Promise to have it ready by Tues 28th May.
See you then.
Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Coming soon...... Season Review
Promise to have it ready by Tues 28th May.
See you then.
Friday, 15 March 2013
Swansea City v Arsenal, EPL, Match Preview and thoughts.
You're allowed to read this twice if you want - this Saturday, we stage our latest Premier League fixture against Arsenal FC.
Yes, that's right - the Gooners : serial winners (though not of late) but a Club that has legitimate claims to not only occupy that fiction of the EPL (the "big" 4 ), but has an history and past that puts it realistically amongst the upper echelons of world football.
Quibble all you will, the Deloittes list and others of equal repute always place them in the top 10 European Clubs, so when they come to town, I always get a buzz on.
Listen - in 15yrs time if we've each year finished in the top ten of the PL, having meantime won the odd Capital One Cup and regularly appeared in Finals (various) all the while being entranced by the style of play (as we are), imagine how content the vast majority of we Swans will be.
The Gooners have done a little more than that.
In the last 15yrs, Arsenal have in every season qualified for the Champions League (via a top 4 finish at the least), and reached a Champions League Final, won the PL several times, and the FA Cup several times also, including the double, the League Cup as well, won various other trophies including the Community Shield and achieved countless other awards whilst all the while playing by far the most attractive football in the League.
Oh, and they had an Invincibles, unbeaten season too.
Oops btw I forgot, they've done this whilst moving from their Iconic Highbury Home (at 36k a little small) to the fantastic Emirates Stadium (60k plus) and doing it, moreover, without putting the sort of debt onto the Club that the Glaziers have done at ManUre. Without also a potentate of sorts as has happened at Citeh and Chelski.
If you're going to be a "BIG" club, seems to me that the Arsenal route (as at Barca and Bayern) is more one to be admired than envied and criticised.
Despite this level of achievement, Arsenal, it's suggested in the more rabid Tabloid Press and TalkShite style phone-ins, are having yet another "poor" season with Arsene Wenger, their increasingly beleagured but permanently cultured Manager having "lost the Plot" and worthy of the Big E.
This feeling is reinforced from the mounting grumblings of their own supporters, and those of we Swans who were blessed to be at the Emirates as Miguel Michu stroked in the second goal in the last minute to cement our 2-0 victory can't fail to have noticed the resounding boos for the home team, however ill deserved we percieve them to be.
So, what's gone wrong? Not a great deal, I'd suggest. Some perspective, please.
You'll probably have heard this one - but please, bear with me if you haven't.
George Best was one of the top 10 footballers in the World - ever - but he was a bit of a rascal, a sort of Gazza with 10 times more talent - but an equal propensity to self destruct.
All but the very young still reading will have heard the possibly apocryphal but defining tale of George Best - the British Messi of his day (he was THAT good, trust me), being delivered a room service trolley by a waiter at the Ritz, serving Champagne to him and the then current Miss World in bed on a Friday evening prior to a game against Chelsea at the Bridge the following day.
Whilst the purported waiter gazed at these two semi naked beautiful young people locked in a passionate embrace on a bed scattered with roses, petals and £5 and £10 notes he, the waiter, is reported to have involuntarily (almost) said.................. " Oh George, George, where did it all go wrong??????".
Now I may have gone over the top in attempting to draw a parallel between Best, Gazza and other talented but wayward talents and the travails of the modern Arsenal (when compared to other Clubs) but you'll forgive me if I remind those Gooner critics who are demanding Wenger's replacement for his plethora of late non-achievement.....................be careful what you wish for!
We who've spent the majority of our hundred year existence down amongst the dead men of the Football League are, not surprisingly, a little more enthused to celebrate our recent successes (Capital One Cup amongst them) and our performances in this unforgiving League against what the red tops still lazily call "the Arsenals of this world" (as if there were loads of them - there aren't) with a little more equanimity.
Regular success, it seems, breeds complacency - and we, along with lots of clubs, are a long long way from that.
So, again, a little perspective, please.
Despite reports to the contrary, Arsenal currently sit in 5th place in the PL on 47pts and we in 9th on 40pts.
We've achieved our principal aim this season ( staying in the division) and been treated to a blissful Capital One Cup run that saw us secure Europa League involvement next year in our 5-0 mauling of Bradford City in the Final.
Still, as ML has pointed out, our next target is to see how high we can get. He's suggested 50pts is achievable before season's end and that seems to me to be realistic.
In our 2-1 defeat last Saturday at WBA, our first half performance (and late late wrong goalscoring denial by the officials) suggested we at least haven't switched off - Steve Clarke agreed - and our players are not thinking of the beaches just yet. That, at the very least, is how we MUST mean to go on.
As for them, you wouldn't bet against them achieving yet another top 4 finish just yet, but with just 9 games left it's becoming progressively more difficult, and we'll seek to add to this problem for Monsieur Wenger.
Earlier this week , prior to their CL fixture at Bayern, TalkShite, via it's resident Bulldog Adrian Durham, and the well known "Bring on the Wall" presenter and fat ex-Cricketer Darren Gough, spent a whole couple of hours on radio slinging mud at the "cowardice" of Wenger for putting out a reserve side against the German Champions in the upcoming tie, as had been suggested in the gutter press earlier that day.
At which point, of course, the Arsenal gaffer did no such thing. He picked a near full strength side that proceeded to win 2-0 and almost drag the tie back from the dead.
So, how will that impact on us?
My point, as I've said above, is that we should all within football be careful what we wish for. The game has a regular habit of kicking us in the nether regions by regularly surprising us.
The Gooners are without Jack Wilshere it seems, the young English Maestro being protected after feeling tender in the shins after his long layoff and participation in many games of late.
Lucas Fabiansky looks likely to keep the GK spot in front of Wojciech Szczesny, and the back 4 at Bayern paired Per Mertesacker with Laurent Koscielny at CB, with Carl Jenkinson at RB. The English qualified but Finnish born FB signed from Charlton had a very good game, but at LB, Nacho Monreal, signed from Malaga in January should replace Kieran Gibbs who was injured again.
Thomas Vermaelen, the Club Captain, is set to deputise should there be any changes in these areas.
We'll maybe get our first look at Santi Cazorla, one of the very finest of the many current crop of Superb Spanish Midfielders along with another Spaniard, the hard working Mikel Arteta who has never been able to get into the all powerful Spanish squad. Cazorla is a player who makes paying decent money for entrance seem worthwhile, and Arteta's on and off field charm make you think that not ALL footballers are either stupid or self-obsessed.
Up front maybe Olivier Giroud, the increasingly successful Frenchman acquired from Montpellier, and maybe Lucas Podolski, the hard shooting German all but-record Capholder. Both were signed after the latest of a long line of almost "forced" sales - Flamini, Henry, Fabregas, Song, Van Persie amongst others who have fanned the flames, but it would take a deeper piece than this to throw some light on that view.
And then there's the option of Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain wide (or narrow in Walcott's wish). Either are lightning quick and will go on to have very good careers, so will require attention from us.
Thomas Rosicky, almost a forgotten man but a gifted footballer played midweek too, so there's another talented individual to worry about.
From these few names you'll see that there's a huge amount of both quality and experience. Thus, the game will not be easy, and any points gained will be gratefully received by me, at least.
That's not to say we shouldn't hope and play for better - for the win.
This will be a game where we know that the opposition will at least not to kick us off the field, and the ensuing outcome threatens to be one of the better adverts for the EPL, since we, just like them, like to and can play a bit.
After having dominated the first half against WBA last week, the team seemed to me to me to feel the full impact of the loss of a key cog, namely Leon Britton, but I'm encouraged to think he'll be fit by ML this week allowing Mark Gower go to Charlton on loan (and good luck to a decent servant).
Moreover, the rest of the team is fairly settled, the only 3 questions being these.
1) If Chico is still not fit who partners Ash. Personally I'd like to see Bartley, particularly after his decent cameo against the Arse in the home FA Cup tie draw.
2) Luke Moore up front again ?, or a reversal to the false-9 Michu? I opt for the latter.
3) This option leads on from the last - please can we play the three wingers again - I just think it improves the full flow of our game.
So, there you have it. We have a month of these sorts of quality fixtures to look forward to at the Lib - next up come Tottenham and soon also last year's Champs Man City.
Don't you just bloody LOVE being a Swan in these fantastic times. My guess is we ALL do.
Onward, Swansea City.
Thursday, 7 March 2013
WBA v Swansea City preview plus other things...
Like many Swansea City fanatics, given our recent, rewarding and justified good press and "big up" in the National Media I've been much given on reflecting from whence we came - but - truly, as Harold McMillan once said - "We've never had it so good ".
Just as curiously, when asked why things could go wrong for him, the then PM and his party, he presciently replied ... "Events, dear Boy, events". (He was an Old Etonian after all, a sort of truly upper class Cameroon).
Let me tell you a secret - midway through our first season in the Premier League - last season since we forget - we WestStanders were having a pre match Pint in the Concourse when one of my compadres said that if we lost today.....,,,,,, " it'll be your bloody fault since you've had a haircut and a shave ".
I must confess I had, indeed, turning from Razputin/Worzel Gummage into a 60yr old Borstal Boy.
Needless to say, we proceeded to lose ( the 3-1 Norwich City game) since you ask.
At that point, unsurprisingly, I vowed it would NEVER, EVER happen again.
So this season started with me as a recently shorn, clean shaven skinhead, and progressed through the months with my developing hirsuteness, all the while stipulating that there'd be no change prior to our making those 40 "magic" points.
I'm here today to tell you that after last week's convincing win v Newcastle, the Fu Man Chu is trimmed, again, and the fading Barnet is neater than before.
WooHoo.
Here's a question for you, and please, be honest when you answer in your own head.
How many of us, myself included, would have said pre season we'd win the Capital One Cup and be safe on 40pts some 10 games from season's end. Wished, certainly. Hoped, fervently. Believed, perhaps, but not a large number, I'll presume.
The above , of course, doesn't pre-suppose that we expected our side to struggle or do hugely worse - but I feel we were all a little nervous again given we'd gone through yet another Managerial change. As it happens, we'd be hard pushed to argue that on the contrary , it couldn't have gone a great deal better than it has, and we're indeed witnessing our proud Club's best ever year, in this, our centenary season.
Results, and their effects (events, dear boy) are paramount, of course, but all of us who've been there to see, for instance, the first half against West Brom at Home, Michu's 2 goals at the Emirates at the death, or the bizarre 0-0 at Sunderland when we played them off the park will always remember individual occassions over a Seasonal outlook, within limits.
Bloody hell, we didn't half play well and look good, and that's a major source of pride in itself.
Moving on what this means without any caveat is that we're a seriously achieving Club with a seriously resultant outcome from this best of Seasons and, if we continue to perform at the level we're capable of, there's no reason to think that it'll be any different from now on in.
We've learned from Michael Laudrup, our justly esteemed Gaffer, that it's possible to follow stellar performaces with yet another, and also it's feasible to bounce back from disappointing ones to go better again.
This charming, serious, grounded Manager has taken the PL by storm, part of his charm being his culpability in admitting his limitations (shock,horror) and his few wrong turnings being equally accepted with his many and more various successes. It would seem that his fantastic, World Class playing career has given him nothing other than a sensitive and friend winning personal charm. Just watch him being interviewed in ANY situation and tell me you don't feel proud that he's in charge of our Club. Respect, Guv'nor.
So, as ML has pointed out, you motivate players by setting them new and different targets, and he's concentrated our players' minds by pointing out that this weekend's visit to West Brom is our chance to establish supremancy (or not) from the 2 teams percieved to being the "surprises of the season" in their performances. It'll be hard, we know, but part of the ongoing motivation will surely include what my compadre and ST fellow Jim voiced in a conversation with me today.
His theory was this - having already achieved stability, and won some serious silverware to boot, there will be many eyes cast our way. For the players what a chance to prove a) they can be good enough to be here next year b ) for some, what a chance to showcase their talents and move on to bigger (if not better) things and c) if you weren't in either of those 2 categories, here's a chance to get in.
Laudrup, he insists, is likely to have made them aware of all of these possibilities and MORE, so we shouldn't think that we're going to complacent. It seems to me to be a vaguely compelling argument, so we can genuinely hope for more decent things out of this smorgasbord of a season.
Last year to the Hawthorns was a stunning, snowy trip , where Gylfi Sigurdsson's double saw us come away with a 3-1 win in a superb and classy passing Away performance, so a repeat of that would be highly acceptable. Still, as some things change, some remain the same.
Albion are still a hugely competitive opponent, and whilst their squad hasn't changed radically, there's an argument to be made it has improved. Here it is, currently,...................
1 Ben Foster GK, 2 Steven Reid Def, 3 Jonas Olsson Def, 4 Goran Popov Def, 5 Claudio Yacob MF, 6 Liam Ridgewell Def, 7 James Morrison MF, 8 Markus Rosenberg Str, 9 Shane Long Str, 11 Chris Brunt MF, 13 Boaz Myhill GK, 14 Jerome Thomas MF, 15 George Thorne MF, 16 Scott Allan MF, 17 Graham Dorrans MF, 19 Luke Daniels GK, 20 Romelu Lukaku Str, 21 Youssouf Mulumbu MF, 22 Zoltan Gera MF, 23 Gareth McAuley Def, 24 Peter Odemwingie Str, 26 James Hurst Def, 28 Billy Jones Def, 30 Gabriel Tamas Def, 32 Marc-Antoine Fortune Str, 35 Romaine Sawyers MF, 36 Adil Nabi Str, 38 Saido Berahino Str, 40 Liam O'Neil Def, 43 Isaiah Brown MF
Rather than go through the squad one by one, some players I'd suggest have been hugely influential in this fine team's progression, and you'll excuse me if I start at the top.
The Manager, Steve Clarke, although previously a no 2 at Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool has always been considered a first class Coach, so although it may have seemed like a risk when he replaced England Recruit Roy Hodgson , he immediately asserted his presence on the Training Field, and even that odd beast "the modern football player", can't fail to have been impressed. Albion's players weren't , and their early season results were exceptional. They've since hit one or two blips, but ask their fans what they think and there'll be a large proportion happy with where they are.
Talking of England's Mr Hodgson, as the previously employed WBA Manager, he was perhaps well positioned to persuade Ben Foster, Albion's keeper to come out of his self-imposed England exile, and the suggestion is that the Baggies keeper, who's having an outstanding year, is likely to be called up Nationally soon.
In MF the key performer is Claudio Yacob, a much underrated Argentine defensive MF'er who's ball winning and control is as important to them as our own Leon Britton.
Up front, the Man/Boy Romelu Lokaku, on a season long loan from Chelsea, continues to show the form that should make Fernando Torres doubters at the Bridge take a chill pill - here comes the new Didier Drogba. Chelsea's loss this year is Albion's gain.
Looking through the list, the other outstanding performers are the sublimely skilled Chris Brunt, a sort of Jordi Gomez with attitude and application ; Zoltan Gera, the flaky (Hungarian) MF'r- veers from the divine to the ridiculous and Peter Odemwingie, the QPR player manque, famed for his transfer deadline day faux pas, but dangerous on the field. I also admire James Morrison, the Scot another product of Middlesbrough's underrated Academy. Shane Long, ex Reading, can sometimes be a buzz saw nuiscance to defenders, and has great heart.
I've hinted above what I think ML's mental approach might be (albeit simplistically) to the Players, so I'm perfectly content to go with whichever team he sees fit, though, if Chico is still unfit (and we KNOW what GM can give us ) it might be interesting to see how Kyle Bartley copes at the back.
Anyway, enough from me.
Given that our next two games, at Home as well, are against Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur and the delight that this evolving team and season continues to give us I can only wish you as much hapiness as I'm getting. We are living a rather more structured dream than some in the recent past. Enjoy.
Onward, Swansea City.
Thursday, 14 February 2013
Liverpool v Swansea City, PL, Match Preview
Moving on, Rock on, Bring it on.
Last Saturday's dismantling of QPR at home in our 4-1 win went a long way to convincing most skeptics that City had indeed, not taken their "eye off the ball" by neglecting PL form in advance of the Capital One Cup Final upcoming on the 24th. It reinforced what ML had been saying pre-match, in as much as it was important we didn't devalue PL placement in advance of an upcoming glamorous occasion. He, and the team, were as good as his word.
That the Squad has spent this past week in a pre-booked Mid Season training break in Dubai should be viewed in the same way.
I've seen some mischievous Press comment that all 5 of the PL teams who are out in the Middle East this week could be construed as having taken their "occular organ off the leather spheroid" by somehow abandoning February's grey British skies for the blue and warmth of the Gulf.
Excuse my dubiety in relying more on ML and HJ's knowhow than the sometime jackals of the British Tabloid press (and its talkSHITE radio equivalent) in determining what's right for our Team and Club but I'd suggest that both we and the other four - Norwich, WHU, QPR and Reading - know what they're doing.
They'll all be back, of course, in sufficent and apposite time for the upcoming fixtures, and ours takes us once again to Anfield .
This rearranged PL fixture is slotted into this FA Cup weekend as a result of both we and the Scoucers being serendipidously available having both been knocked out of said Tourney. As it happens, for us at least, that may be no bad thing.
As far as we're concerned, it's surely more expedient that we've a top class game in the almost 2 week gap between QPR and the COC Bradford City game, potential injuries notwithstanding. The Reds, however, may view this as a game too far, given that following their 2-0 home defeat to WBA on Monday night, this Thursday they're engaged in an awkward trip to Zenit St Petersburg in the Europa League knockout fixture and then have another 3/4 day turnaround before Sunday's meeting against us.
In putting together this week's preview I think you'll understand that I've decided to stray away from the usual format that concentrates on individuals in detail and concentrate instead on the background to the game , taking in, hopefully, some of my perceptions of where both Clubs are.The contrasts are quite enlightening I feel.
Back in the summertime , when we'd lost yet another Manager to a bigger beast, we Swans were understandably nervous. After all, HJ and the Board had done the business on previous occasions but could they do it yet again? I think it's fair to say in retrospect that the answer is a resounding yes.
Last Saturday's dismantling of QPR at home in our 4-1 win went a long way to convincing most skeptics that City had indeed, not taken their "eye off the ball" by neglecting PL form in advance of the Capital One Cup Final upcoming on the 24th. It reinforced what ML had been saying pre-match, in as much as it was important we didn't devalue PL placement in advance of an upcoming glamorous occasion. He, and the team, were as good as his word.
That the Squad has spent this past week in a pre-booked Mid Season training break in Dubai should be viewed in the same way.
I've seen some mischievous Press comment that all 5 of the PL teams who are out in the Middle East this week could be construed as having taken their "occular organ off the leather spheroid" by somehow abandoning February's grey British skies for the blue and warmth of the Gulf.
Excuse my dubiety in relying more on ML and HJ's knowhow than the sometime jackals of the British Tabloid press (and its talkSHITE radio equivalent) in determining what's right for our Team and Club but I'd suggest that both we and the other four - Norwich, WHU, QPR and Reading - know what they're doing.
They'll all be back, of course, in sufficent and apposite time for the upcoming fixtures, and ours takes us once again to Anfield .
This rearranged PL fixture is slotted into this FA Cup weekend as a result of both we and the Scoucers being serendipidously available having both been knocked out of said Tourney. As it happens, for us at least, that may be no bad thing.
As far as we're concerned, it's surely more expedient that we've a top class game in the almost 2 week gap between QPR and the COC Bradford City game, potential injuries notwithstanding. The Reds, however, may view this as a game too far, given that following their 2-0 home defeat to WBA on Monday night, this Thursday they're engaged in an awkward trip to Zenit St Petersburg in the Europa League knockout fixture and then have another 3/4 day turnaround before Sunday's meeting against us.
In putting together this week's preview I think you'll understand that I've decided to stray away from the usual format that concentrates on individuals in detail and concentrate instead on the background to the game , taking in, hopefully, some of my perceptions of where both Clubs are.The contrasts are quite enlightening I feel.
Back in the summertime , when we'd lost yet another Manager to a bigger beast, we Swans were understandably nervous. After all, HJ and the Board had done the business on previous occasions but could they do it yet again? I think it's fair to say in retrospect that the answer is a resounding yes.
Moreover,
it continued
the evidence that each and every of the 5 previous Managerial
appointments have improved us, and I include in that the much reviled
Paulo Sousa, and I'll happily explain.
The Jury's still out on precisely when the Swansea City transformation began to happen.
The Jury's still out on precisely when the Swansea City transformation began to happen.
I confess that I'm in Huw Jenkins' camp, who's voiced the opinion that
the upward trajectory began with Kenny Jacket. Shorthand suggests that
he first got us up a Division, and whilst Roberto Martinez undoubtedly
was the first to introduce the
abiding Swansea
Style, post his departure Sousa made us more defensively resilient, and
despite all the brickbats took us higher than ever before (in PL era
terms).
Consequently , Brendan Rodgers was the Manager who acually presided over our ultimate ascent, and whilst his poaching by Liverpool FC initially seemed limiting for us, there's a strong argument to be made that ML's appointment means that nowadays BR is more limiting for them. Think on this.
How many of us Swans would nowadays argue that we're a better team than we were last year? Most of us, I'd suggest.
How many Liverpudlians would argue that they are a better team this year than under Kenny Dalgliesh last year ? A huge percentage fewer than we Swans I'm certain.
You've only to read various Liverpool FC fansites (The Anfield Wrap, RAWK ) etc., to see that there's a large minority who are not yet convinced that his necessarily scary attempt at transforming the Liverpool "Brand" is still, frustratingly, on a knife-edge.
Don't forget that last year they won the Cup that we're favourites to win in 2 weeks time and that they also lost in the final of the FA Cup whilst finishing 8th in the PL. For all that, KD was dismissed and BR poached from us. And are they better? Hugely, and entertainingly (for me at least) debatable.
The most notable features of Liverpool this year seem to me to be these............
1) Pattern. They play nowadays as he (BR) used to set us up in formation terms, ie a 4-2-3-1, but there are many caveats. For example, our wingers under ML play narrower and are much more in the game, allowing the FB's greater license. There are many more, often subtle, differences cf.............license to shoot, tempo, fewer "keep-ball" passes more penetration etc., for us.
2) Individuals. Reina in goal looks diminished, making more errors than previously. The FB's are never seemingly set solid - Glen Johnson plays both L and R, Enrique veers from a free transfer to a key member. At CB, Agger and Skrtel have suffered an apalling lapse of form, leading to the almost retired Jamie Carragher being recalled. And that's just at the back.
3) Creativity. After his £15m transfer from us, Joey Allen and Steven Gerrard were originally the 2 defensive MF'ers, but Lucas Leiva's return has forced Joe out of the team, and whilst he offers solidity he's knocked the tempo of pass. Plus, there's a large portion of their following who are yet to be convinced by young Joe.The advanced 3 seem never to be settled. After giving up on Nuri Sahin (I'd have him but Dortmund called :) ) and young Suso there is constant flux.
4) Resources. Limited (early season) options up front. Whilst the elusive and effective Luis Suarez is world class, to go into the season with just him and Fabio Borini as their only options was naive in the extreme. Borini's long term injury (since recovered) made it worse, but even now with him back and the exciting Danny Sturridge recruited in the Window available, their crowds' dislike of Fabio is worrying, and Sturridge has to do more than play well in a couple of games to convince.
Link all of the above to the lingering doubt over Jordan Henderson, the ongoing frustration over Stewart Downing, the bizarre JonJo Shelvey debate (is he good, or a wally?), the over use of a kid - Raheem Sterling with its concommitant over-hype, the over use of Gerrard (he's played every PL minute), and you can see this is a Club and Team still in a far from settled state.
With a Club as famous and revered as this there are a large number of issues still and we shouldn't be dismissive of the attendant daily pressures. This is a Club that arguably deserves to be called, still, that ubiquitous term in football commentariat a "top-4 side". From recent years it obviously isn't, and whilst we're currently ahead of them in the table, there are several other teams who could claim to be on the same (footballing at least ) level as well.
Consequently , Brendan Rodgers was the Manager who acually presided over our ultimate ascent, and whilst his poaching by Liverpool FC initially seemed limiting for us, there's a strong argument to be made that ML's appointment means that nowadays BR is more limiting for them. Think on this.
How many of us Swans would nowadays argue that we're a better team than we were last year? Most of us, I'd suggest.
How many Liverpudlians would argue that they are a better team this year than under Kenny Dalgliesh last year ? A huge percentage fewer than we Swans I'm certain.
You've only to read various Liverpool FC fansites (The Anfield Wrap, RAWK ) etc., to see that there's a large minority who are not yet convinced that his necessarily scary attempt at transforming the Liverpool "Brand" is still, frustratingly, on a knife-edge.
Don't forget that last year they won the Cup that we're favourites to win in 2 weeks time and that they also lost in the final of the FA Cup whilst finishing 8th in the PL. For all that, KD was dismissed and BR poached from us. And are they better? Hugely, and entertainingly (for me at least) debatable.
The most notable features of Liverpool this year seem to me to be these............
1) Pattern. They play nowadays as he (BR) used to set us up in formation terms, ie a 4-2-3-1, but there are many caveats. For example, our wingers under ML play narrower and are much more in the game, allowing the FB's greater license. There are many more, often subtle, differences cf.............license to shoot, tempo, fewer "keep-ball" passes more penetration etc., for us.
2) Individuals. Reina in goal looks diminished, making more errors than previously. The FB's are never seemingly set solid - Glen Johnson plays both L and R, Enrique veers from a free transfer to a key member. At CB, Agger and Skrtel have suffered an apalling lapse of form, leading to the almost retired Jamie Carragher being recalled. And that's just at the back.
3) Creativity. After his £15m transfer from us, Joey Allen and Steven Gerrard were originally the 2 defensive MF'ers, but Lucas Leiva's return has forced Joe out of the team, and whilst he offers solidity he's knocked the tempo of pass. Plus, there's a large portion of their following who are yet to be convinced by young Joe.The advanced 3 seem never to be settled. After giving up on Nuri Sahin (I'd have him but Dortmund called :) ) and young Suso there is constant flux.
4) Resources. Limited (early season) options up front. Whilst the elusive and effective Luis Suarez is world class, to go into the season with just him and Fabio Borini as their only options was naive in the extreme. Borini's long term injury (since recovered) made it worse, but even now with him back and the exciting Danny Sturridge recruited in the Window available, their crowds' dislike of Fabio is worrying, and Sturridge has to do more than play well in a couple of games to convince.
Link all of the above to the lingering doubt over Jordan Henderson, the ongoing frustration over Stewart Downing, the bizarre JonJo Shelvey debate (is he good, or a wally?), the over use of a kid - Raheem Sterling with its concommitant over-hype, the over use of Gerrard (he's played every PL minute), and you can see this is a Club and Team still in a far from settled state.
With a Club as famous and revered as this there are a large number of issues still and we shouldn't be dismissive of the attendant daily pressures. This is a Club that arguably deserves to be called, still, that ubiquitous term in football commentariat a "top-4 side". From recent years it obviously isn't, and whilst we're currently ahead of them in the table, there are several other teams who could claim to be on the same (footballing at least ) level as well.
And here's what I'd suggest is the ultimate bloody nose - so far, this season, Liverpool, who sit 9th, have not beaten a single club who are
above them in the table. Ouch, and double bloody ouch.
So, let's look to us. What will our line up be given that we've got a rather important Cup Final the following week? Well, here goes, see what you think.
In goal we can confidently expect Michel Vorm, our no1, as Gerhard Tremmel has done all of the COC games and can be sure of playing next Sunday.
At FB I think there's a place for playing Dwight Tiendalli for either Rangel or Ben Davies, but I feel it'll be for Rangel since Davies is a young tyro who is taking everything in his stride.
At CB I expect to see Kyle Bartley partner Garry Monk in an audition of who partners Ash Williams next week. I've assumed Chico, unfortunately, will be unfit due to his ankle injury but if he's not then it's him 'n Ash next week.
MF is the hardest area to predict. Given that our MF 3 next week ought to be LB, JdG and Ki, I'd protect Leon by sitting him down and playing Kemy plus Ki and JdG.
Michu should wrapped in cotton wool and brought out next Friday. Of the wingers, Pablo is the one to sit first and Routledge second, so Nathan Dyer and Roland Lamah must play wide with the line led by Itay Schecter (probably) or Luke Moore (possibly).
My rationale is that whilst I realise the PL is the preference, on 37pts we're all but secure and to secure a possible European adventure by winning the COC neccessitates a somewhat protective line up this week. What do you think? After all, what do I know - certainly no more than you.
We can go to Anfield confident in the memory of defeating them there on our way to Wembley in this year's COC run. Who says we can't do it again ? Not me.
Onward, Swansea City.
For all us pedants (myself included ) here's the full Liverpool Squad...................
1. Jones, 2. Johnson, 3. Enrique, 5. Agger, 7. Suarez, 8. Gerrard, 10. Coutinho, 11. Assaidi, 14. Henderson, 15. Sturridge, 16. Coates, 19. Downing, 21. Lucas, 22. D Wilson, 23. Carragher, 24. Allen, 25. Reina, 29. Borini, 30. Suso, 31. Sterling, 33. Shelvey, 34. Kelly, 35. Coady, 36. Yesil, 37. Skrtel, 38. Flanagan, 42. Gulacsi, 43. McLaughlin, 45. Sama, 47. Wisdom, 48. Sinclair, 49. Robinson, 50. Morgan, 52. Ward
January additions....
Most of us know and have seen Daniel Sturridge, the England forward having spent a frustrating couple of years at Chelsea after his move from Man City. This, to quote BR, is probably his "last chance at a big club" but he's started well and is an outstanding forward talent.
Their other main buy was Phillipe Coutinho, a terrifically gifted if slight MF'er bought from Inter. The next couple of years in this unforgiving league will determine whether this skillful and exciting ballplayer can survive amongst the cutlasses.
So, let's look to us. What will our line up be given that we've got a rather important Cup Final the following week? Well, here goes, see what you think.
In goal we can confidently expect Michel Vorm, our no1, as Gerhard Tremmel has done all of the COC games and can be sure of playing next Sunday.
At FB I think there's a place for playing Dwight Tiendalli for either Rangel or Ben Davies, but I feel it'll be for Rangel since Davies is a young tyro who is taking everything in his stride.
At CB I expect to see Kyle Bartley partner Garry Monk in an audition of who partners Ash Williams next week. I've assumed Chico, unfortunately, will be unfit due to his ankle injury but if he's not then it's him 'n Ash next week.
MF is the hardest area to predict. Given that our MF 3 next week ought to be LB, JdG and Ki, I'd protect Leon by sitting him down and playing Kemy plus Ki and JdG.
Michu should wrapped in cotton wool and brought out next Friday. Of the wingers, Pablo is the one to sit first and Routledge second, so Nathan Dyer and Roland Lamah must play wide with the line led by Itay Schecter (probably) or Luke Moore (possibly).
My rationale is that whilst I realise the PL is the preference, on 37pts we're all but secure and to secure a possible European adventure by winning the COC neccessitates a somewhat protective line up this week. What do you think? After all, what do I know - certainly no more than you.
We can go to Anfield confident in the memory of defeating them there on our way to Wembley in this year's COC run. Who says we can't do it again ? Not me.
Onward, Swansea City.
For all us pedants (myself included ) here's the full Liverpool Squad...................
