The average position map shows just how far forward Sigurdsson was stationed in away games under Brendan Rodgers in 2011/12; the freedom afforded by a greater team width allowed him the space to create, whereas Michu, on average, received the ball in deeper positions, with the wide men coming inside to link up. In terms of passes received, however, the two are almost identical – Swansea players picked out Sigurdsson once every 2.4 minutes to Michu’s 2.5, though the Icelandic international received more than double the number of passes in the final third – 10.9 to 5.0. Digging deeper into the distribution data, the two players were very similar in the number of passes made – Sigurdsson just edging it by 39.1 to 37 but Michu was the more accurate in possession, with a 89.2% to 82.4% accuracy. With set-pieces in the bag, though, Sigurdsson created 2.9 chances per away game for Swansea, superior to Michu’s 2 and he also played more passes in the danger area, by 8 to 3. The Sigurdsson – Michu comparison for crosses looks significant; the former produced 8.3 (including 4.4 corners) per away game, whereas Michu failed to deliver a single ball from a wide position – an indication he is likely to see the ball in more central positions. Analysing the Sigurdsson v Michu goal attempts, it’s intriguing to see that while the former averaged 4.8 shots per away game for Swansea, only 1.6 came inside the penalty area – this equates to 33%. Three of Michu’s four goal attempts at the weekend (or 75%) were inside the box. Check any stats graph and it will illustrate this perfectly, showing just how many of Sigurdsson’s attempts were considerably further away from goal – indeed, he managed a total of 14 shots inside the box away from home. Sigurdsson is clearly the creator around the box while Michu was the goal-getter rather than a creator, and this will be essential to getting back to the Martinez/Rodgers style of play which uses our wide players more effectively, I found the narrow game of Laudrup to predictable and teams defended easily against it, he tried in his early days to get us to penetrate better in the final third by bringing our wingers inside more or narrow, and while it worked for a short while teams soon worked it out and found it easy to defend against. Of course Monk may use both approachs to our final third, but I hope he reverts back to using the full width of the pitch with our wing play stretching teams better and creating the channels more effectively. In terms of shape, Jonathan De Guzman slotting in alongside Leon Britton as Joe Allen’s replacement was playing far closer to Michu in the middle than Allen was to Sigurdsson the last season under Rodgers. Indeed, the two wide men, De Guzman, Michu and Danny Graham are all far closer in proximity to one another when in possession compared to the equivalent players last term under Rodgers, but one thing you can be sure of, is that Monk will know both setups, he will hopefully see which one will suit us going forward this season, but Sigurdsson strength is his creativity in supply to our wingers and Strikers, and my preference is to see us go back to using the full width of the pitch, I feel that Laudrups instructions to use our wingers such as Dyer to cut inside more was over played, and we look more balanced and effective in using the both flanks with the maximium width of the pitch. It will be interesting to see how Monk does indeed proceed this season, but Sigurdsson is without doubt key to our game this season, he will be the creator of goals, not the Michu goal-getter, but I'm sure he will score his fair share.
Couldn't agree more with the article. Michu is a goalscorer, so putting him in attacking midfield is essentially like playing 442 or 4411. His greater pass accuracy is due to the fact that Michu only ever played simple, short passes. Ever remember Michu spraying out a long ball? The fact that Michu never put in a cross and finds himself in the box much more shows that Michu was playing as a forward, not a midfielder. Gylfi gets the ball more in the final third and is a creator. He's going to allow our wingers to get wider and exploit teams by incisively finding their runs in behind. We'll be playing more like we were under Rodgers with Gylfi, and I'm sure that Monk will look to replicate Laudrup's once successful more narrow approach when things need changing.
Bit of a strange comparison really, as has been pointed out they play different kinds of roles and it's fair to say that Gylfi won't score as many as Michu but will create much more. In a straight comparison I believe that a fully firing Michu is the better player but imo Siggy is a much better player than the head-in-the-shed version of Michu we got last season.
Given the strengthening of our front line (Is this the strongest we have ever had?), I think a Michu type player in the midfield is a luxury anyway, it makes more sense to have a play making and creator of goals like Siggy feeding Bony and Gomis, not to mention Emnes and our wing players!...............
I doubt it Spurs, though he did score some great goals for us in his first season, but that goal of Siggy's there is top draw and why we wanted him back, I'm sure he will develop well with the extra game time he will get with us now!............. What a turn and execution there by Siggy, world class in my view!............
Me too, lets keep it to ourselves and leave the party poopers drown in their negativity!.........................
Who knows, but his 2nd against QPR was better than that above IMO The skill and technique was far superior, so I ask you this, can Siggy do this I mean peopel say he played up front, he had scored 9 before even being tried up front most strikers would be more than pleased with that many goals [video=youtube;33BOL_PEiic]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33BOL_PEiic[/video]
Dunno, if I had my way he would still be here to see if he could, yes he has gone, yes he hasn't said goodbye, but the way some go on about it, is just idiotic IMO. The guy was a swans player, something seriously has got to him behind the scenes, whether it personal, or with something at the club, heck maybe even fans heckling him who knows, maybe there is a reason he didn't say goodbye, only he knows. But those who have had a go at him, and gone on about how he was **** last season after injury, so using that to justify getting rid, are IMO saying it because, if they are anything like me, deep down, it hurts that he has gone. He was a great player for us, hit by injury, I mean some cant understand how he could possibly have been well enough to pass a medical weeks after our last game of the season where he was still struggling, I mean weeks after lol, he was not going to be out for months, yes his heart wasn't in it, but Michu is a passionate bloke, who wore his heart on his sleeve, it is what made him the player he was, its what made us love him, then because it has its draw backs, some treat him like he is the enemy.
Michu will be a born again footballer now that he has a fresh start . A very loyal footballler in general that didnt want to be with us anymore period , very bothersome imo . Players know the scoop on how a team is feeling in general , and im not feelin the love from this team for those in charge
Interesting take there on Michu, but we'll never know what made him turn so bitter swanselona, but he clearly doesn't want to put on the Swansea shirt again, that much is clear, and in my books that is bad, we gave him the break at this level, and while he had some bad luck with injury, I'm of the opinion that his absence last season was not all down to his injury, and it is clearly confirmed by his want away attitude this season, so if that's the way he wants to treat the fans then so be it, but I won't lose any sleep over a player with such petulance, he really needs to grow up!...............
We got Michu for next to nothing and he led us to our best season ever and you thing we gave h7m his big break ... shake your head Phil and tell us if you hear anything man ....
Yes roof, we did give him is break. How many people had heard of Michu before he came to us. Because of the platform we gave him, he was a star last year.
