Swansea pre match chat

[Cjay]

I hate international breaks mid season "yawn"

Eventually when proper football resumes we have a rare 3pm kickoff

Swansea, 29th March

Unbeaten in those incidentally, won 8 drawn 2 so good omens.

As for the reverse fixture (was a 3pm kickoff) it was a close on, a late Willy Gnonto goal saw us come out 4-3 winners.

But a unique game in quite a few ways.

Either by design or just how it panned out we switched to a more counter attacking style.

Less possession, more direct, long balls etc. Could have been tactical (and would make sense as will soon explain) or could be DF and his naturally more cautious away approach.

Whichever.

Regarding Swansea.

Not in great shape

16th on 44 points.

Not immediately relegation threatened but its only 6 points to Derby in 22nd.

And Swansea are in bad bad form, 3 wins in last 12 puts them bottom of the Championship form table.

Get a bit more promising with 2 wins from 6 and 7 points (15th in form table).

Not great away from home either

2nd from bottom again last 8 with 4 points from 8 games.

But again bit more promising last 4 with 4 points from 4.

In terms of eye catching results, they haven't really troubled the top 4, lost them all.

Middlesbrough, Blackburn and Bristol City the standout wins and actually its in those 3 games they themselves stepped away from the heavy possession style the manager likes and went for a more counter approach so could be something in that maybe?


Playing style wise it's standard stuff really now.

4-2-3-1 that can become all manner of different formations depending on situation.

4-3-3, 4-4-2, 3-4-3 and so on.

Primarily a very possession based side with a lot of focus on keeping the ball and stretching the opponent and making the pitch as wide as possible.

Top 3 for possession in the league and short passes completed.

Where they do differ from many possession sides is they aren't overly reliant on one passing philosophy, short, long, rarely crossing for fear of losing the ball etc.

They mix it up, they rank very high for long passes and top 2 for crosses in the league.

It's not that unusual actually for possession sides to rank high for long passes, we don't because DF doesnt want to presumably but many of the big sides in Europe do (Liverpool and Man City were top 4 in the Prem last season) Bayern, Barcelona they all have before as well in their respective leagues.

It's pretty normal but something maybe people would be surprised by, anyway I digress.

Despite all the possession goals have been an issue for Swansea.

38 goals which is the 3rd least in the league.

Also bottom 7 for shots and shots on target per game and rank very low for touches in the opposition box.

Basically good at getting to the right areas but not at quite putting the finishing touches.

In fairness though that perhaps doesn't tell the full picture (can hear Swannie booing) but they are the 2nd biggest xG under performers in the league.

They should have scored significantly more than they have and if they had would be comfortably mid table in the goals stats.


They can be vulnerable in transition though Swansea

Hence why it's interesting that in recent weeks the decent results have come exclusively when Swansea have less possession than the opposition.

They clearly can defend out of possession as 0 goals conceded in those 3 wins showed, and they scored 5 goals.

So is a case to be made for the manager Luke Williams to be more willing to sacrifice "his way" and just use a system that works for the rest of the season?

Swansea are a progressive team passing wise, they don't just keep the ball for the sake of it.

They are willing to go long.

So maybe counter attacking is the way forward?

In terms of key players

Attacker Liam Cullen has 10 goals and 2 assists, a hard working tenacious player used either as the main striker or just off.

Winger Ronald Pereira is kind of like a really low grade Raphinha (not a bad player I jest) but he's a tricky player, lost of Samba skill and tricks but really tenacious, ranks high for tackles and such. 6 goals this season but only 1 assist.

So an interesting opponent whose best bet may be if the manager is willing to be flexible in his principles because when he has been it's worked very well.

But one who ultimately haven't really troubled the top 4 when playing them and who we should expect a win against.

In terms of ourselves then the international break is the great unknown.

Who comes back fit?
Who doesn't?
Who comes back knackered?

I think most people would agree Willy Gnonto earned a shot in the 10 role with his cameo? But the comments from DF after suggested he would stick with his mate Aaronson.

His dip in form has come recently, is it time for a rest for Dan James?

And also his right sided mate Bogle? His form has dipped as well.

Will we see a return for Gruev?

[oogleman]

2 swansea fans in pub - " hi mate - who we got next week?" matey says "leeds away"

Whats welsh for awwww f**k?

[The Subhuman]

Meslier
Bogle
Firpo
Gruev
Rodon
Struijk
James
Tanaka
Piroe
Gnonto
Solomon

[mentalcase]

You'd start gruev , boring boring gruev over rothwell, at home, against a struggling swansea, you do hate rothwell.

[The Subhuman]

You'd start gruev , boring boring gruev over rothwell, at home, against a struggling swansea, you do hate rothwell.

