Swansea City: a procrastinators weekly summary

I've been away on holiday, then I spent a week procrastinating. So, without further delay, let's have a brief and sketchy look at what's been happening in the world of Swansea City over the past week or so!


Fabianski

For a change, the Swans have been very quick to nab a player in the transfer window - Lucasz Fabianski signed last week on a free transfer for four years. Great business to bring in a decent Polish international.

While he's not been Arsenal's first choice, he has been solid enough at times during his 32 appearances, even though he's made his fair share of mistakes. He's a capable keeper though - check out the video post on him from last week, highlighting his top ten saves. Whether or not he'll be first choice keeper next season will depend on...


Vorm

...Michel Vorm. One of the reasons Swansea excelled in their first and second seasons in the Premier League. But oddly the Dutch shot-stopper didn't look himself last season, conceding soft goals and making several uncharacteristic mistakes.

I'm sure most Swans fans would be happy to keep him next year, but rumours have been rife that he's heading off, with Liverpool showing interest. This seems to just be paper talk at the moment, with the man himself telling Dutch reporters there is little in the way of news on his departure. Watch this space.

Why always me?

Ashley Williams vs. the World

I'm not completely certain what has been happening with Ashley Williams. While I was away on holiday a brief look on Twitter showed he was having some sort of battle with everyone's favourite ex-Cardiff fat striker Michael Chopra. Who knows what it was about (most of us can probably guess), but it touched a nerve with the defender and he deleted his Twitter account.

Around the same time he was photographed at the Emirates Stadium. Maybe he was just having a tour? It didn't bode well with Swans fans with the apparent interest from Arsenal. QPR now seem to be the prime candidates to get his signature, though £4million seems a little cheap if Swansea were to let him go.

However, it seems the club are starting new contract negotiations today, so we'll just have to see what happens. I reckon he will stay, with a plumper wage packet.


Leon Britton

On the other hand we have Leon Britton, who has been nothing but professional in his ten or so years with the club. The good news today is that he has signed a contract extension to keep him with Swansea City until at least July 2017, which is nothing short of great news.


Luc Castaignos

Finally on the subject of transfers is the acquisition of Luc Castaignos, for £6.5million from FC Twente last weekend. Another Dutch international (albeit at U21 level), the 21-year-old scored 14 goals in 31 games last season and looks set to make more of an impact than the past few years of new strikers (Bony the exception). He still needs to complete his medical and agree personal terms, but it's another positive move for the Swans this summer.

World Cup Watch

There's not been any action yet, but already one of ours in injured. Jonathan de Guzman is now a doubt for the World Cup after suffering a hamstring injury in a training session for Holland. While there's still a chance he won't be with the Swans next season (he's still a Villarreal loanee, lest we forget), it's not great news. Let's hope Wilfried bony stays in one piece.

I have a £5 bet on Ivory Coast (as well as £20 on Italy of course...). While they aren't favourites by any length, they've got some quality including the big man. And with online betting odds of around 125/1 them winning will see me pick up a nice sum! (I've jinxed it now, haven't I?)

Swans On Film: Fabianski's Top Ten Saves

I've been away in America for ten days and have returned to news that Swansea City have signed Lukasz Fabianski on a four-year contract as a free transfer!

Still jet-lagged and having fried food withdrawal symptoms, I am in no state to write much about the new keeper. However it's pretty certain that the 29-year-old will start the 2014/15 season as Swansea's number one, with the departure of Michel Vorm looking more and more likely.

So here's a video I've pulled from YouTube highlighting the Polish international shot-stopper's best saves. Let's hope he can prove as effective for the Swans next season!

Blogger Q&A - "Goodbye 2013/14"

Swansea City's 2013/14 season is finally over! It's been eventful - happy, sad, angry and proud, the emotions were all over the place this year.

So, to end the season, myself and the Forza Swansea bloggers are answering a few questions to round it all up, including the best and worst games, goals and players!

Q1) What was Swansea's best game this season?

Jules Price: For me the best game would be the draw at the Emirates Stadium. Bony's headed goal was sublime, underlining his increasing confidence. What was so pleasing was how the Swans were able to put up a solid resistance for most of the game against an Arsenal side that were completely dominating the match.

Alec Johnson: It has to be Cardiff at the Liberty - beating your fierce rivals so comfortably with so much at stake. The six point swing was crucial for momentum and it could have gone horribly wrong had we lost.

Gavin Tucker: It has to be my trip to the Mestalla and our 3-0 annihilation of Valencia. Perhaps it didn't have the historical significance of a play-off match or cup final but it's up there with my all time favourite game. Quite possibly the best away trip ever.

Jacob Cristobal: It's a tie between these two: September 16, 2013 against Liverpool. You have to look back with a sense of humour and appreciate that Jonjo Shelvey was MOTM for both sides - that's special talent right there. And February 27, 2014 against Napoli. All Swansea fans should be damn proud of their Europa League campaign. To be 35 minutes away from the Round of 16 is nothing to scoff at.

Chris Carra: The Cardiff game was of course superb, but I enjoyed the penultimate home game against Aston Villa. It secured safety in the league with four good goals, and the players did it with the drive that had been missing for much of the season.

Probably the worst game...

Q2) What about the worst game?

JP: The early season defeat against Man United at the Liberty. It was the most watched game in US history and I know Swansea's performance that day ensured we gained many new followers and admirers from the other side of the Atlantic. The scoreline flattered United because for the first 25 minutes we were on top.

AJ: West Brom at home was the most frustrating. The manner of the defeat turned the majority of our supporters into predicting certain relegation. We rolled over and let them tickle our soft centre in a must not lose game.

GT: West Ham away was my lowest point of the season, as I'm sure it was for many. The apparent lack of preparation and so many simple errors... Chico. There was just nothing positive to take from that performance.

JC: That would be November 3, 2013 against Cardiff. One, it came on at some ungodly hour here in the US (time zone differential) and two, losing to rivals just stinks.

CC: I'm agreeing with Jacob and probably thousands of other Swans fans - the Cardiff loss was terrible. No fight from anyone and Cardiff deserved their one moment of glory.

Q3) Apart from Bony, who was the stand-out Swansea player?

JP: Pablo Hernandez. He had an average season but the increase in his confidence and match performances were evident to see once Garry Monk was installed as the manager. Without doubt he seemed a much happier player in the centre of midfield.

AJ: Jonjo Shelvey. I was one of the excited few when he arrived last July. A genuine Steven Gerrard type that doesn't exist at many clubs. He's scored key goals at key times - Fulham away, Villa at home and, of course, the two against the scousers.

GT: I really want to say Wayne Routledge, but I'll go with Jonjo Shelvey - he still needs some refinement but his potential is clear. Lately everyone has raved about Everton's Ross Barkley but if you look at the stats over the season Jonjo has scored as many in less games, assisted more, created more key chances, passed, shot and tackled more successfully. Get him on the plane to Rio Roy!

JC: Jordi Amat - who I had as the player to watch this season. Simply put he should always be starting over Chico.

CC: Jonjo Shelvey would also do it for me. He wasn't everyone's first choice when he arrived, but showed exactly what he is capable of!

Celebrating one of the goals of the season!

Q4) For you, what was Swansea's goal of the season?

JP: I think the De Guzman goal at the Mestalla was an incredible piece of skill in front of a very large crowd and an even bigger European television audience watching. Even the home fans were stunned.

AJ: A few ways to look at it! The biggest relief was West Brom away when Pablo scored the second in front of us in the away end - we knew we had our first three points of the season after two nasty defeats. The most celebrated was Nathan Dyer's header against Cardiff, while the sexiest was de Guzman's against Norwich: Bony's back heel to set up the delicate chip from our Canadian Filipino Dutch international!

GT: You can't really look much further than THAT goal by Shelvey, but there were many others I loved. Ben Davies' laser guided left foot volley away to West Brom is probably my next choice.

JC: I'm going with Jonathan de Guzman's brilliant free kick in Valencia.

CC: The first goal against Cardiff in February was brilliant - Hernandez's cutting pass through to Routledge who took it superbly.

Q5) With Swansea not in it for obvious reasons, who will you be supporting in the World Cup? And who's going to win it?

JP: South Korea or Ivory Coast for the Swansea connections. Probably South Korea as I enjoyed watching them play during the 2002 World Cup. I also went to watch them play against Japan during the Olympic Games at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and they play some attractive technical football.

AJ: The Ivory Coast - it's a long shot, but you never know. We made a promise to our next door neighbour [Bony - who lives next to Alec] that we would back him in Brazil and you never let the beast down with a promise!

GT: I'll be supporting the Ivory Coast and our human battleship Wilfried Bony (150/1 for tournament top goal scorer!). I think Brazil would be the safest bet to win but there are so many excellent players and teams it's hard to say. I just can't believe Tiendalli didn't get a call up!

JC: The United States and I'll consider it impressive if they get out of the group. The winners will be Argentina as this is where Lionel Messi shows why he is the best in the world.

CC: ITALIA! Of course I am supporting Italy and I reckon they are in with a good shout! I do have a bet on Ivory Coast too though - not just for Bony, but their team is full of potential match winners. Should be a great tournament!

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Many thanks to the bloggers for their answers. We'll be back soon! In the meantime, like us on Facebook or follow me on Twitter for updates.

 

Swansea City 2013/14 - "Thank f**k it's over!"

May... we knew this month would come.

Swansea City's eventful season is finally over. In equal parts it's made us happy, sad, angry, proud and, at times, even a little horny. However I am sure you'll agree that there is a part of you that's glad we can put it all behind us?

With European football, Premier League survival, derby glory and some stunning goals, Swans fans have ultimately enjoyed a successful season, which I am going to run through briefly.

It all started with the Europa League in August, which produced some incredible early season moments. First Swansea shrugged off Malmo and Petrolul Ploiesti before an emphatic victory against Valencia at the Mestalla. The Swans thoroughly deserved to win the game 3-0, including a lovely free-kick from Jonathan 'Pirlo' de Guzman.

Progression through the group was less comfortable, with Swansea making a meal of qualification to the knock-out stages. Who can forget dropping a point with Kuban Krasnodar in the final minute, before doing the very same again in the return leg! Mental.

Swansea at the Stadio San Paolo

Still, the Swans made it out of Group A, where they would find Napoli waiting. The Italian giants proved tough opponents, but Swansea gave it a good go and, in reality, should have won the first leg considering the chances they had. The game in the San Paolo was equally as enjoyable, but Swansea ran out of steam and gracefully fell out of Europe. (Read Gavin's brilliant round-up of the group stages, and Alec's travel journal from his trip to Napoli).

Between all this, Michael Laudrup had been sacked. In early February rumours circulated that a backroom shuffle was taking place. The following day the announcement was made that Swansea had parted ways with the Danish prince. Of course there were mixed reactions, but ultimately fans knew it was for the best. Laudrup seemed to have lost any enthusiasm and direction and he had to go. (Check out Matt's thoughts on his departure).

Thank you Michael, and goodbye.

Meanwhile Swansea were slipping down the Premier League table. Unfortunately they joined around ten teams under threat of the bottom three all season and found it difficult to get a foothold in the league. Dropping silly points against West Brom and Crystal Palace at the start of March was probably the lowest Swansea sunk, with the exception of the highly embarrassing 1-0 loss to Cardiff in November. However, revenge for that one was particularly sweet...

In Garry Monk's first game in charge he led the Swans to victory by hammering the Redbirds 3-0 at the Liberty Stadium. There were no excuses from Cardiff that day - they had been outplayed by the better team. The remained in the drop zone until May when they were relegated.

The Swans eventually sealed their safety with an enthralling 4-1 victory against Aston Villa at the Liberty, before the lacklustre game against Southampton a week later showed why the season needed to end when it did!

The big man

We saw some brilliant players offer awesome contributions. Wilfried Bony for one almost single-handedly kept Swansea afloat while the rest of the team were simultaneously out of form. His goals show why he was actually a bargain at £12 million! Jonjo Shelvey also developed into a more rounded player, offering a new attacking option and a couple of very memorable goals (make sure to read Jacob's rules for The Official Jonjo Shelvey Drinking Game!)

Jose Canas, Alejando Pozuelo, Alvaro Vazquez and even Michu all underperformed and ended up playing no part towards the end of the season. It will be interesting to see where they all are come September.

There was plenty of moaning throughout the season (myself included), though in the end - apart from finishing slightly lower than we may have liked - no-one can really complain.

Though the season is now over we will still do our best to update ForzaSwansea.com with the goings-on in the Swansea City world over the summer, starting with an upcoming Blogger Q&A later this week.

For now, thanks for reading again this season - it's been one hell of year, but thank f**k it's over!

My Swansea City book!

Hi everyone, Chris Carra here. Fear not, there will be another Blogger Q&A session soon, along with my season review after the Sunderland game this weekend.

Before that, I want to draw your attention to a project I've been working on since February (the one which has eaten up the majority of my time). I've been writing a new book called 'Swansea City's Greatest Games' which will tell the stories of - as the title suggests - 50 of the greatest games in Swansea's history.

It will be published later this year by Pitch Publishing and should make a brilliant read because the content is astounding. Swansea City have played some absolutely incredible games in their 102 year existence and the best ones will be documented in detail in the upcoming book.

Naturally the cup finals, successful promotion attempts, incident-packed and goal-saturated games will all be included, but - as I'm still writing the book - I'd be very keen to hear any suggestions to games that I should be checking out

If you have any suggestions to games that I definitely need to include, please leave a comment below, drop me an email via the contact form on this website, tweet me or even send me a Facebook message.

I will keep you updated, but for now many thanks for reading and keep an eye out for a new blog post very soon!

Cheers, Chris

Brazil 2014 - A final look at who is making the plane!

Quite a bit has changed with Swansea City since my last blog post on the players who may be making the World Cup in Brazil this year.

We've had training ground bust-ups, unexplained player absences, heavy losses and even heavier wins! Some players have been prolific - keeping the Swansea spirit alive - while others have been mere shells of their former selves.

With Swansea safe for another Premier League season, attentions are starting to turn to the World Cup which starts next month. And, for the last time, let's see who may be joining the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Pirlo and Rooney from the Swansea squad!

Michu

Spain

Michu has shot himself in the foot this season. He rightly earned his international debut last year, but since then he has been injured (not really his fault I guess...), moody and lacking the form that made him such a star last season. He has barely featured in Swansea's squad and I honestly don't believe he has done enough to warrant a place in Spain's World Cup squad - and I'm pretty sure most Swans fans would agree with me.

Likelihood: 3/10

Wilfried Bony

Ivory Coast

Wilfried Bony was a bit of a slow starter and initially split the Swans fans into two camps - those who liked him and those who weren't sure he was worth the money. However after the season he has had, he has more than proved his worth - in fact he's proved to be a bit of a bargain at £12million, having almost single-handedly kept Swansea in the Premier League. There is no reason in my eyes that he will miss out on the World Cup.

Likelihood: 10/10

Michel Vorm

Holland

Vorm hasn't had the best of seasons. He has looked tired and much less sharp than previous years - letting in goals that Angel Rangel would probably have saved. He has had his share of injury and his morale obviously dropped, but on his day he's still one of the best goalkeepers Holland has to offer and should be on the plane to Brazil, even if he doesn't make an appearance.

Likelihood: 7/10

Jonjo Shelvey

England

Jonjo Shelvey has proved to be a brilliant addition to Swansea this season. He's had his off days (as have the rest of the squad), but you can rarely question his effort and drive to succeed. He can score goals (just look at his jaw-dropping long-range shot from last weekend), he can pass and he will happily battle for the ball in the centre of the park. However, with the likes of Gerrard, Lampard and Milner in the running for the central midfielders, Shelvey still won't be a frontrunner. He hasn't featured in recent England squads, but he has played well at the Under-21 level and there is still time to change Hodgeson's mind!

Likelihood: 5/10

Roland Lamah

Belgium

Not much has changed with Lamah since we last discussed him. He made his senior international debut in 2009 but has played only 11 times since. The 26-year-old impressed earlier in the season (especially in the Europa League), but hasn't had much of a look in during Garry Monk's tenure. With Belgium definitely taking wingers such as Chelsea's Eden Hazard, Napoli's Dries Mertens and VfL Wolfsburg's Kevin De Bruyne it's unlikely Lamah will be on the plane for Brazil.

Likelihood: 2/10


If you're in the mood for a bet, check out a fine array of World Cup betting offers and enjoy the tournament!

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

ForzaSwansea Exclusive: The Lee Trundle interview!

After my interview with Alan Curtis proved popular among ForzaSwansea readers, I hunted down another Swansea City legend for an exclusive chat - Lee Trundle.

The former fan favourite striker was a prolific goalscorer for the club, notching up 83 goals during 166 appearances over two stints. But it wasn't just his goals that sees him dubbed a star - his confidence, charisma, club pride and, of course, his big bag of tricks really did it for Swans fans!

He remains with Swansea City as the club ambassador and a youth squad coach, though he was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to meet up and give us an exclusive interview about his current role, his past games and other footballing issues. Enjoy!

Lee in his new role as club ambassador

Chris Carra: So, you've settled into your new role as club ambassador - how are you finding it?
Lee Trundle: It's brilliant. Obviously when I was a player I used to try and get out to as many things as I could, like schools and hospitals, but now it's part of my job and this is what I do day in, day out and there's nothing better. I've always loved mixing with the Swansea fans so to have that as my job now is a dream come true.

CC: You do the match day hosting too don't you?
LT: Yeah, I do the match days up in the lounge, but my main day-to-day stuff is going out and meeting people. I've been out to a soccer school this morning and that was brilliant. I'm always really busy - every single day I'll be working in the morning and afternoon. I'm over at the club shop this afternoon, so I'm always doing something.

CC: And you still play football from time to time?
LT: Yeah, I play in Liverpool for my two local teams, where I grew up. When Swansea are away it gives me chance to travel back. Because I've got a young daughter in Liverpool it gives me a chance to go back and see her and my family. So if I'm back I'll have a game for the local teams as well.

CC: I'm sure I heard you signed for a team in Swansea too?
LT: I had signed for Brunswick, but I needed international clearance to play for both, so I never played a league game for them.

CC: Moving back onto the Swans - it hasn't been the best of seasons. It was great being in Europe, but it's been a really poor league performance. What was behind everything falling apart?
LT: I think the Europa League has taken its toll. We haven't got the biggest squad and the extra games were tough. Although we loved the experience of being in Europe, and I think the Swansea fans did as well, I think it's the same thing – every team that's in the Europa League always struggle in the [domestic] league. They always find themselves in the bottom half, most of them, so I think that played a massive part in where we were this year. It's a lot of travelling and it takes its toll in the end.

CC: When you were a player, what was your favourite game with the Swans?
LT: It would have to be the Millennium Stadium final (vs Carlisle United, April 2006), with the early goal and winning the cup and everything that went on – it would have to be that one.

CC: And the worst you played in?
LT: That would probably have to be... the Barnsley play-off final (May 2006), getting beaten on penalties. Although I was subbed that game, I'd done well myself but just the feeling of getting beaten that way, I'd never felt like that in any other Swansea game, even when I'd played my worst.