1. Jones, 2. Johnson, 3. Enrique, 5. Agger, 7. Suarez, 8. Gerrard, 10. Coutinho, 11. Assaidi, 14. Henderson, 15. Sturridge, 16. Coates, 19. Downing, 21. Lucas, 22. D Wilson, 23. Carragher, 24. Allen, 25. Reina, 29. Borini, 30. Suso, 31. Sterling, 33. Shelvey, 34. Kelly, 35. Coady, 36. Yesil, 37. Skrtel, 38. Flanagan, 42. Gulacsi, 43. McLaughlin, 45. Sama, 47. Wisdom, 48. Sinclair, 49. Robinson, 50. Morgan, 52. Ward
January additions....
Most of us know and have seen Daniel Sturridge, the England forward having spent a frustrating couple of years at Chelsea after his move from Man City. This, to quote BR, is probably his "last chance at a big club" but he's started well and is an outstanding forward talent.
Their other main buy was Phillipe Coutinho, a terrifically gifted if slight MF'er bought from Inter. The next couple of years in this unforgiving league will determine whether this skillful and exciting ballplayer can survive amongst the cutlasses.
Tuesday, 12 February 2013
Swansea City v QPR, PL, Match Report
QPRROFLLMAO.............
This PL season may well be remembered for many things, many of them positive, but to see a modern Club adopt the "Portsmouth" model of PL survival causes no less of a shock.
Hey, listen, I 've no need to be smug here, but to compare Saturday's opponents, Queens Park Rangers, with our own Swansea City set up is at least strange in the extreme. However, let's do a little of it anyway, since it's guaranteed to make us feel slightly more comfortable at the very least.
From the depths of despair some 10 yrs ago we've come a long, and most would say, sensible, way. We arrived in our second season PL adventure as co-tenants with our West London opponents , but, demonstrably different in each Club's set up.
I'm deliberately staying away from some sort of mention of superiority, but I must admit I'm finding it hard. We seem to me to be similarly contingent sorts of Clubs nowadays - albeight it QPR have a great deal more top flight history than we - but the path we're treading is almost in the opposite direction of those at Loftus Rd - and that, surely, will at least make you wonder which might be the more rewarding .
Whilst our own set up, with it's 20% Trust Ownership model gives us a degree of stability but a limited freedom financially, is it really the case that with the Air Asia Supremo Tony Fernandez as Chairman, and a Board that includes Lakshmi Mittal (reputedly the world's 3rd richest man) the "R"'s are any more stable ?? Or in advance ??
Hey, the devil is in the detail, and the numbers will give you a clue.
This PL season may well be remembered for many things, many of them positive, but to see a modern Club adopt the "Portsmouth" model of PL survival causes no less of a shock.
Hey, listen, I 've no need to be smug here, but to compare Saturday's opponents, Queens Park Rangers, with our own Swansea City set up is at least strange in the extreme. However, let's do a little of it anyway, since it's guaranteed to make us feel slightly more comfortable at the very least.
From the depths of despair some 10 yrs ago we've come a long, and most would say, sensible, way. We arrived in our second season PL adventure as co-tenants with our West London opponents , but, demonstrably different in each Club's set up.
I'm deliberately staying away from some sort of mention of superiority, but I must admit I'm finding it hard. We seem to me to be similarly contingent sorts of Clubs nowadays - albeight it QPR have a great deal more top flight history than we - but the path we're treading is almost in the opposite direction of those at Loftus Rd - and that, surely, will at least make you wonder which might be the more rewarding .
Whilst our own set up, with it's 20% Trust Ownership model gives us a degree of stability but a limited freedom financially, is it really the case that with the Air Asia Supremo Tony Fernandez as Chairman, and a Board that includes Lakshmi Mittal (reputedly the world's 3rd richest man) the "R"'s are any more stable ?? Or in advance ??
Hey, the devil is in the detail, and the numbers will give you a clue.
Now,
apart from the obvious distance of 18pts and some 11 places, even the
disinterested will have noticed that they were still on the bottom
whilst we enjoyed a more top half predicament/placement. How could this
be so ????????? The game proceeded to explain.
Here were the teams.......
Swansea City
01 Vorm, 04 Chico (Bartley - 33' ), 06 Williams, 22 Rangel, 33 Davies Booked, 09 Michu (Moore - 80' ), 11 Pablo, 12 Dyer, 15 Routledge (Agustien - 62' ), 20 De Guzman, 24 Ki Sung-Yeung
Substitutes
25 Tremmel, 02 Bartley, 21 Tiendalli, 26 Agustien, 14 Lamah, 17 Shechter, 19 Moore
Queens Park Rangers
33 Julio Cesar, 03 Traore Booked, 05 Samba Booked, 06 Hill, 15 Onuoha, 04 Derry (Granero - 46' ), 10 Taarabt Booked, 16 Jenas (Wright-Phillips - 68' ), 29 Townsend, 40 M'bia, 12 Mackie (Zamora - 46' )
Substitutes
01 Green, 21 Ben-Haim, 07 Park Ji-sung, 11 Wright-Phillips, 14 Granero, 25 Zamora, 37 Bothroyd
Ref: Swarbrick
Att: 20,529
The biggest loss for we Swans may have been Leon Britton's injury and absence, but in this engrossing season we've learnt to trust Michael Laudrup's vision and response, and both Ki and de Guzman again didn;t do anything to disturb that equilibrium.
Co-incidentally, it allowed us to play the three out and out wingers with a roving brief - so at any one time either Dyer or Routledge or Pablo were the no 10, playing behind the sublime Miguel Michu, who again proved that if the Swans have ever made a better buy he would have to be in the Ivor Allchurch class of player - woohoo, what a pleasure to watch.
I'd suggest @Arry had set up in a defensive "let's get a point" formation, with the frustrating but talented Adel Taarabt furthest forward, but despite his occasional displays of classy skill, the limit of QPR's wishes were ephemeral.
City took control of the game from the start, and from several probing and concessant ball retension moments started pushing the 'R's further and further back. This culmitated in a "between the lines" moment when Nathan Dyer took control some 30 yds out centrally, and did what most fans love to see - ie - he put his foot through the ball and shot, the
resulting trajectory allowing Cesar in goal only to palm out centrally, and Michu following in managed a flick with the outside of his right foot a touch that took the ball over the keeper and in.1-0.
The Lib burst to further life as we Swans took on board just reward for early pressure. Just 9m gone and now any QPR struggle for equality would be harder and harder.
Jimmy, my compadre in G119 remarked that now they'd have to come out a little and would be more vulnerable to counter attack. Jimmy is 82yrs old going on 50, so tends to get more things right than wrong, and again he was on the money.
The goal had come from Dyer and Routledge both assuming positions "between the lines" (as is the modernspeak) and the pressure and second goal followed much the same pattern.
QPR's defensive shield of Derry and M'Bia were consistently going walkabout, so when Routledge picked it up centrally some 30 yds out going right he was immediatelly offered an option by the rampaging Rangel showing Mackie a clean pair of heels.
He advanced and shot, and Cesar's block bounced back to him to sweep a left footed follow up accurately and in. 2-0, and we Oldies bopped along with the rest of the delirious Home crowd.
Comments on the shape and pattern of this half.
Swansea's three wingers had indeed rotated and switched constantly, just as they'd done in the WBA game and were again ripping through the opposition by consistently finding THAT space between the putative back 4 and their MF protectors, and that was regularly freeing up space wide for Rangel on the right and Ben Davies on the left. Ki and de Guzman sat deeper, with the Korean biting into challenges and the Dutchman often gliding away from a nicked ball - all in all a fine substitution for the absent Britton.
Meanwhile, up front, the sublime Miguel Michu put on his no 9 cloak and this week adopted the target man role- as ML later said, he is good enough to perform several roles equally efficiently.
City got to half time at 2-0 without QPR offering any decent threat so we went into the break comfortably.
I suspect in the Rangers dressing room it might have been different, since they came out as if "H" had given them the Fergie hair-dryer treatment, and Zamora (hip inflicted) and Esteban Granero (we'd have him, please) replaced both Mackie and Derry, and they immediately looked more dangerous, further complicated by Ben Davies needlessly giving the ball away within 2 m of the restart.
Taraabt drove for goal and got off a decent shot which Michel Vorm nine times out of ten would have held. This was the 10th time, and he palmed it forward where a muscling Zamora out-reacted Kyle Bartley to drive home a goal. 2-1, and all of a sudden there was an opposition fanbase which, up to that moment had been mouse-like.
