Swans v Palace

Its the BBC sport posting but it gets us going. I have removed the Lawro bit - it annoys me too much and why is there always the perception that its wet in Wales!
Let's wipe Warnock's grin off his face I am going for 2-0

TEAM NEWS

Swansea central defender Federico Fernandez remains unavailable because of a calf injury.
He is the Welsh club's only absentee, with Wayne Routledge back in training following a groin problem.
Crystal Palace are without defenders Damien Delaney and Adrian Mariappa, who have calf and knee injuries respectively.
Wilfried Zaha, James McArthur and Frazier Campbell are all pushing for recalls.

MATCH PREVIEW

Inevitable, perhaps, but still a tad irritating for Palace is that much of this week's column inches have pondered why Liverpool lost at Selhurst Park last Sunday rather than how the Eagles beat them.
The demise of Brendan Rodgers' men from title contenders to also-rans fascinates much more than the reasons behind Palace's return to winning ways.

Managers often talk about performance quality being as important as results. The ideal is to get both of course so it's small wonder that Neil Warnock couldn't shake off a broad grin in his post-match interviews.
After five games without a win, heads could have dropped when they went behind inside two minutes but with a strong work ethic allied to the pace of Bolasie, the sharpness of Gayle and the leadership of Jedinak, Palace produced the victory that lifted them out of the relegation zone and a performance that could lift confidence sufficiently to keep them out.
Of course, raising your game against the big names of Liverpool in front of your own passionate support is one thing… doing the same in wet Wales against a dangerous yet under-rated Swansea side is a different story.
Quite rightly, much has been made of Southampton's success this season after their significant summer overhaul, but Swansea's bears comparison. The Spanish heartbeat has gone: Michu, Chico, Pablo have left, as have Vorm, Davies and De Guzman.
A surprise managerial appointment to outsiders last February maybe, but Garry Monk knows this club inside out. Sigurdsson and Montero have added real quality and Gomis isn't a bad option up your sleeve if Bony ever stops scoring.
It all means Swansea have made their best-ever start to a Premier League season, well ahead of Liverpool in fact. They might not compare to the Merseyside giants in size or national interest but right now they present a much tougher nut for Palace to crack.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head
Crystal Palace's only win at Swansea in 10 attempts (D4, L5) was by 3-1 in the Championship in March 2009 during Neil Warnock's first spell as Palace manager.
The Eagles have failed to score in five of their last six games against Swansea, the exception being Glenn Murray's penalty in a 1-1 draw at the Liberty Stadium last season.

Swansea

Seventh-place Swansea have suffered four league defeats, yet only one of them have been to a side below them in the league table (Stoke).
Thirteen of Swansea's 18 points have come at the Liberty Stadium.
Garry Monk's side have the best defensive record inside the opening 30 minutes of Premier League matches this season, conceding only once.
Swansea and Hull have surrendered a league-high 11 points from winning positions this season.
Wilfried Bony has scored 17 Premier League goals in 2014, more than any other player.
Nathan Dyer will celebrate his 28th birthday on the day of the match.

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace have won only three times this season but could secure back-to-back league victories for the second time with a win.Neil Warnock's side are the highest-scoring team in the bottom half of the table with 17 goals, one more than Swansea have managed.
Only QPR (15) have conceded more away goals than Palace (12).
The Eagles are yet to keep an away clean sheet in six matches.

 

If we continue the core line-up that we played against Arsenal and City and play to the same level then I am optimistic about three points tomorrow. Barrow for Dyer would add additional spice to the attack and give Palace fits on both wings.

I guess it all depends on whether Palace come to park the bus. You never know what that crazy manager of theirs is going to do.

 

Not an easy game and a potential banana skin if the players lose focus or are anyway shape or form complacent that they will win. It was no fluke that they beat Liverpool so we must give them the respect they deserve and play against them as if they were man city or any big club. We have the players to win the next two home games but its not going to be easy and we will have to be on top of our game to do it...

 

Here's a game that almost all of us will have earmarked for 3 points, and probably Tuesday's game against QPR the same. In reality, things rarely work out that way, but I'll be disappointed not to get 4 points from the 6 available.

As far as our line-up is concerned, I reckon 8 places are nailed on with 3 up for grabs.

...............................FABIANSKI..................................

RANGEL...........Bartley/Amat..........WILLIAMS...........TAYLOR

.............................KI.................Britton/Carroll/Shelvey

Barrow/Routledge/Dyer......................SIGURDSSON..................MONTERO

..........................................BONY..........................................

I reckon Bartley, Shelvey & Routledge. Tough choice.

3-0 to us, time for an epic display.

 

To be fair, it's not really a fluke that anybody beats Liverpool - Liverpool are truly that bad at the moment!

But you're right, we must treat Crystal Palace with the respect they deserve. They're coming off the back of a big win and will be full of confidence, but we need to take our confidence from good performances in the last 4 games and apply it now. We have the tools to beat Crystal Palace, but that doesn't, and hasn't ever, guaranteed a win.

 

IMO our best shape and style implies: Leon or Carroll - I'm not fussed either way, but Carroll has been doing the job.

I'd go with Barrow.

We have 3 games in the next 9 days - so players are going to be rotated. