After last weekend's iffy showing against Hull City; Paul Clement will no doubt have told the squad to buckle down and play to win, no matter what. The side looked as though there was too much consideration for the backline rather than pressing forwards and it proved to be Swansea's downfall against Hull - we can't afford this against Bournemouth.
With so many teams around us holding a game in hand advantage; we cannot afford to leave the Vitality Stadium with anything less than three points. Hull are easily the biggest threat to our position of safety but Middlesbrough have a game in hand to upset even the Tiger's party - it's all very complicated at present and the fixture list needs addressing urgently.
Focusing on the game in question; we are set to be without Kyle Naughton unless he passes a very late fitness test to secure his involvement in the game - his influence will be missed should he fail to regain full fitness. Perhaps worse than Naughton's potential absence; Fernando Llorente has been struggling with a dead leg he picked up in training and must shake it off before the game if Clement is to field his preferred line up.
I honestly don't know what went wrong last weekend but I do know that we cannot allow it to happen again. A win could take us above Leicester City where defeat could see us too close to the relegation places for comfort - it all depends on which version of our side turns up!
If it's the free flowing, attacking side that showed the rest of the league we are here to fight then we'll have no problems against Bournemouth. However, if we set up defensively and start to confuse one another again then it will be a long, long trip home from the English South coast.
Either way; I'm looking forward to this game more than most this season as I genuinely can't pick between the sides. Obviously my favour is towards Swansea but it's such a close run thing that I won't be betting on the game - that's for certain.
My hope is 2-0 Swansea but my head is suggesting Bournemouth will at least breach our backline.
Friday 17 March 2017
Friday 10 March 2017
Hull v Swansea: The KCOM Calling
If now isn’t the time
to press on up the table, then I don’t know if there ever will be a time.
Seeing Paul Clement running the entire area of the pitch last weekend has
easily become my favourite moment of the season so far – it’s about time we had
a manager who wears his heart on sleeve and shows the same passion for victory
as the fans!
It was a tense affair last weekend against Burnley but from
the moment Olsson levelled the game there was a real feeling that we could win
the game around the Liberty – thankfully – Fernando Llorente pulled it off yet
again but I didn’t have any nails left by the time he headed in the winner! A
bit earlier next time Nando!?
Then again, early goals have proven to be an issue for us
earlier in the season as we still struggle to keep clean sheets. That’s nothing
against Fabianski nor the back four; we are in the Premier League and there are
no easy games! Only Leicester have failed to breach us in the last six league
games; winning games is vital but we must stop making it hard for ourselves.
Hull are in the midst of a sticky patch where injuries are
concerned as Davies, Mbokani and Evandro look set to miss out. The latter might
pass a fitness test but the Tigers are somewhat toothless since they allowed
Robert Snodgrass to leave the club in favour of West Ham – great news for us!
Dyer is set to be absent for the Swans once again as he
continues his injury struggles; we wish him a speedy recovery but Montero and
Ki are both available for selection – will Clement change the winning formula
to accommodate the pace and fearlessness of the duo?
Given our clean sheet issues; we will no doubt find
ourselves breached at the back but we look imperious moving forwards. The space
the midfield are finding to play the ball between themselves is exceptional and
strings are being pulled up top to offer avenues towards goal – I can wholly
see us outscoring Hull in this one rather than romping to victory.
If you’re a betting character; I’d be backing both teams to
score and Swansea to win this one – we need the points to get away from the
relegation zone, despite a five point cushion, and Hull are on a rotten run of
form.
We’ve got this in the bag, I hope!
Saturday 4 March 2017
Swans v Burnley Preview: Up the Table?
So how do we all feel
about the idea of taking an enormous step away from the issues that are
plaguing the clubs around us? Three points at home against Burnley will no
doubt see us above Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth and beyond the struggling Leicester
City – we’re well on the way to safety and it could be a path less travelled
looking at the competition.
The last time it was so close at the bottom at this time in
the season; allegations were thrown at Sir Alex Ferguson for fielding a
weakened side to allow Hull City their Premier League survival. However; things
might not be so crass this season as it becomes ever more apparent that
Sunderland and Hull have run their course in the top flight so only one place
is up for grabs in the drop zone – realistically.
Thankfully, that has nothing to do with us and Sean Dyche’s
Burnley turning up on our doorstep is a welcome reminder that we’re off the
pace in the Premier League. Winning at Leicester, Liverpool and at home to
Southampton proves very little – beating opponents we ought to overtake before
the end of the season is a very different.
Annoyingly, Jefferson Montero is back in training but is
very, VERY unlikely to feature as the lack of pace in the squad continues
overall. Narsingh and Ayew are set to start but at the expense of whom? Wayne
Routledge is a key candidate for the chop despite his acceptable performances.
The most likely outcome, according to the BBC, is 1-1 but I
can’t see it going to a draw – especially not a low scoring draw. I’ve a
feeling that Jeff Stelling will be asking for updates from the Liberty all
afternoon – high scoring draw or big scoring victory for the home side.
