AND YES, IT'S SWANSEA CITY, FACT! please log in to view this image Official end of season statistics show that no side on these shores - not even Arsene Wenger’s side - comes close to controlling the ball like Rodgers’ Swans. Their passing figures are bettered only by a Barca side deemed to be one of the greatest in the history of the game. No wonder some have begun to dub the Liberty outfit ‘Swanselona’ as they look to cap a dream season with promotion at Wembley when they meet Reading in five days’ time. Over the 46-game regular season, Swansea could boast an incredible average of 526 passes per match - more than 100 clear of their nearest Championship rivals. Yet Swansea, in the more rough and tumble surroundings of the second-tier equalled the Gunners’ 61% possession figures for the campaign - and made it through the regular season without one opponent enjoying the ball more than them in any single match. Swansea’s achievements are some feat in a division where people claim you can’t play your way to success and need a more direct approach “It takes courage, it takes trust,” said Rodgers of Swansea’s unique way of doing things on the pitch. “It is much more difficult to coach a team to play the way we do rather than just kick balls up the pitch. “So you have to trust them, trust them that they will show patience and come out when it’s not on. The average pass completion rate for Swansea in the Championship is 83% compared to the general average of 71%, and 76% for the Premiership. One of the trademarks of Swansea’s play is that every individual is comfortable in receiving and distributing the ball, including goalkeeper Dorus de Vries. Defenders like Ashley Williams regularly rack up more than 100 passes per game with some pass-completion rates reaching 95%. But you cannot argue with the facts that Swansea have been bold enough to stick with what they - and Barca - regard as the winning formula - whatever the occasion. In those nerve-wracking opening legs of the semi-finals, Swansea still managed a combined passing accuracy of 80% with Nottingham Forest. They outplayed Forest at the City Ground despite being down to 10 men. In contrast, Reading and Cardiff’s average for passing accuracy was 61%. Still, these numbers are not completely new to those who have watched Swansea develop since Roberto Martinez first helped introduce a continental playing approach to South Wales. Yet where as Martinez’s men were accused of having a soft-underbelly and Paulo Sousa’s side undone by a lack of goal scoring ambition, Rodgers’ claim to being his own man is backed up by two interesting stats in those departments. Those who have been quick to point to Arsenal’s fall-away from the title race highlight their struggle at set-peices, Premier League stats showing they conceded the highest proportion of the goals from set-piece situations this season. But Swansea - with 22 clean sheets - cannot be tarred with that brush, finishing in the top-half of the table when it comes to defending set plays. And at the other end of the pitch, the penetration Rodgers has been determined to ensure accompanies possession has come with only four teams enjoying more shots on target this term. It certainly looks good for Swansea heading into a match that will be dominated by the ã90m figure placed upon it. One thing is certain, the Swans are guaranteed to thrill a watching nation with the manner in which they play. - Chris Wathan / icWalesOnline Full Article Link: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footba...a-and-arsenal-as-pass-masters-91466-28755365/
Living the dream guys!................... please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
I totally agree with this article,you guys play some amazing football in the championship,I must say that swansea is the best passing side that I have ever seen in the championship/2nd division.It's great to see british teams play "total football" or "Tiki-Taka",the same goes for Southampton we want to play total football aswell,or as I chairman say "we want to play a unique way,the Southampton way".AB20
Best passing team in the Championship, so what? I don't hear any of our fans boasting about scoring the most goals in the Championship or QPR boasting about conceding the fewest. Clutching straws if you ask me.
Good to see you boys back on the up too Adam, hope you have a great season back, if we go up great, but if we don't, still great as I love the Championship!.................. please log in to view this image
Marsupial, try and grow up son, this article is based on independent stats collected for the football league, you are no where to be found regarding these facts, so grow up, this is an aknowledgement due the the club and players of Swansea City, and since you clearly don't like it , you can jog on muppet!........
How does making the most passes make you the best passers? All it means is that you pass over very short distances, generally in conservative areas. I'd say the best passers are the ones that create the most goals and chances with their forward, attack-minded passing; teams like Leeds and Norwich.
The answer to that is simple Lioner! Swansea 3 Leeds 0 Swansea 3 Norwich 0 Don't make me laugh!................................... please log in to view this image
Norwich 2-0 Swansea Leeds 2-1 Swansea Now let's argue my point instead of bringing up irrelevant results, shall we?
There is no point to argue, you've made no point, and the facts are facts live with them son!................ please log in to view this image
DM - I guess you do not read the QPR boards often enough, they love to bang on about.......... 1 - How Paddy Kenny has kept 25 clean sheets this season. 2 - How Tarrabt was voted player of the season. 3 - Doing the double over more teams than anyone else in the Championship. You state any statistic about the Norwich performance last season and they are likely to reply with 1 or more from the above Back on track....................I personally think Swans fans can and should be proud that their team has been the 'best footballing team' and probably the most pleasing on the eye in the league (all 4 of them). I would be if it was City I can assure you.
Here's a fact: you think quantity means more than quality in terms of passing, and that's complete rubbish.
Quantity equals options , you think to many passes means none of them are quality . Enjoy your Monday Loiner , I know we will !!
Totally agree with you loiner - Phillis is a master of one-eyed propaganda - he only sees what he wants - we know him affectionately as Cyclops....... He fails to point out that a huge number of those passes are between the back four and keeper playing keep-ball. Statistics mean nothing. In fact, Ashley Williams made a super back pass to De Vries when they played at Derby - only problem was he forgot to let him know it was on its' way.........GOAL!!!.......
Not at all, it just means that less of them were quality than the teams who scored more than you like Norwich and Leeds. Plus what Oldsparkey says below about the tedious tip-taps among your defense and De Vries.
We had the 2nd best plus minus in the League this season , only behind QPR . Our crisp , network passing won us League 1 , to get to the Championship League followed by 2 seasons of almost playoffs & into the Wembley showdown our third season up on a shoestring budget . Maybe we should fix our style of play I guess Lol !!