It would be unfair to say anything other than thegame was now, bizzarely, open, but within 5m Pablo Hernandez put that to bed.
Receiving on the left from a clever Michu hold and reverse, he turned Onouha one way , another, and a third (inside out is the usual phrase), and drilled a low shot past Cesar again to put City 2 goals in front once more. 3-1 and a passage of play that deserved it.
The final knife to the heart came after QPR, by now desperate, were denied a penalty from a cross that appeared to strike Ash Williams on the hand, and a goal line clearance from Kyle Bartley from the follow up.
Kemy Agustien, another apposite ML substitution, fed through to Pablo H, who put an exquisite ball past Christopher Samba, the £12m pound man, and Michu, the contrasting bargain, ran beyond him and caressed an delightful first time flick finish beyond Cesar and in. 4-1, game over.
The game played out with City content to boss posession, and QPR only able to offer a Wright-Phillips effort that hit the bar. Another 3 pts gathered.
Both Managers summed the game up rather well, and can be found here............. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21311593
As ML hinted there, the biggest problem was the loss of Chico to an ankle injury that could well keep him out of the COC Final. Let's hope not, but otherwise, this is a season that keeps on giving.
Onwards, Swansea City.
Here were the teams.......
Swansea City
01 Vorm, 04 Chico (Bartley - 33' ), 06 Williams, 22 Rangel, 33 Davies Booked, 09 Michu (Moore - 80' ), 11 Pablo, 12 Dyer, 15 Routledge (Agustien - 62' ), 20 De Guzman, 24 Ki Sung-Yeung
Substitutes
25 Tremmel, 02 Bartley, 21 Tiendalli, 26 Agustien, 14 Lamah, 17 Shechter, 19 Moore
Queens Park Rangers
33 Julio Cesar, 03 Traore Booked, 05 Samba Booked, 06 Hill, 15 Onuoha, 04 Derry (Granero - 46' ), 10 Taarabt Booked, 16 Jenas (Wright-Phillips - 68' ), 29 Townsend, 40 M'bia, 12 Mackie (Zamora - 46' )
Substitutes
01 Green, 21 Ben-Haim, 07 Park Ji-sung, 11 Wright-Phillips, 14 Granero, 25 Zamora, 37 Bothroyd
Ref: Swarbrick
Att: 20,529
The biggest loss for we Swans may have been Leon Britton's injury and absence, but in this engrossing season we've learnt to trust Michael Laudrup's vision and response, and both Ki and de Guzman again didn;t do anything to disturb that equilibrium.
Co-incidentally, it allowed us to play the three out and out wingers with a roving brief - so at any one time either Dyer or Routledge or Pablo were the no 10, playing behind the sublime Miguel Michu, who again proved that if the Swans have ever made a better buy he would have to be in the Ivor Allchurch class of player - woohoo, what a pleasure to watch.
I'd suggest @Arry had set up in a defensive "let's get a point" formation, with the frustrating but talented Adel Taarabt furthest forward, but despite his occasional displays of classy skill, the limit of QPR's wishes were ephemeral.
City took control of the game from the start, and from several probing and concessant ball retension moments started pushing the 'R's further and further back. This culmitated in a "between the lines" moment when Nathan Dyer took control some 30 yds out centrally, and did what most fans love to see - ie - he put his foot through the ball and shot, the
resulting trajectory allowing Cesar in goal only to palm out centrally, and Michu following in managed a flick with the outside of his right foot a touch that took the ball over the keeper and in.1-0.
The Lib burst to further life as we Swans took on board just reward for early pressure. Just 9m gone and now any QPR struggle for equality would be harder and harder.
Jimmy, my compadre in G119 remarked that now they'd have to come out a little and would be more vulnerable to counter attack. Jimmy is 82yrs old going on 50, so tends to get more things right than wrong, and again he was on the money.
The goal had come from Dyer and Routledge both assuming positions "between the lines" (as is the modernspeak) and the pressure and second goal followed much the same pattern.
QPR's defensive shield of Derry and M'Bia were consistently going walkabout, so when Routledge picked it up centrally some 30 yds out going right he was immediatelly offered an option by the rampaging Rangel showing Mackie a clean pair of heels.
He advanced and shot, and Cesar's block bounced back to him to sweep a left footed follow up accurately and in. 2-0, and we Oldies bopped along with the rest of the delirious Home crowd.
Comments on the shape and pattern of this half.
Swansea's three wingers had indeed rotated and switched constantly, just as they'd done in the WBA game and were again ripping through the opposition by consistently finding THAT space between the putative back 4 and their MF protectors, and that was regularly freeing up space wide for Rangel on the right and Ben Davies on the left. Ki and de Guzman sat deeper, with the Korean biting into challenges and the Dutchman often gliding away from a nicked ball - all in all a fine substitution for the absent Britton.
Meanwhile, up front, the sublime Miguel Michu put on his no 9 cloak and this week adopted the target man role- as ML later said, he is good enough to perform several roles equally efficiently.
City got to half time at 2-0 without QPR offering any decent threat so we went into the break comfortably.
I suspect in the Rangers dressing room it might have been different, since they came out as if "H" had given them the Fergie hair-dryer treatment, and Zamora (hip inflicted) and Esteban Granero (we'd have him, please) replaced both Mackie and Derry, and they immediately looked more dangerous, further complicated by Ben Davies needlessly giving the ball away within 2 m of the restart.
Taraabt drove for goal and got off a decent shot which Michel Vorm nine times out of ten would have held. This was the 10th time, and he palmed it forward where a muscling Zamora out-reacted Kyle Bartley to drive home a goal. 2-1, and all of a sudden there was an opposition fanbase which, up to that moment had been mouse-like.
It would be unfair to say anything other than thegame was now, bizzarely, open, but within 5m Pablo Hernandez put that to bed.
Receiving on the left from a clever Michu hold and reverse, he turned Onouha one way , another, and a third (inside out is the usual phrase), and drilled a low shot past Cesar again to put City 2 goals in front once more. 3-1 and a passage of play that deserved it.
The final knife to the heart came after QPR, by now desperate, were denied a penalty from a cross that appeared to strike Ash Williams on the hand, and a goal line clearance from Kyle Bartley from the follow up.
Kemy Agustien, another apposite ML substitution, fed through to Pablo H, who put an exquisite ball past Christopher Samba, the £12m pound man, and Michu, the contrasting bargain, ran beyond him and caressed an delightful first time flick finish beyond Cesar and in. 4-1, game over.
The game played out with City content to boss posession, and QPR only able to offer a Wright-Phillips effort that hit the bar. Another 3 pts gathered.
Both Managers summed the game up rather well, and can be found here............. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21311593
As ML hinted there, the biggest problem was the loss of Chico to an ankle injury that could well keep him out of the COC Final. Let's hope not, but otherwise, this is a season that keeps on giving.
Onwards, Swansea City.
Thursday, 17 January 2013
Swansea City v Stoke City, PL, Match Preview
It may be wet, it may be cold, but at least it's not Tuesday.
Of late, in the last couple of years particularly, when football pundits consider whether a Continental Import to a Club is likely to do well or not in the Premier League, the yardstick question seems to have become....."Ah, but well, how would he/they get on on a wet Tuesday night at Stoke?".
This Saturday, when Swansea City play our fixture against SCFC (North), at least we get to do so on a weekend, taking out of the equation yet another "Football Cliche" (to go along with Second Season Syndrome) and you never know - Broadcast and Print analysts of the lazy order might have to do some genuine match analysis.
What is certain is that this, just like last year for us and many other Clubs, is a game against these opponents that is never, ever easy. Tony Pulis' marauding band will want to gain an away victory that consolidates their PL pedigree.
We, Swansea City, go into this game in the middle of a run of season-defining fixtures, and our 1-0 defeat at the Emirates in the FA Cup replay really shouldn't dismay us that much, given that it was our first loss in 7 games.