Burnley lost at Turf Moor in August and are seven points
ahead of us – this all means utterly nothing as we’ve lost two managers; bought
and sold in January and resurrected our season since then. We’re on for a win
here and a decent win at that – I can’t wait for Dyche’s excuses in that 20 a
day Marlboro voice.
Friday 24 February 2017
Contract Talk: Who Should Get a New Deal?
It’s getting to that
time of the season where the first teamers find out if they are to be offered a
new deal at the club or if they still have work to do to impress the hierarchy.
With January’s transfer window long shut; players are having to stay put whether
they want to or not but who should get a new deal with the Swans?
Federico Fernandez
Big Fed might not have been my first choice for a new deal
given our defensive issues under Bradders and Guidolin but Paul Clement seems
to be a big fan of the Argentine. So much a fan, that Fernandez has signed a
new deal today that will keep him at the club until 2020 and up until he is 31
years old – what happens then remains to be seen.
Fernando Llorente
He might not be the super star striker we all believed he
would be when he rocked up at the Liberty but he has found his shooting boots
and looks comfortable in the team at last. The rumoured interest from Chelsea
in January will no doubt force the club’s hand into offering Llorente a new
deal that features a fairly large buy-out clause along with a wage increase
that would see him level with the team’s top earners: Britts and Gylfi.
Tom Carroll
I don’t care if he’s only just signed his three and a half
year deal; this lad needs tying down for five years at least. At 24 Carroll has
yet to peak in the traditional sense but he has played a lot of football for a
young lad and most of it has been outside of the Premier League. His work ethic
is beyond any player I’ve seen in a Swans shirt since Ashley Williams first
pulled his jersey on.
We might’ve lost Williams but we cannot lose Carroll if his
early performances are anything to go by – an early extension is essential.
Alfie Mawson
Easily a future Swansea City captain, Mawson hasn’t had the
easiest career of all our first teamers. A lot of wasted time on loan and a
short spell at Barnsley has led him to us and he’s going to be a mainstay in
the team for some time.
He is growing in confidence with every game he plays and
there’s shades of brilliance in his play – one year into a four year deal will
no doubt see an improved contract come the summer to ward off interest from
other clubs.
Paul Clement
An odd choice, some might say, but Clement is the future of
the club. I have heard rumours that Clement was brought in as a short term
option initially given his lack of formal managing experience but we may as
well give him a lengthy deal now – it might stop the board from swinging the
axe if a run of poor results comes our way; stability is needed.
Chelsea v Swans: First Game Back!
Apologies for the
lack of activity folks but it won’t have escaped anyone’s attention that we’ve
had the better part of 12 days off for training whilst the rest of the league
has been messing around with the FA Cup and what-not – but we’re back and what
a game to come back to: a trip to Stamford Bridge!
I’m not sure I need to point out that Chelsea are currently
top of the Premier League and will be looking to tighten their grip on top spot
at our expense on Saturday afternoon. However, I firmly believe we can cause
them some serious problems courtesy of Paul Clement’s intelligent football
styling the lads displayed against Leicester last time out.
Okay; I know there’s a major difference between the now
managerless Leicester City and Conte’s Chelsea but we still romped to victory
over the Premier League champions without giving them so much as a real chance
on goal.
We also need to consider that Paul Clement is a former
Chelsea assistant manager and we’re showing signs of that top level experience –
I’d be concerned if I were Antonio Conte; especially given their iffy draw
against Burnley in their last Premier League game!
Sadly, we’ll be heading for Stamford Bridge without Nathan
Dyer (Achilles), Jefferson Montero (hamstring) and Ki Sung-Yeung (knee) which
is a damn shame quite frankly. The pace of Dyer and fearlessness of Ki would’ve
added another dimension to our play against Chelsea but there’s always a plan
B.
Britts is back after injury and Luciano Narsingh and Jordan
Ayew are both pushing to start the game against the league leaders. I’m eager
to see what Ayew can bring from the start of a game and Narsingh could be ideal
cover for Dyer – I just hope his delivery is on point because we’ll stand more
chance in the air than we do on the deck.
Sideshow Bob lookalike, David Luiz, and Marcos Alonso are
likely to start at the back for Chelsea meaning playing through their backline
is unlikely to happen as both are competent ball playing defenders but Luiz in
particular often gets caught out in the air as ref’s are wise to his nasty
streak – Llorente could profit massively from his hesitance to get embroiled in
midair scuffles.
I’m not saying we’ll romp to victory; that’s a bit much to
ask if I’m honest but Chelsea look a side who are set to allow complacency into
their game. A few passes falling short and the likes of Narsingh and Carroll
can nick the ball away and expose the gaps in their three man defensive line.
Paul Clement needs to get it into the player’s heads that it’s
just another game and they are no better than us – they just cost more and get
paid ludicrous sums to do exactly what we do; play to win every game.
Saturday 11 February 2017
Jordan Ayew - Why Swansea? Why Now?