CC: Who is your favourite player to watch in the squad at the moment?
LT: Obviously Wilfried Bony has been brilliant and for me he has been my player of the year this season, but my favourite player is Leon Britton. To go through the leagues and to still be outstanding in every single division that you are in, you have to be a class player to do that.

CC: Who would be your ideal dream summer signing for Swansea?
LT: If it was a dream one it would have to be Ronaldo – definitely. People go on about Ronaldo and Messi, but for me Ronaldo has got more than Messi.

CC: That would be a great addition! What about a realistic signing?
LT: When I think of signings I always think of strikers, because they are the ones that win you games. A striker would be good, with the cloud over Michu because he hasn't played much this year, but... it's a tough one...

CC: Finally - who's going to win the World Cup?
LT: I'm going to go for Brazil. I'll support England, but for me England are the same every year – they've got great individual players, but they don't seem to click. For me, if I was Roy Hodgson, I would play Liverpool's system. I would keep the Liverpool players in and then just put Rooney where Suarez is, because I think their system has worked well this season. It's attacking, so I'd go that way if I was him.

CC: Being the half Italian stallion that I am (or maybe more of an Italian donkey?), I will be passionately supporting Italy. How do you reckon they will fare?
LT: Yeah they are a strong team and with the World Cup it's hard to call really, because until you see the first couple of games and you can see how the teams are, it's difficult. For me I think Germany have got a chance, I think they're very strong. It's the same teams all the time – Belgium as well, they have quality players but it's how they work together.


A big thanks to Lee for taking the time to speak with me. If you want to read more about his career and life as a Swansea City star, check out his book - More Than Just Tricks.

Swans On Film: "Don't F**k With The Swans"

While browsing Swansea City videos on YouTube last night I came across this infamous one featuring the club's beloved mascot, Cyril the Swan.

In the late 90s, after Cyril was fined for removing the head of Millwall's mascot Zampa the Lion and drop-kicking it, he was interviewed for a Dutch documentary about the Swans with amusing results.

I think the funniest thing is hearing Cyril's voice, which is undeniably Swansea, through and through!

Meanwhile, stay tuned for a special announcement in a few days time! Elsewhere you can follow me on Twitter or like the blog on Facebook. And make sure to check out my other successful blog - Swansea On A Plate!

Swansea City: Player of the Season candidates!

With the end of the season approaching, several Swansea City players are holding their hands up for the Player of the Season award. Our blogger MATTHEW JACOB is giving us the rundown of who he believes makes up this season's shortlist!

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By Matthew Jacob

It's that time of year when Swansea City fans can start mulling over their nominations for the club's player of the season - a time to celebrate individual brilliance, and reflect on what has been a pretty tiring campaign for fans and players alike.

This season the Swans have journeyed all over the continent, from Newcastle to Naples, via Malmo and Manchester. I believe we as fans generally accepted that it was going to be a long hard year, arguably the hardest since we were promoted to the Premier League.

Nevertheless I felt confident. The squad had quality and Michael Laudrup had worked hard to bring players in to improve us. But it has been a tough year for Swansea and our battle against relegation hasn't been a welcome one.

I've been witness to some truly woeful performances by the boys this year, but there have been some real memorable moments as well - beating Valencia 3-0 on their own pitch, taking Napoli right to the wire over two legs, knocking Manchester United out of the FA Cup, getting South Wales derby revenge in style and picking up a few decent league results along the way. See, it hasn't been all doom and gloom!

After all has been said and done, plenty of players stood out and rose to the occassion when we needed them to. But who has really shone? Who should be our player of the season?

Here are the Forza Swansea contenders:

Ashley Williams
Not at his best all season but where would we be without the captain of Wales? With Jordi Amat showing promise and Chico Flores putting his budding career as a Wham tribute act before his football this season, it's fallen to Williams yet again to lead the boys through some particularly difficult moments this year. He was superb against Napoli in particular.

Pablo Hernandez 
I think many of the Jack Army were starting to lose patience with the Spaniard before Monk employed him behind Bony as a more central attacking force. Clever in possession and excellent on the ball (if lightweight off it) he started to show this season why we splashed over £5million on him. Could be a big player for us next season.

Wayne Routledge
Mr Consistency according to Monk. When Rodgers signed the former Palace, QPR, Newcastle (I could go on) star I was dubious, but the Irishman said then that Routledge had the ability to get the crowd on their feet and he's done so again this year. Great performances against Cardiff and Norwich stand out and he has chipped in with six goals this term.

Ben Davies
The young Welsh talent has show signs of fatigue in recent weeks as a long season draws to a close, but he has continued to build his burgeoning reputation as one of the best young defenders in the league, even showing real promise in attack as well as composed in defence. There'll be summer interest for sure.

Wilfried Bony
What more can we say about Daddy Cool. Huw Jenkins admitted to feeling a little wary about splashing £13million on a single player, but every single penny of that cash has proved to be money well spent. Bony has scored over 20 goals for the club this season in all competitions, 13 in the league. His attacking quality really came to the fore in the second half of the season, but he has also proved himself an important asset at defensive set pieces and, for me, we must hold onto him for at least another year at all costs.

Bony is priced at 100/1 to be the top goal scorer at the 2014 World Cup and his performance in Brazil is likely to influence his future at the Liberty Stadium - www.tipsontits.co.uk are tipping Ivory Coast to qualify from Group C and, with a fairly easy looking group, Bony and his team could do well!

Honourable mentions go to: Leon Britton, who again has proven himself a key man for us and will be nigh on impossible to replace in the next few years. Nathan Dyer, who's been very unlucky with injuries and Jonjo Shelvey, a real character who works tirelessly - a key asset for us going forward.

I know who gets my vote, but who gets yours? Comment below or tweet me on @OriginalMattyJ to let me know whether you agree or disagree with the selections.

Let's back the boys in these last few games, cross the line together, and focus on next year.

2013/14 - The final four predictions!

It's almost over - and not a moment too soon! With just four important games left to secure survival for a faltering Swansea City, our former Swan ALEC JOHNSON takes one last look at what we can expect, and shares his score predictions.

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By Alec Johnson

Before we look forward to the final four crucial matches, let's briefly take one last glance at last Sunday’s encounter - the 1-0 loss to Chelsea.

After starting so brightly and competing for possession, our tempo and movement gave us real hope of picking something up from the ‘bonus’ game that nobody expected anything from. We won every challenge for the first 15 minutes, except the two that Chico lost. How cheap they were and how expensive they could be.