Gruev can play the DMF which is where I have him. Rothwell is our #3 central mid IMO, can't play the DMF in this system. Tanaka is the player I have playing for Rothwell not Gruev.

[mentalcase]

Gruev can play the DMF which is where I have him. Rothwell is our #3 central mid IMO, can't play the DMF in this system. Tanaka is the player I have playing for Rothwell not Gruev.

fair enough, I have gruev and tanaka both as DMFs, Gruev struggles to beat the first man from set pieces, nor is he as quick as rothwell, I wouldn't start gruev again, we ought to be taking games, all games to the opposition for the rest of this season, bring gruev on when we need more cover at the back.
All about opinions though.

[The Subhuman]

fair enough, I have gruev and tanaka both as DMFs, Gruev struggles to beat the first man from set pieces, nor is he as quick as rothwell, I wouldn't start gruev again, we ought to be taking games, all games to the opposition for the rest of this season, bring gruev on when we need more cover at the back.
All about opinions though.

Tanaka can't drop into a back three, or at least yet. We bought him as an 8 imo, play with full backs and he probably can play the Phillips/Ampadu role but he's more Klich atm

[The Subhuman]

fair enough, I have gruev and tanaka both as DMFs, Gruev struggles to beat the first man from set pieces, nor is he as quick as rothwell, I wouldn't start gruev again, we ought to be taking games, all games to the opposition for the rest of this season, bring gruev on when we need more cover at the back.
All about opinions though.

Gruev takes a better FK though. Rothwell's have been rank this season. Personally I think Solomon is the best corner taker at the club and Firpo would also be good if given a chance.

[Pullhard]

Tanaka, Firpo and to a lesser extent Solomon will have big travel miles on the clock.

Its the time difference/jet lag impact really rather than the miles.

Wonder if DF will factor this into his thinking.

[mentalcase]

Gruev takes a better FK though. Rothwell's have been rank this season. Personally I think Solomon is the best corner taker at the club and Firpo would also be good if given a chance.

Quite probable, One snag, who heads them in if he takes them, much more dangerous in the box.

[1964white]

Gruev takes a better FK though. Rothwell's have been rank this season. Personally I think Solomon is the best corner taker at the club and Firpo would also be good if given a chance.

We have been more productive from set-pieces with Rothwell in our team this season.

Firpo's crosses are often blocked, makes no sense Junior taking corner kicks/set pieces as he is currently our best header offensively in 2025.

[The Subhuman]

We have been more productive from set-pieces with Rothwell in our team this season.

Firpo's crosses are often blocked, makes no sense Junior taking corner kicks/set pieces as he is currently our best header offensively in 2025.

We really haven't and crosses ain't set peices... That distinction needs to be made

Amd Struijk is our best headerer in the opposition's box

[1964white]

We really haven't and crosses ain't set peices... That distinction needs to be made

Amd Struijk is our best headerer in the opposition's box

Pascal - 2 penalties. 1 shot from a Rothwell corner, 2 headers vs Sunderland

Junior - 1 shot & 2 headers vs Sheff Utd & WBA.

[The Subhuman]

Pascal - 2 penalties. 1 shot from a Rothwell corner, 2 headers vs Sunderland

Junior - 1 shot & 2 headers vs Sheff Utd & WBA.

Meh stats .. you really don't want to live and die by starts or Rothwell looks really poor. Zero goals and 4 assists (only one from open plasy) despite being getting modst of the deadball chances is shockingly poor

[1964white]

Meh stats .. you really don't want to live and die by starts or Rothwell looks really poor. Zero goals and 4 assists (only one from open plasy) despite being getting modst of the deadball chances is shockingly poor

Just saying Firpo is as good as Pascal offensively (our best two by a country mile).

[mentalcase]

I'm sure we will go for it from the off, they will no doubt defend from the off and try take the sting out of us, I fully expect us to win and win well, time to finish what we started and win the league.

[1964white]

I'm sure we will go for it from the off, they will no doubt defend from the off and try take the sting out of us, I fully expect us to win and win well, time to finish what we started and win the league.

Get promotion done & dusted as soon as possible.

[mentalcase]

Get promotion done & dusted as soon as possible.

I'd love us to wrap it up at home to Stoke

[1964white]

I'd love us to wrap it up at home to Stoke

A distinct possibility, as long as we don't c**k-up beforehand.

Burnley at home to the Blunts on Easter Monday too.

[mentalcase]

A distinct possibility, as long as we don't c**k-up beforehand.

Burnley at home to the Blunts on Easter Monday too.

Last year this Int break had terrible repercussions for us, I'm hoping this time we actually come back refreshed (somehow) and just kick on.
The players will certainly have a much better concept this time around.