Match Day Thread Hull City v. Swansea City

PC has rebuilt us and we're unrecognisable since BC (before Clement - Bradleys Catastrophe)

Premier League table since Clement joined us

1 Tottenham 17pts
2 Chelsea 17pts
3 The Mighty Swans 15pts
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13 Palace 9pts
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16 Hull 8pts
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18 Sunderland 4pts
19 Boro 3pts
20 Bournemouth 3pts
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/.../remarkable-table-shows-swansea-city-12702418

We're outperforming all those around us in a big way so we have to be thinking win on Saturday. I'll take a draw but if we do I'll be pissed off. If we lose it'll be down to another dodgy decision going against us, I just don't see us losing any other way, putting it differently, I can't see Hull heating us with their Bradleyesque defence and lumpy midfield.

 

I have to say a win for us would be massive as not only is it the 3 points, with so few PL games on the weekend it will put pressure on those teams with games in hand. Whilst I would love a win the draw wouldn't be the end of the world, with Hull failing with a home game to close in on us.

 

The sad thing is...Football is so unpredictable and a bad call here and a bad mistake there can change the game significantly. Hull will target us for 3 points but with our improved form we will also target Hull for 3 points so it should be an attacking game with the winner being the one who makes the fewest errors and a Ref and officials on top of their game. Both teams need the points and Both teams can beat each other as we have seen numerous times. If I was to bet then the most likely outcome is a draw with very little value so it's not worth doing and imo us with the better players and them with home advantage then it's a hard game to call.....I'm hoping for a win....

 

Huge 6 pointer. A win would be a huge result but a draw won't be a disaster.

Win this and it pulls us further away from the relegation zone. Lose, and it claws Hull closer to us. For me, a must win game therefore.

Play like we have and we'll win 2-0.

 

Bar limited mistakes and bad calls from the ref then I think we have the edge, An early goal will settle the players I reckon but we cant be complacent...I'm looking forward to this which imo is the hardest game out of the 4 this month...

 

I'm sure after the Burnley game, Hull will be paying particular attention to Llorente, but that also means there may be more room for others.
I see no reason why we can't continue our amazing form and get the win.

 

That's why we must start Narsingh as they'll be so occupied with Llorente and his pace, it will free up Gylfi and Carroll to cut through them.

Saying that, if Carroll, Olsson or Gylfi get the right cross into the box, there's not a CB in the league that will stop Llorente scoring with his head atm.

 

That's what makes it so exciting, not sad

 

Naughton's out, hope Rangel can play a full game?

 

I am sure every team we have played recently has tried to pay particular attention to LLorente, I am positive Burnley would have been working on nullifying him and the way we get balls into him. They failed as have others before them.

 

What up with Naughton . Actually , Fer played a bit of rightback in Holland .

 

Roof, I know you love Fer but lets hope he isn't playing RB when we have one fit in Rangel. Anyway I thought you wanted to keep him in midfield. Lets hope Fabianski doesn't get injured, cause I am sure Fer must have gone in goals once in training.

 

Slight hamstring strain Roof, not serious but enough to keep him out against Hull.

I'd rather leave Fer where he is, maybe Amat can cover Rangel or visa versa

 

I wish we would have brought in a rightback in January .. more than any position . I don't want Fer to play rightback , only that he has in the past . Frankly , I'd like to see Fer sit one game , so Narsingh can play the left wing with Routledge ( might take a hit on this wish but Rangel and Routs always play well together )on the right with Siggy back to the middle just to see how we fare .

 

We needed a new left back desperately & what a difference Olsson has made, a right back was not quite so urgent but it would have been advisable with Naughton & an ageing Rangel as our only options. Will be interesting to see what solution Clement comes up with on Saturday, Rangel won't let us down but might struggle to last the pace.

 

Your absolutely right of course . Left was the most important spot to fill , I was making my post on the thought we already fixed our leftback problem with Olsson

 

I'm a little concerned about Naughtons injury. It may be slight but once you get a hammy it lingers and has a tendency to return.

Its highlights how light our squad is

Defence
With Naughton out we have Olsson, covered by Kingsley, then who?
Mawson and Fernandez covered by VDH and Amat
Rangel, covered by who? Amat?

Midfield
Siggy covered by who?
Carroll and Fer, covered by Britton, Fulton and Ki, then who?
Routledge covered by Narsingh covered by Routledge both covered by Ayew and Monterro on the left

Attack
Llorente covered by Ayew, hardly, Borja, who knows???

Our squad doesn't run deep does it

 

I think we may have a bit of a rebuild going on in the summer. With a few on their way and a few coming in, by then PC will know who he feels is good enough and know who isn't. It's difficult with Naughton as there isn't a great deal of opposition for that starting position, with as you say just an ageing Rangel. So it is hard to judge what PC thinks of him as he has no choice but to play him.

You are spot on and Rangel wont let us down, but wouldn't like to think we are going to have to use him for a long time and hope Naughtons injury clears up quickly.

 

I'm thinking this is a perfect scenario to play our next 2 games away . Our last 3 games away seen us play pretty well against Chelsea , Man City and Liverpool with a victory against Liverpool . Confidence will be high for games against Hull ( 2 wins in their last 10 games and Bournemouth ( 1 win in their last 10 games) . Hull will be a bit tougher as their home record the last little bit is pretty good . A win against Hull though, away, will see the team really looking up the table and not behind them . Key game if we are looking for a " Best of the Rest " spot in the table .

 

Isn't Tyler Reid doing well for the U21s atm? Not sure if he's ready for the step up but has looked good in the highlights I've seen?