The Terry and Jose anger tactics played the part necessary to see our pantomime villain sent off once again. What happened next was a mistake in my opinion - hauling off Pablo (who had started with real purpose) and leaving Dyer on (who had started poorly) was an own goal in itself. The logic I get - keep the pace and hard-working runner on - but I felt we needed the form player to sit in the middle and hurt when necessary. We lost, but not without heart and spirit.

So where does that leave us? A strange bag of results threw my ‘super six’ predictions off course and the blew the bottom wide open. We are now a game away from level points in the trap door.


Newcastle United (away) - Sat, 19 April

First up, a trip to Newcastle. St James Park isn’t what it used to be. The Geordies have turned on Pardew showing their lack of appreciation for the punchy cockney with a set of banners last weekend. Their form is poor having lost the last four, while their record of lowest goals scored and most conceded in the top half isn’t a proud medal to carry.

Therefore it’s all about the start. If we get at them early on and unsettle the crowd, breaking the confidence, we can get a grip and win by a couple as we did last season. I do feel that there will be a reaction and a fight, but I cannot see us getting beat, so I will throw in a nervy 1-1 draw. Probably something that both clubs would take before of the game.


Aston Villa (home) - Sat, 26 April

Next up is Villa at home. The away fixture over Christmas ranks as one of my most frustrating in recent years. We battered them for 80 minutes, keeping almost 99% of the ball and the Jack Army were awesome from start to finish. We deserved better, but took a point. This is payback and I believe we can boss this and hurt them at home, hopefully through our three winger approach, which is so effective at the Liberty. I will go for a 2-0 win, edging us towards safety on 37 points with two games to go.


Southampton (home) - Sat, 3 May

Are they on the beach yet? Some are already at the World Cup and going through the motions. On their day they can be devastating and I do feel that they will be up for it on their last away game of the season. Assuming we have collected the four points from the previous two fixtures, I can see us losing this one as they play with freedom and flair. So it’s a 2-1 defeat in my eyes, leaving a nail-biting finish.


Sunderland (away) - Sun, 11 May

The finale! I haven’t considered the other results going on around us but I assume the bottom three will consist of Sunderland, Norwich and either Cardiff or Fulham on the final day. Wouldn’t it have been great to go to the Riverside leaving Sunderland win to send Cardiff down? I would have celebrated each goal flying in past Vorm.

However, given their run of games and shocking form I think they will be down before kick-off. That can only help us, so I see the Swans picking up something and celebrating survival - an ugly point or three will do nicely sitting on 38 points, or even the targeted 40. I'm going for a 2-2 draw.

Then we can all breathe and regroup, before a summer that will undoubtedly see considerable change at our beloved football club.


Agree with Alec? Or dare you disagree? Leave your own score predictions below! And make sure to follow Alec on Twitter.

Just a note...

Hi everyone, Chris here (that's Chris Carra, who runs the blog, not the former Swans midfielder from the early 80s Chris Marustik... in case you somehow made the wrong connection...).

Just a quick note to say we haven't had a blog post up for a week or so because I've been tied up working on a project that's taken up most of my time, while the other bloggers have also been busy with their own things.

But fear not! We will be back with blog posts very soon! In the meantime check out some of the archived material or have a look at some other brilliant Swans blogs on our links page.

Thank you and see you soon!

Blogger Q&A - Swansea City: Doomed?

With Swansea City now fully engaged in a relegation battle, we are checking in with the Forza Swansea bloggers to see what they believe the problem is and if Monk's the right man for the permanent role. Most importantly we decide if Swansea are Championship bound?

Here we go...

Q1) Honestly, are the Swans doomed this season? 

Alec Johnson: Not quite. We have the talent to see us through and Saturday's wake-up call should see the arrogant swagger knocked out of us. I expect a reaction and the graft with the craft to return, starting at Goodison.

Matthew Jacob: Of course not. There are nine games to go, 27 points to play for, Norwich and Villa to come at home - it's still in our hands.

Gavin Tucker: I don't think so. I won't accept that until it's a mathematical certainty anyway. The Swans are not doing it the easy way though, and it could get worse before it gets better. If we don't stay up with the squad we have then we won't have deserved to.

Jacob Cristobal: I don't think so. Have they regressed? Sure, if you call an injury to your best attacking option regression.

Chris Carra: As a general pessimist I would say it's looking more likely as the games go on. However, providing they can pull their fingers out, there's plenty of talent in the squad and points up for grabs to secure safety.

Q2) Who/what do you feel is to blame for the poor second half displays in recent games? 

AJ: Complacency and nothing else. Dominating teams for 45 minutes and believing we can do it again without the hard yards. Palace was exhaustion which is excusable, but the game against West Brom was pure arrogance.

MJ: Honestly? I saw absolutely nothing from the players second half against West Brom. I forgave them for the Palace performance on account of the fixture congestion, but no Swansea fan is going to overlook the frankly spineless offering we all had to endure last Saturday. Mulumbu ran unchallenged from the halfway line to score for goodness sake! Time to stand up and battle.

GT: I don't think you can blame any one person or action. No single Swansea player is completely innocent. We seem to have struggled to react during games to changes in opposition tactics. We need to better organise ourselves to prevent or at least limit the mistakes that are gifting the opposition goals.

JC: Honestly I still think this is just the crash from the high of last season, which has lingered on throughout the season. The injury to Michu eating up the first half of the campaign took away what was to be advertised of 'Michu and Bony: The Wonder Twins', torching the back of keeper's nets around the Premier League and Europe.

CC: I agree with the others. Arrogance and complacency are the main downfalls. Players believing they are going to finish mid-table with no effort. Hopefully the threat of relegation will spur them on to putting in better performances.

Q3) Is Monk right for Swansea at this point or would a more experienced manager be desirable? 

AJ: Too short a window to bring anybody in so we have to back our man. However he is clearly making some dodgy calls. Lita ahead of N'Gog is bonkers and this is not a time for friendly favours.

MJ: I would argue that were Laudrup still in charge I don't believe we would have beaten Cardiff and certainly would have been beaten at Stoke. The change had to happen - Gary Monk is on the receiving end of some very harsh criticism in my book. While I admit changes are coming too late in games at the moment, I believe he can get us over the line. Experience is a must in the summer.

GT: I think he's right for the short term. I don't feel that bringing a stranger to the squad and the club following Laudrup's departure would have worked at the late point in the season. If we stay up I think Monk should remain on the coaching staff but take a step back to possibly an assistant role as was Huw Jenkins' original plan. Appoint a manger with some experience for the new season and Monk can learn and assist them while completing his coaching badges.

