Oh don't get me wrong, I 95% agree with you. If not 99%. But how about I paint a picture of a possible 1/5%: - Emi gets a straight red card next match, we lose being a man down - Emi out for three matches, so we miss his creativity - Cantwell's niggling injury flares up again so we double up on missing creativity - a handful of draws as a result - then Pukki gets injured - and before we know it we are into our final five games which are a bit tougher, with barely a point or twos lead Now I don't think that is impossible to imagine. There's enough in there that's plausible. I think it's highly unlikely, I think we are very nearly safe, and I am very glad to hear rumours that our club is already planning its Summer transfer activity - but you'll forgive me if I think that it's safer not to be too confident until we are 99.99% there....!
That said, losing at home or away to other promotion chasers does cause me to have a sinking feeling, but about next season, not this. I keep hearing that we are so much better prepared for the EPL this time round than last. IMO Bournemouth and Watford are the two clubs capable of providing a genuine test. We lost to Bournemouth right at the start of the season, so that result can be discounted. Mid-season defeat at a struggling Watford (and the manner of it) was more meaningful. The home games should provide a good test -- as long as we aren't on the beach by then
I'll wait to get harangued for this haha, However assuming we get to the prem it is the performances against teams such as Bournemouth, Watford that equate to the sorts of games against the weaker teams in the premiership that we need to win if we stand a chance of staying up. We have a chance to play both again before the end of the season and I hope we do better than the first games we played against them this year.
I can understand that, but in our 18-19 promotion season our record against our fellow promotion candidates: - Sheffield - lost 2-1 away right near the beginning of the season before things clicked, drew 2-2 away - Aston Villa - did the double over them So our record - 7 points from four matches - was pretty good against them... and it didn't help us the following season!
Watford and Bournemouth will be indicators to an extent, but we lost 1-0 at Bournemouth having been the better team. A comparison of this season's results with two years ago is a better indicator IMO. We've been far better defensively and shown much better game management skills. All of those goals scored in 2018-19 all but disappeared once we were in the PL while our defence struggled. The lack of experience then is gone now with the addition of Gibson and Giannoulis as well as the revival of Hanley. That will make a big difference as will the number of our players who have PL experience. It won't be easy, but we will be better prepared even before we add any new players this summer. If we can retain Skipp on loan that will be great, but if not we need a quality replacement.
Which, in my humble opinion, Sorensen has to be given a run in the DM position before the end of season. We see his performance only partially, as tv coverage does not give the overall view of a players contribution. We, or at least, most of us, believe we have a potential gem in the making from his performance as a makeshift LB. But to be a productive and effective part of the team in the PL? I hope he is the answer, but needs to be assessed in that position in the last few games this season. It is no good waiting for pre-season and putting him in against Lowestoft and Billericay to assess his capabilities.
Agree with ^^ this. Maybe drop / redeploy McLean (no 10?) so Sorrers can play a few games alongside at first, then maybe instead of Skipp.
POTS is going to be a hard fought affair this year. Emi, Pukki, Hanley, Oliver Skipp ......... When was the last time a loanee won it? Was it Leroy Lita back in the dark days?
We don't know what we'd be like without Hanley as he's played almost every game this season, as has Skipp. We do know that post Covid lockdown last season we fell apart without him, even though Buendia was playing.
Tight call, I know, but I'd go (still several games left of course) for Skipp, who has doubtless made Hanley and Gibson's jobs that much easier this season.
Regarding the last few posts, fair enough. Some seasons you scrub around trying to find a reason why anyone should get it; this season there are many genuine contenders. EDIT: All of whom deserve it.
Hanley has been our most consistent player, closely followed by Gibson once he got into the team. Emi has had a terrific season, but slightly blighted by two spendings off. Pukki's 20 goals so far and tireless running mean he'll be up there as well. Like Hanley, Skipp has been consistent certainly, but has not contributed many goals or assists, though the one he did score was admirable for sure. McLean has also moved to a higher level and Krul just gets better and better. No, it isn't going to be an easy choice.
Sørensen certainly deserves a chance to show what he can do and get experience at a new position for him (from CM to DM). He has the skills to play there, but he needs more than the occasional cameo appearance to make the transition.
Anybody else wondering how Swans managed to ‘create’ 4 penalties in successive matches? What are the odds of this event happening? Are there any precedences in this or any other seasons in any U.K. league?