I don't know about you, but for me the way the team is playing keeps me bouncing from week to week, and hand on heart this year is equal to, if not better, than last year for excitement.
Anyway, let's get back to Saturday.
Most of us football fans will have heard the old saw that says ..."Messi wouldn't do it on a cold Tuesday in Stoke - would he??".
I have a suspicion that the answer, of course, is that he he could - undoubtedly - since his talent is that sublime, oh, and btw, he often plays in Northern Spain (in the snow and cold rain), and is equally as good as he is down South.
As far as we're concerned, hey - it's a cold day in January - it must be Stoke City. Here they come, again.
Just like a rash, or a bad cold you last had last winter, the PL's "bad news bears", who nobody likes to play, come down for their annual visit this weekend. Welcome, Stoke City Football Club (SCFC North as is) to the Liberty.
Please don't get me wrong.
Whilst there is still a dated opinion in Football generally that Stoke only play in an antediluvian "long ball" manner, things have changed over the last few years and continue to evolve, to this modern and progressive Club's ultimate benefit.
This is, after all, the Potters 5th year in the division, and they have improved their position year on year , and can nowadays be legitimately considered a "Premier League Club", having both consolidated their year on year position, and, arguably, developed both their style and substance of play by equally evolving the squad whilst maintaining their resilient style.
Coupled with that, this side were good enough to qualify for the Europa League last year, and their decent run in that competition saw them ultimately lose out to a side no less than Valencia - and I think we'd all like to be at that level.
This is our 4th meeting against SCFC North since our return to the top division. Each game has been hugely divisive, with successive 2-0 away defeats interspersed with a cracking 2-0 home victory, and we cognoscenti will lament the absence of Vorm via a virus contributing to our first year away defeat but we can offer no excuses for the mirror 2-0 reverse the second time around. Conversely, in the Home fixture we ripped them apart, with both DG and others exposing the weak heart at the base of their supposedly granite defence.
There seems to be a collective feeling in Football Punditry that Stoke City have got where they are, and remain there too, only because of their limited, one way of playing, ie long ball and bruising. I'm here to offer that it's a little more nuanced than that, and whilst it's stood them in good stead on occasion, the development beyond has been equally as crucial in their continued success.
How far back shall we go ? Well, it seems fair to take in their progress since being promoted to the PL in 2007/08 . In the seasons since then, Stoke have finished progressively higher, which, if it happens to your own Club (as it has to ours), doesn't seem to me to be a bad business model.
In terms of sustained achievement, that is some record.
Of late, in the last couple of years particularly, when football pundits consider whether a Continental Import to a Club is likely to do well or not in the Premier League, the yardstick question seems to have become....."Ah, but well, how would he/they get on on a wet Tuesday night at Stoke?".
This Saturday, when Swansea City play our fixture against SCFC (North), at least we get to do so on a weekend, taking out of the equation yet another "Football Cliche" (to go along with Second Season Syndrome) and you never know - Broadcast and Print analysts of the lazy order might have to do some genuine match analysis.
What is certain is that this, just like last year for us and many other Clubs, is a game against these opponents that is never, ever easy. Tony Pulis' marauding band will want to gain an away victory that consolidates their PL pedigree.
We, Swansea City, go into this game in the middle of a run of season-defining fixtures, and our 1-0 defeat at the Emirates in the FA Cup replay really shouldn't dismay us that much, given that it was our first loss in 7 games.
I don't know about you, but for me the way the team is playing keeps me bouncing from week to week, and hand on heart this year is equal to, if not better, than last year for excitement.
Anyway, let's get back to Saturday.
Most of us football fans will have heard the old saw that says ..."Messi wouldn't do it on a cold Tuesday in Stoke - would he??".
I have a suspicion that the answer, of course, is that he he could - undoubtedly - since his talent is that sublime, oh, and btw, he often plays in Northern Spain (in the snow and cold rain), and is equally as good as he is down South.
As far as we're concerned, hey - it's a cold day in January - it must be Stoke City. Here they come, again.
Just like a rash, or a bad cold you last had last winter, the PL's "bad news bears", who nobody likes to play, come down for their annual visit this weekend. Welcome, Stoke City Football Club (SCFC North as is) to the Liberty.
Please don't get me wrong.
Whilst there is still a dated opinion in Football generally that Stoke only play in an antediluvian "long ball" manner, things have changed over the last few years and continue to evolve, to this modern and progressive Club's ultimate benefit.
This is, after all, the Potters 5th year in the division, and they have improved their position year on year , and can nowadays be legitimately considered a "Premier League Club", having both consolidated their year on year position, and, arguably, developed both their style and substance of play by equally evolving the squad whilst maintaining their resilient style.
Coupled with that, this side were good enough to qualify for the Europa League last year, and their decent run in that competition saw them ultimately lose out to a side no less than Valencia - and I think we'd all like to be at that level.
This is our 4th meeting against SCFC North since our return to the top division. Each game has been hugely divisive, with successive 2-0 away defeats interspersed with a cracking 2-0 home victory, and we cognoscenti will lament the absence of Vorm via a virus contributing to our first year away defeat but we can offer no excuses for the mirror 2-0 reverse the second time around. Conversely, in the Home fixture we ripped them apart, with both DG and others exposing the weak heart at the base of their supposedly granite defence.
There seems to be a collective feeling in Football Punditry that Stoke City have got where they are, and remain there too, only because of their limited, one way of playing, ie long ball and bruising. I'm here to offer that it's a little more nuanced than that, and whilst it's stood them in good stead on occasion, the development beyond has been equally as crucial in their continued success.
How far back shall we go ? Well, it seems fair to take in their progress since being promoted to the PL in 2007/08 . In the seasons since then, Stoke have finished progressively higher, which, if it happens to your own Club (as it has to ours), doesn't seem to me to be a bad business model.
In terms of sustained achievement, that is some record.
From talking to confirmed Stokies on successive Away trips not every fan
is enamored by the evolving style of play, with many lamenting that
they sometimes wish they played a little more attractively (a bit more
"like us" was often offered). Manager Tony Pulis has always had that
massive get-out-of-jail free card of PL achievement and PL status to
keep the natives in check - and why not - in this age of petro-dollar
billionaires, Stoke City's family dynasty Coates model seems a little
closer to us than the Etihad etc..
At the end of the day, the major criticism of Stoke City seems to me and many others to revolve around their style of play. I wouldn't argue that for the first years particularly of their PL tenure, much emphasis was given to their direct methods, persistently and aggressively "putting it in the mixer" on every opportunity, a style complemented by the astounding value of the now departed Rory Delap's bombing long throws, given occasional echo by the current Ryan Shotton (when selected).
Pulis has always seemed to select big and aggressive athletes in his teams, and the current model is not too far away from that blueprint.
For instance, the team selected for this week's cup-replay victory against Crystal Palace was........
29 Sorensen, 02 Cameron, 04 Huth, 17 Shawcross, 28 Wilkinson (Whelan - 37' ), 15 Nzonzi, 18 Whitehead, 21 Kightly (Jerome - 55' ), 26 Etherington, 19 Walters, 25 Crouch (Jones - 63' )
Substitutes
27 Nash, 20 Upson, 06 Whelan, 16 Adam, 09 Jones, 10 Owen, 33 Jerome
The immediately preceding League game, which had seen them lose the last undefeated Home record in all divisions against Chelsea (yes, I know) had seen this line up step up to the plate...........
01 Begovic, 02 Cameron, 04 Huth, 17 Shawcross, 28 Wilkinson, 06 Whelan, 15 Nzonzi, 16 Adam (Whitehead - 79' ), 26 Etherington (Kightly - 86' ), 09 Jones (Jerome - 78' ), 19 Walters
Substitutes
29 Sorensen, 20 Upson, 30 Shotton, 18 Whitehead, 21 Kightly, 25 Crouch, 33 Jerome
Comparison of both lines-up is quite interesting and will tell you several things. Firstly, manager Tony Pulis was loth to make too many changes to his first choice line up, and it suggests he thinks that Stoke can both progress and thrive in the FA Cup, just as they've done in the last few years.