JC: Garry Monk deserves to finish out the season whatever the result may be. I think he should also be on Huw's shortlist as one of the top three candidates for next season. As for the two other names... I'll get back to you on that.

CC: After the Cardiff game it just made complete sense, although that remains his only win. He needs to stay in charge until the end of the season, but it may be wise to move him to the coaching staff and look towards a shrewd tactician for next season.

Q4) Just in case the worst case scenario happens: what's the best thing about the Championship?

AJ: I cannot see any positives. Of course we would be one of the favourites to win it but we lose that decade of momentum and that cannot be disregarded. Our win ration would increase but I would take 38 battles against the big fellas any day!

MJ: Two games a week and the thrill of the chase of being promoted. I love the Premier League and I love being there, but I'm a Swansea City fan first, and if that means in the Championship so be it. I'll embrace it come what may. It isn't going to come to that though.

GT: Returning to 3pm Saturday kick-offs for one! Also, it's a proper, fairer league in the fact that there is no glass ceiling like in the Premier League where the best Swansea could realistically finish is around 8th. The Championship is a league you can win (if that makes sense)? Anyone can beat anyone and usually does!

JC: While I think Swansea will avoid relegation, if the worst happens... maybe ticket prices to matches will be cheaper? I don't know... Secondly, those promotion play-offs make for some dramatic finishes as seen with last year's take.

CC: I second Gav's comment - anyone can beat anyone! We'll also be able to have another South Wales derby, considering Cardiff will be there too. I'm sure this won't happen though.

Replacing Monk?

Garry Monk's appointment as temporary head coach initially brought a positive impact to Swansea City, including the Cardiff hammering and brave displays against Napoli. However, with less convincing results following, GAVIN TUCKER checks out the other managers who may be on Huw Jenkins' radar.

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By Gavin Tucker

After Laudrup left, the decision to hand the reigns to Monk made sense. Bringing in a complete stranger and expecting immediate results at this late and vital stage of the season would have carried too much risk.

With no official confirmation on the planned duration of Monk's reign other than 'the foreseeable future' it would seem fair to assume that Monk will stay in charge for at least the remainder of this season.

The club will then either feel Monk has earned the chance to take the squad into next season or seek a new manager soon after the season ends. This will allow time for an outsider to familiarise himself with the squad, make a few signings and complete a pre-season, before embarking on the tough year ahead.

In an ideal world we would unearth a manager with all the best bits from our recent past. Someone with the discipline and coaching ability of Roberto Martinez, the man management skills of Brendan Rodgers and the contact book and transfer market pull of Michael Laudrup. Not a lot to ask then...

So who could be the next manager at Swansea? Who would be interested? Do we give an upcoming rookie a chance or try a more experienced option? Here's a look at some potential contenders...

Dennis Bergkamp

"The promising gamble"

Huw Jenkins is reportedly a big admirer of the Dutch legend, currently at Ajax as an assistant coach. Bergkamp is hugely respected in this role by his peers and a disciple of the strict technical total football philosophy that would suit what our board try to instill at Swansea. Although he has previously distanced himself when asked about a career as a manager, it wouldn't hurt to ask!

Bergkamp would also bring a certain level of appeal in the transfer market, similar to what Laudrup brought to the club. It would have its risks of course - with Bergkamp unproven as a manager there would be a level of uncertainty as to how he would take to management being thrown in at the deep end of the Premier League.

Marcelo Bielsa

"The experienced choice"

The 58-year-old Argentinian, nicknamed Loco Bielsa (Madman Bielsa) has over 20 years experience in management including spells with the national squads of Argentina and Chile, and most recently in charge of Athletic Bilbao.

Unique in his coaching style, he is known for watching and collecting numerous football videos to the point of obsession. He is said to be meticulous in his preparation for games using all forms of statistics and technology to aid him. Referred to by Pep Guardiola in 2012 as 'the best manager in the world' that surely counts for something!

Oscar Garcia

"The up-and-coming young option"

Spending most of his playing career as an attacking midfielder in La Liga (sounds familiar) Garcia previously managed Barcelona youth squad, Maccabi Tel Aviv and is currently making a push for a the Championship play-off place at Brighton.

The 40-year-old was loosely linked with the Swans last time round. He's another young manager who fits our philosophy and tactics. Garcia, although a little inexperienced has made a pretty good start in management so far.

Ronald Koeman

"The big name"

Koeman is currently set to leave his role as Feyenoord manager at the end of this season and media friendly Swans director John van Zweden let slip this week that enquiries had been made by Koeman's agent as to whether Swansea would be a suitable destination for the Dutchman.

'Tintin', as he was known had an illustrious career as a player, most notably part of Johan Cruyff's dream team at Barcelona in the early 90's where he played with Michael Laudrup among many other greats.

His history in management is a bit mixed, most of it has been reasonably positive in the Netherlands. He's spent time in charge at Vitesse, AZ and PSV but his most successful period came with a four season spell at the helm of Ajax. He has ventured outside the Eredivisie twice with less success, with short times at Benfica and Valencia.

Koeman has experience at some massive clubs and his renowned name in the football world would bring appeal to Swansea in the transfer market.

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It's always worth remembering that our board tend not to go for in-work managers, as the last four appointments have shown. Martinez, Sousa, Rodgers and Laudrup were all unattached before taking the reigns at Swansea. Whether this is out of a respect to other clubs or Huw Jenkins doesn't want to pay out millions in compensation is not exactly known - it's probably a bit of both.

There is a massive decision to be made this time round and seeing as we have a pretty healthy bank balance, it may be that we need to approach an in-work manager this time round if it means we get the right man.

Nervous times? Exciting times? It's all just another lap on the Swansea City roller coaster!

Swansea City: The Business End

Welcome to the time of the season where everything matters.

The time for bluffing, blaming and brave losses is over. There's no more Europa League, FA Cup or Capital One Cup... all efforts can finally be concentrated on the league.

There's no hiding from the fact that everyone involved with Swansea City have enjoyed a crazy month or so.

Since Michael Laudrup was relieved of his duties at the start of February we've seen some brilliance on the pitch. The Swansea City we actually enjoy watching. Hammering Cardiff at the Liberty Stadium was undoubtedly the highlight, though holding Napoli to a draw was pretty special. 

We've also seen some bad times - losing in the final game to Napoli was a blow but, as many have said, it would've been a result we'd have taken at the start of the season. The hangover from the intense Europa League schedule resulted in the 1-1 draw to Crystal Palace, which actually felt like more of a defeat considering the nature of the game.

