last season and this is why they aren't looking as shiny this year. I also like the notion that although Swansea aren't playing well, the club is still in good standing in two tough competitions.

That standing is (if you didn't know already) - mid-table in the Premier League and in the Europa League knockout stages with a glamour tie against Napoli looming. That's not bad. Yes injuries and sub-par displays on the field are making Swans fans frustrated, but things could be a lot, lot worse (we could have Vincent Tan as owner and be on the verge of changing from white to pink with yellow polka dots).

I guess the ultimate thing to take away from this blog post is that - as Trundle says - we must stick together and support the club through whatever. Good performances are only a game away. But as fans - who pay stupid amounts each year to follow the team - we have the right to voice our frustrations over the poor displays.

In conclusion we are all right! Now it's time for my coffee.

---

If you want to read more about Lee Trundle, read his book More Than Just Tricks.

Vincent Tan doesn't have a book... yet.

Flying High / Clipped Wings - Week #2

It's time for the second installment of our new weekly feature...

Flying High

After a poor performance last week against Norwich, Ashley Williams looked more on form. He committed himself to tackles and put his body on the line more than once. He also handled the threat of Lukaku well. And we must thank him for not gifting the ball to the opposition, which usually results in an away goal.

Elsewhere the singing Swansea City fans were on top form as they belted out some thoroughly entertaining songs - mainly Cardiff bashing - which we all enjoyed. "Vincent Tan is a Jack, he hates Cardiff!"

Clipped Wings

This may seem a little harsh as he scored Swansea's only goal of the game, but Dwight Tiendalli was pretty non-existent for much of the game. He didn't close down or run back quick enough and looked fragile in the air. I'd prefer to see Taylor work on his right-back skills and have a go at filling in for Rangel now and again...

And Wayne Routledge didn't look too hot yesterday. While he had a few decent runs and slid through a nice ball for Bony, his overall game is well short of where he's been in the past and he looked quite uncomfortable at times.

---

Agree or disagree with these choices? Let me know your thoughts in the comment box below, via Twitter (@ForzaSwansea) or on our new Facebook page.

The Official Jonjo Shelvey Drinking Game

'Tis the season to drink (in addition to all the other things you may do at Christmas), so what better way to take the edge off an awkward family gathering than to play a drinking game. And what better subject for a drinking game than the enjoyable, talented and totally unpredictable Swansea City midfielder, Jonjo Shelvey?

Our resident American Swans fan JACOB CRISTOBAL has jotted down the rules to the drinking game (with a few extras chucked in by me) for your enjoyment. So, when Auntie Maude suggests a fun game to play this Christmas, turn on the TV, open your tipple of choice and hope Jonjo Shelvey is starting the match!

---

By Jacob Cristobal

What's one thing we've learned so far this season? As well as needing a healthy Michu and Bony, and doing whatever it takes to keep Michael Laudrup our manager, it's that whenever Jonjo Shelvey is on the pitch you know you are in for an experience.

I AM SHELVEY!

I'll say this: an eight-hour time difference usually means that if I want to watch Swansea City matches live, it is in the morning. And it's a good thing they come in the morning when I'm sleep-deprived and drinking is very far from my mind, because when Jonjo's on the pitch, you'll damn well want to drink!

I've now realised that you will have more than enough scenarios within 90 minutes to create a drinking game based on his antics. So here are the official rules to The Jonjo Shelvey Drinking Game!

Remember, follow these rules at your own peril. I, nor ForzaSwansea.com, bear any responsibility for what happens. Besides, you Jacks are already a drunken lot by the time the ball is kicked - right? So, take another drink if:

• Jonjo influences play so that it results in the ball in the back of a net (that's one drink if it's the opponent's net, two if it's Swansea City's).


• Jonjo gets away with a foul that would normally warrant a booking (one drink if the commentators say it was worthy of a yellow, two if it was worthy of a red, and three if it was an arrestable offence).


• Jonjo scores a legitimate goal. (Typically this comes after the previous two conditions happen first: (i.e. in the Newcastle game).


• Jonjo gives the ball away in the Swans half in the 96th minute and it results in an equalising goal for the opposition.

Down your drink if:

• Jonjo makes a hand gesture that is considered a declaration of war in another part of the world.


• Jonjo scores an overhead kick from the Swans box in the 97th minute - reclaiming the lead and winning the game.


• Jonjo nuts the referee.

Any others we should include? Let us know via the usual channels - Facebook, Twitter or leaving a comment below.

COMING NEXT WEEK - The Dwight Tiendalli Hangover Cure (...not really).

Vote for your Swansea City 'Team of the Season so far' (yes... Tiendalli is on the list)

In seasons gone by it's been pretty easy to predict who is going to start a match for Swansea. However, it's been less obvious this season, mainly because of the heavy squad rotation thanks to the Europa League and the fact that there is an abundance of talent in the Swans squad at the moment (even if they don't always gel as well as they should)!

This talent means we've seen real battles for places across the field. Vorm or Tremmel? Chico or Amat? Davies or Taylor? Hernandez or Routledge? Michu or Bony (or both?)... and don't get me started on the midfield!

So, to help me out with selecting the team of the season, I want you to vote for the players who you think make the best starting eleven. This means those who you think have performed the best in the past few months and those who you'd like to see start the most games in 2014.

The rules of the vote are simple - just pick ELEVEN players (no more or this won't be accurate!) from the list below comprising:

1 x Keeper
2 x Fullbacks
2 x Centrebacks
3 x Central midfielders
2 x Wingers
1 x Striker

I've decided to be tactical and withhold the results until next week (just after Christmas) where I will announce the team of the season so far based on your votes, with some reasons why.

If I've left any players out then I'm an incompetent boob and you should write your choice under 'other', but I think the main men are all there!

(Note: I am not sure why Canas has a big N in it... but I can't seem to change it!)

If you want to tell us your reasons why someone should definitely be included in the team (or definitely not) then message us on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a comment below.

Happy voting!

ForzaSwansea - The Swansea City Team of the Season (so far...)

Michel Vorm

Gerhard Tremmel

Angel Rangel

Dwight Tiendalli

Ben Davies

Neil Taylor

Ashley Williams

Jordi Amat

Chico Flores

Alejandro Pozuelo

Leon Britton

Jose CaÑas

Jonathan de Guzman

Jonjo Shelvey

Nathan Dyer

Wayne Routledge

Pablo Hernandez

Roland Lamah

Michu

Wilfried Bony

Álvaro Vázquez

Other

Please Specify:

Poll Maker