First choice keeper nowadays is Asmir Begovic, the Bosnian having supplanted the Danish International no 1 Thomas Sorensen, and Begovic 's stock is rising still, with rumours of even bigger beasts ( Man Utd and others) sniffing around.
Robert Huth and Ryan Shawcross are the first choice CB's , with the giant German Huth (ex Chelsea) nowadays supportive of club Captain Shawcross recently signed to a 5 year deal, and moving on from his controversial break of Aaron Ramsey's leg some 3 yrs back. Andy Wilkinson is a shaven headed bruiser who can play both left and right FB, and Geoff Cameron, the 6ft 3in RB came from the Houston Dynamo in the States, and the dynamic Yank international can play centrally and as a defensive MF'er.
The MF is anchored by the ebullient Steven N'Zonzi, signed from Blackburn Rovers, and the French U-21 cap has thus far resisted overtures from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to play for their national team, as his background gives him dual qualification.
The other premier MF'ers are Glen Whelan, the ROI international schemer, a sort of lesser paced JdG, and Charlie Adam, the one paced (but skillful) ex Livrpool and Blackpool schemer. Excellent alternate choices come from Dean Whitehead and Michael Kightly, who can both play wide or narrow, and Matthew Etherington, who gives a choice of top class left footed wingplay that Pulis often opts for.
Up front the one constant is Jonathan Walters. Signed from Ipswich, this is your quintessential run-all-day grafter, and the fact that he's started some 79 out of 83/4 games tells you he's the one either Peter Crouch or Kenwyne Jones (and occasionally Cameron Jerome - boo, hiss) get to partner. Crouchie's talents are well known, and I've been interested to see us reportedly bid (low) for Jones of late, although there's no doubt the Trinidadian offers more than just muscle. We'll see.
Further cover within the squad is provided by Carlo Nash, a vastly experienced GK'er, the aforementioned Ryan Shotton (long throw apprentice), Matthew Upson the ex England CB, and the seemingly perpetually broken Michael Owen, who, if he's on a pay-as-you-play deal must be pounds out of pocket - because he just doesn't (play, that is).
At the end of the day, the major criticism of Stoke City seems to me and many others to revolve around their style of play. I wouldn't argue that for the first years particularly of their PL tenure, much emphasis was given to their direct methods, persistently and aggressively "putting it in the mixer" on every opportunity, a style complemented by the astounding value of the now departed Rory Delap's bombing long throws, given occasional echo by the current Ryan Shotton (when selected).
Pulis has always seemed to select big and aggressive athletes in his teams, and the current model is not too far away from that blueprint.
For instance, the team selected for this week's cup-replay victory against Crystal Palace was........
29 Sorensen, 02 Cameron, 04 Huth, 17 Shawcross, 28 Wilkinson (Whelan - 37' ), 15 Nzonzi, 18 Whitehead, 21 Kightly (Jerome - 55' ), 26 Etherington, 19 Walters, 25 Crouch (Jones - 63' )
Substitutes
27 Nash, 20 Upson, 06 Whelan, 16 Adam, 09 Jones, 10 Owen, 33 Jerome
The immediately preceding League game, which had seen them lose the last undefeated Home record in all divisions against Chelsea (yes, I know) had seen this line up step up to the plate...........
01 Begovic, 02 Cameron, 04 Huth, 17 Shawcross, 28 Wilkinson, 06 Whelan, 15 Nzonzi, 16 Adam (Whitehead - 79' ), 26 Etherington (Kightly - 86' ), 09 Jones (Jerome - 78' ), 19 Walters
Substitutes
29 Sorensen, 20 Upson, 30 Shotton, 18 Whitehead, 21 Kightly, 25 Crouch, 33 Jerome
Comparison of both lines-up is quite interesting and will tell you several things. Firstly, manager Tony Pulis was loth to make too many changes to his first choice line up, and it suggests he thinks that Stoke can both progress and thrive in the FA Cup, just as they've done in the last few years.
First choice keeper nowadays is Asmir Begovic, the Bosnian having supplanted the Danish International no 1 Thomas Sorensen, and Begovic 's stock is rising still, with rumours of even bigger beasts ( Man Utd and others) sniffing around.
Robert Huth and Ryan Shawcross are the first choice CB's , with the giant German Huth (ex Chelsea) nowadays supportive of club Captain Shawcross recently signed to a 5 year deal, and moving on from his controversial break of Aaron Ramsey's leg some 3 yrs back. Andy Wilkinson is a shaven headed bruiser who can play both left and right FB, and Geoff Cameron, the 6ft 3in RB came from the Houston Dynamo in the States, and the dynamic Yank international can play centrally and as a defensive MF'er.
The MF is anchored by the ebullient Steven N'Zonzi, signed from Blackburn Rovers, and the French U-21 cap has thus far resisted overtures from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to play for their national team, as his background gives him dual qualification.
The other premier MF'ers are Glen Whelan, the ROI international schemer, a sort of lesser paced JdG, and Charlie Adam, the one paced (but skillful) ex Livrpool and Blackpool schemer. Excellent alternate choices come from Dean Whitehead and Michael Kightly, who can both play wide or narrow, and Matthew Etherington, who gives a choice of top class left footed wingplay that Pulis often opts for.
Up front the one constant is Jonathan Walters. Signed from Ipswich, this is your quintessential run-all-day grafter, and the fact that he's started some 79 out of 83/4 games tells you he's the one either Peter Crouch or Kenwyne Jones (and occasionally Cameron Jerome - boo, hiss) get to partner. Crouchie's talents are well known, and I've been interested to see us reportedly bid (low) for Jones of late, although there's no doubt the Trinidadian offers more than just muscle. We'll see.
Further cover within the squad is provided by Carlo Nash, a vastly experienced GK'er, the aforementioned Ryan Shotton (long throw apprentice), Matthew Upson the ex England CB, and the seemingly perpetually broken Michael Owen, who, if he's on a pay-as-you-play deal must be pounds out of pocket - because he just doesn't (play, that is).
Pulis
has moulded, over the years, this, and other, collections of seemingly
disparate individuals into a series of effective and successful teams,
retaining, as I've said, their PL status for the last 5 years. Kudos to
him.
Stoke City's fans are a passionate bunch, who make their Home, The Britannia Stadium, an intimidating and fearsome arena, but, as hinted before , I've travelled up the last 2 years and have been made very welcome, with a lot of serious football chat with a great number of their supporters. Just like us, unsurprisingly, they are real football people.
Welcome to the Liberty you Stokies!
As for our lot, what can I say apart from "bloody well done, please keep it up!" ML's squad rotation over this busy period has been excellent, and the team on the pitch has given us some fabulous experiences.
When you consider that our next fixture is the 2nd Leg COC semi final where we're 2-0 up from the first leg I really can't ask for much more than a steady-as-she-goes.
Doncha' just love being a Jack??
Onward, Swansea City.
Stoke City's fans are a passionate bunch, who make their Home, The Britannia Stadium, an intimidating and fearsome arena, but, as hinted before , I've travelled up the last 2 years and have been made very welcome, with a lot of serious football chat with a great number of their supporters. Just like us, unsurprisingly, they are real football people.
Welcome to the Liberty you Stokies!
As for our lot, what can I say apart from "bloody well done, please keep it up!" ML's squad rotation over this busy period has been excellent, and the team on the pitch has given us some fabulous experiences.
When you consider that our next fixture is the 2nd Leg COC semi final where we're 2-0 up from the first leg I really can't ask for much more than a steady-as-she-goes.
Doncha' just love being a Jack??
Onward, Swansea City.
Friday, 11 January 2013
Back up and running..........
Given Swansea City's recent performances, I've been writing but not publishing - all with the view that I could get back up to speed to match the Team's performances!To that end, we go to Everton in the PL this Saturday, and the Emirates for the Cup Replay on Wednesday next, so the plan is to give both those matches the breathing space they deserve without my clumsy clogs, but on Thrsday next week to offer a Preview of our Home game against Stoke City, and, thereby, to hook into my old routine of Match Preview and match Report on an ongoing basis.
Hope this suits, and thanks for your patience,
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)