Players have limped off, trundled around and some even vomited on the pitch - all signs that maybe too much football has been played. The streamlined squad was too small and stretched beyond their means with three different competitions on the go. Thankfully most of the players have had a good rest and should be raring to go on the weekend.

The first time Michu will play for Monk

When the teamsheets are read over the loudspeakers on Saturday, the one name we'll all be hoping to catch is Michu, who should return against West Brom after being away since mid-December. Whether struggling with injury or just weighing his options after the departure of Laudrup, Michu just hasn't been a Swansea player this season.

Even before his absence he didn't look like himself. If he has hopes of making the Spanish plane to Brazil this summer he needs to find his form again - and where better to start than against West Brom this Saturday.

With Michu joining a relatively full-strength squad at the Liberty Stadium, there should be high confidence ahead of the clash with the Baggies.

Though Monk has only guided Swansea to one win in seven matches, it's important to remember two were against Napoli, with others being against Liverpool and Everton. Another good stat to remember is that Monk has collected more points (five) in his four Premier League matches as manager than Laudrup did in his final eight!

Still - he needs a win this weekend.

We've talked about must-win games many times in the past, but it really is vital to walk away with all three points come Saturday evening.

Swansea are 14th in the table, with 29 points. A win could see the Swans back in the middle of the table with another injection of breathing space. A draw would be very unsatisfying and... well, it's pointless talking about a loss because it's just not worth considering at this stage.

Despite the tightness at the bottom of the table, I genuinely can't see Swansea getting relegated. Sure, if we lose the next five it's probably a deserved relegation, but with players like Bony, Michu, Vorm, Britton, Williams and Dyer all fit and likely to play a part in the next few matches - along with teams like Fulham and Cardiff almost certainly back in the Championship next year - it just doesn't seem feasible to me.

But it's up to the team to prove me right on Saturday. I'm going for a 2-1 win for Swansea, with no injuries and no vomiting from anyone (with the possible exception of West Brom fans who are so overwhelmed at the quality of Swansea that they feel nauseous with excitement).

Alec's Napolitano tour: "I came, I saw, I survived!"

Swansea City's adventure in Italy will forever be remembered as one of the most memorable away matches in the club's history for both the occasion and performance. ForzaSwansea's ALEC JOHNSON took a trip to South Italy with 900 other Jacks to cheer on the Swans... and he survived! Here's how he got on:

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Before the journey

That wonderful saying "see Naples and die" had another twist ahead of the Jack Army's visit as the Welsh media seemed to believe we were stepping into a first century gladiator battle instead of a Europa League game!

My stock response to the danger was "we will all be fine", but I eventually gave up telling people that I wasn’t going to die in some Italian battleground. Yes you have to be cautious, but having previously survived the San Siro and Stadio Olympico, I travelled feeling comfortable in the fact that it wasn’t going to be my final journey.

Alec (centre), Eli and their Italian friend Alessandro

The destination

If you wanted a degree of comfort in the company of fellow Jacks along with transport provided to the stadium, there were three clear choices: Naples, Rome or Sorrento. We opted for Sorrento as it was close, but not too close to Naples. Also we knew that Jim White SCFC tours had the round-trip sorted with a pre-arranged police escort, flashing lights, an English boozer, a rowdy mob and a sing song.


Before the match

As me and my boy Eli strolled down the Corso Italia in Sorrento looking for the proposed meeting place for Swans fans, we could hear the English Inn a few hundred metres before arriving. Hymns and arias followed by 'the scum came up and they’re going straight back down' blasted out across the peaceful town.

On arrival, there were around 30 or so Swans fans inside, most looked like they had been there since breakfast. The barman, Fabio, was draped in a Swans scarf with a Swans badge on his collar and he too joined in the songs albeit without understanding what the hell 'the scum' were or who Ki Sung Yeung or Vincent Tan may be.

Six Perronis and two hours later, we headed back to our apartment unbeknown that a group of Sorrento Ultras strolled in shortly after. Now, this bit is baffling: they approached the Swans fans who remained in the pub, asking if they would like to have a fight. Have times changed or is this a cultural thing? Back home, bottles would have been thrown across the bar and there would have been no polite invite to have a fight - it would just kick off.

Catching up with several other groups staying in Naples, they encountered the exact same experience. So it seems that anybody visiting Napoli in future just needs Italian lessons not body armour.

Alec and co on the SCFC bus to the San Paolo

The San Paolo

The Sorrento mob were first in a good half an hour before kick off, greeted by hundreds of riot police and a dozen Liberty stewards. None of either group spoke the other language so the entire translation was delivered by Alessandro, a friend of mine from Milan who had come down for the game.

The San Paolo is the worst of the big old stadiums in Europe - beyond basic to the point of being third world. Horrific facilities with the only catering being pre-packed sandwiches and Ritz biscuits to munch on from your plastic bucket seat. However, the atmosphere generated from the two curva ends was deafening. 15,000 thousand at either end and they didn’t stop all game. Despite our constant singing we did feel drowned out.

Alec's view from the away end

The match

Oh how different it could have been. The Emnes chance in the first ten minutes. Bony one on one. Ash's late header. Bony's spin and volley. Our pace cut them open time and time again. We looked threatening on corners and they were very un-Italian in their defending of set pieces.

Pablo created havoc drifting around between the midfield and Bony did the same up top. He’s found his home in there and it will be interesting to see what happens when, not if, Michu returns. The turning point in the match came with bringing Neil Taylor on and playing people out of position. Nothing against Taylor but he isn’t a left midfielder and it was unfair to ask him to play it. It also wiped out our pace and width which is a huge part of our game and we never looked the same.

The Napolitano nutters

The riots

What riots? Despite the shockingly late arrival of the Rome and Naples port buses, the police did a fantastic job in keeping the supporters apart. The reputation of police aggression and a history of inciting riots wasn’t on view last week.

If anything their ignorance of multiple incidents of supporters throwing missiles was far too tolerant - almost as if it was accepted behaviour for us to be dodging Coke bottles. Even the customary 30 minute lock-in after the final whistle was relatively calm and they seemed to clear the surrounding escape routes very quickly with the help of half the Italian police force and a few copper choppers.


Post match

Going out of the Europa league at this stage is a safe exit I believe. We have bigger battles to win and any Jack would have taken elimination in Napoli at the knock-out stages back in July when this all kicked off.

We can be very proud of our achievements and have to keep the memories fresh, as it could be a while before we have the opportunity to experience a European tour once again. Onto West Brom and an anticipated three points that will go a huge way to securing our status as the only Premier League team in Wales next season.