Jordan Ayew could
make his Swans debut against Leicester on Sunday but what exactly attracted
Paul Clement and the club to the former Villa striker? What can he bring to the
squad that wasn’t already available? Is there something special about the Ghanaian
that we haven’t noticed? What is it that forced the club’s hand?
Ayew was born in France but is of Ghanaian descent making
him eligible for the Ghana national side who he has recently represented up to
the Semi Final stage of the Africa Cup of Nations – hence his delayed debut for
the Swans. Starting his career at Marseille, Ayew was transferred to FC Lorient
as he found his first team chances limited at Marseille – this is where he attracted
some major attention.
Aston Villa made a move for Ayew just 12 months after he
signed for Lorient paying £10.2 million for him – they were confident he’d be
exactly what they needed to stay in the Premier League. Sadly, they were wrong
but they deployed him in such a way that any striker would’ve struggled.
Isolated up front, Ayew found it hard to hit the back of the net and Villa went
down.
Now, Ayew has signed for Swansea (for an undisclosed fee and
Neil Taylor going in the opposite direction) and it makes him the second Ayew
to play for us. Andre Ayew has, of course, departed the club in a £20 million
move to West Ham that laced our pockets and shifted on the more tempestuous
Ayew sibling.
Jordan Ayew is without doubt a talented striker. He has good
technique, plenty of pace but he does rely on the ball coming to his feet a lot
of the time. If anything, Ayew
reminds me of former Man Utd striker Javier Hernandez – very underrated, makes
a lot of great runs and is always on hand to pick up a loose ball. Hopefully he
can have a similar impact to the Mexican in the Premier League.
The big question is what he’s going to bring to the squad
quite frankly. We’re starting to find the back of the net more regularly, we
look more resolute at the back so where can Ayew help? There’s nothing more
useful in a team than a player who can change the way the game is being played –
Ayew adds more pace to the front line that has been lacking somewhat with the
reliance on the classy Llorente and absence of Ki.
When a player of Ayew’s quality becomes available; Premier
League clubs can’t ignore it and let him slip away to a rival – Paul Clement
has clearly been aware of Ayew for some time and letting Taylor go after nearly
seven years with Swansea is a big decision.
The most irritating thing about Ayew’s transfer is
definitely the number he has been given. Despite being an out and out striker,
Ayew has been handed the number 3 shirt usually reserved for the left full back
– absolute madness.
I’m expecting big things from Ayew and I think it’s safe to
say the club are too – fingers crossed he can smash one in against Leicester on
his debut.
Swans v Leicester: Relegation Battle Commence
Ties don’t get much
more important for Swansea right now: Leicester City at home with both sides
level on points and skirting dangerously close to the relegation zone – this is
what Super Sundays were made for!
Three points will be enough for the Swans to at least
leapfrog Leicester but it might also see us move above lacklustre
Middlesbrough. Manager of the month Paul Clement has told the press he wants
the team to make the home field advantage count – Leicester’s pitch is
substantially wider than at the Liberty thanks to their Champion’s League
endeavours this year.
Ideally, we can limit Leicester’s wide play to nullify the
threat of Riyad Mahrez and Christian Fuchs from full back. It may not seem like
much, but a pitch that’s a few yards narrower than a club is accustomed to can
make it incredibly difficult to play their normal game – great news for us.
The news that seems to have kept Swansea in the print media
this week comes courtesy of Jordan Ayew. The Ghana international agreed his
deal on Deadline Day and is back from the Africa Cup of Nations ready to make his
Swans debut. Ayew might not have made headlines for Aston Villa but I can see
him turning a trick for us; we play his preferred game: keep the ball on the
deck, pass and move.
Leicester are also off the back of the only FA Cup Fourth
Round replay against Derby. The Foxes won the game in extra time but several
first team players were included in the squad – three days rest might not be
enough for them to fully recover and Ranieri will need to rotate once again.
It looks as though Ki, Montero and Britton will be absent
for Swansea with a knee, hamstring and calf issue respectively. This isn’t too
much of a concern thanks to Carroll’s emergence as a key player and Llorente
remembering his shooting boots – we can field a side to worry Leicester here.
Schmeichel, Huth, Morgan, Drinkwater, Mahrez and Vardy are
all expected to earn recalls to the team after the FA Cup tie and Demarai Gray
is pushing hard for a starting place. Slimani and Ulloa are out with injury but
Molla Wague could be involved after missing the Derby game for a ridiculous
reason.
Apparently, and I didn’t know this, if a player signs after
a domestic cup match is drawn and a replay is incurred – they cannot play in
the replay as they weren’t available for the original game. Sounds daft to me
but the FA do as they please I suppose.
Annoyingly, Mahrez netted a hat trick against us in this
fixture last season so it’ll be down to Olsson to keep the Algerian as quiet as
possible. I don’t care if he doesn’t go near another player; his threat needs
to be quashed.
We can win this game, that’s painfully obvious, but I’m
going to be conservative and back Swansea to win 2-1. I’ve just got a feeling
about a late winner and can wholly see Ayew netting it on his debut.
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