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Swansea City players: Five seasons, five of the worst!

As Swansea City fans we've seen some incredible talent at the club - mainly over the past five seasons as the Swans have made their way up the league ladder and into the top flight. We've witnessed major talent in Wifried Bony, Michu, Michel Vorm, Scott Sinclair and Gylfi Sigurdsson, to name just a tiny handful.

But it's been hard to applaud the team performance at times, knowing there has been some utter rubbish in the midst of the squad.

So I'm bringing you a short post to celebrate the worst Swansea City players over the past five seasons. Feel free to comment below, via Twitter or on our Facebook page to share any you think I may have missed (or if you feel the urge to defend the ones I've included!)

Remember: this is just for fun - we've written hundreds of positive articles about Swansea, so we have to balance it out now and again!

Alvaro Vazquez (aka The Goalmachine)

Come on... you knew he'd be first on the list didn't you? Alvaro Vazquez - although a product of the European Cup winning Spanish U21 squad - is the only player that can summon a 19,000 strong groan when his name is read out at the Liberty Stadium. He's not scored and doesn't look like he ever will.

While he may be a good athlete and a quick runner, we need a footballer not someone who'd impress in the Swansea Bay 10k. I feel some compassion because he's clearly lacking any sort of confidence, but it's hard to feel that bad when he's on so many thousand a week for doing bugger all.

Itay Shechter (aka Mr. Scores When He Wants)

It's hard to believe we celebrated the departure of Itay Shechter when one of his replacements was equally as poor (yes, I'm talking about Vazquez again, I'll stop it soon...). He scored just one goal for Swansea in his 18 appearances for the club. His long awaited goal came in a 3-2 win away against Wigan - his first in 856 minutes for club and country... wow.

The Israeli striker (at least that's what he called himself) left Swansea City at the end of the 12/13 season, then went on to slam the club saying "I experienced a tough season. I didn’t feel part of the team..." The reason, Itay, is because the other members of the squad were decent players.

Jordi Lopez (aka The Team Player)

Though he was signed on a free transfer by Paulo Sousa, Lopez was one of the highest earners at Swansea at the time, which must have been great for a player who spent most of the time on the bench/out of the squad with injury.

Lopez made just 15 appearances for the club, scoring no goals, over two seasons. God knows how much money he took from the club for doing so very little. Cheers Jordi...

Dwight Tiendalli (aka Mr Dependable)

 

Like Vazquez, Tiendalli is a current part of the Swansea City squad. While he's made more of a positive impact than the Spaniard (hell, I've made more of a positive impact than the Spaniard), there is no denying that Tiendalli can make your blood boil.

He's a defensive liability who loves being out of position and getting an unnecessary yellow card. Bizarrely Tiendalli scored his only goal for the Swans in the same 3-2 win away against Wigan that Shechter scored in! He actually scored the winner... should that exclude him from this list?

Vangelis Moras (aka The Greek Ashley Williams)

One Twitter user (@nickyfran75) summed up Moras perfectly in two simple words: "Absolute garbage." The Greek centre-back joined the club on trial in September 2011, before signing on a permanent deal.

He made his one and only competitive appearance for Swansea City against Wolves in October 2011. The game saw Swansea 2-1 ahead, before Moras came on for Mark Gower in the 86th minute. Swansea then conceded a late goal and ended up dropping two points in a 2-2 draw. Was Moras at fault? Probably. He never played for Swansea City again.

Swans in the USA!

With news of record television viewing figures for the South Wales Derby in America, we are checking in with our American writer JACOB CRISTOBAL, who takes a look at the impact Swansea City are having in his fine country!

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By Jacob Cristobal 

Three weeks ago Swansea City hosted the return leg of the South Wales Derby against Cardiff City. We all know the result of that - a convincing 3-0 trashing of our bitter rivals, gaining some revenge from the early season fixture that yielded a 1-0 defeat.

We also know it was the managerial debut of Alan Tudyk... I mean Garry Monk (Googling Alan Tudyk will reveal why we may confuse the two!). We also know that since then the Swans have played back to the form that got them to the Premier League originally.

The dismissal of Michael Laudrup (to who I must say thank you for the memories and the great hair) has definitely seen the Swans playing better. What might not be a known fact for some is that the South Wales Derby a few weeks ago generated some good television ratings over here in the US.

In fact, up to this point, the South Wales Derby gave NBC (who have the broadcast rights in the US) their best ratings ever among all of the Premier League matches they've shown since the start of the season.

In the land of television viewership numbers the match scored a 1.2 overnight rating, which means at least 1.2 million people around the country tuned in. That's right - the South Wales Derby posted the highest Premier League TV ratings here in America to date! Give yourself a round of applause if you were in the stands singing Hymns and Arias.

There were other factors to this boost in that it was sandwiched between the Sochi Winter Olympics coverage, while a manager being sacked is always going to cause a brief spike in any club taking the sports headlines.

One thing NBC has done very well in their maiden voyage of broadcasting the Premier League is giving all the clubs a fair shot at the spotlight. Where in the past it would've been easy to just highlight the big four because... well they're the big four, today there's no excuse not to cast out a wide net.

And when there's a derby on the Premier League calendar, NBC has tried to give that match the stage for all in the US to see.

In the case of the South Wales Derby, a late start resulting in the match being broadcasted here in the West Coast at 9:30am versus, say, 5:30am or 7am definitely made it easier for us sleep-in folks (yours truly) to tune in.

There is also the reality that the Swans are getting an increasing fan base in America. You already know my story, but I know north and south of me (shout out to Melissa Douglas and Jonathan Weaver who live in Vancouver B.C. Canada and Portland, Oregon respectively) that there are folks following the Swans.

There's even a Facebook group for American Swansea fans and associated Twitter account. Their progress so far in the Europa League and breath-of-fresh-air manager Garry Monk has fans near and far saying "this is the Swansea we know!"

Just look at the last match against Liverpool - the Reds had to score four to beat them. If Swansea can repeat the energy in the first leg against Napoli and pull off the stunner and advance further, it will no doubt bring echoes of when Fulham made that surprise run in 2002. And, for a club already lauded as being the alternative to the "big four", such a bump will only intensify that support.

If there's one club that's been the biggest recipient of NBC's solid effort of bringing the Premier League to the US, very few would debate it being Swansea City. And just like the energy of their supporters in the stands at the Liberty, it could very well be the energy of the US-based supporters increasing the club's popularity here.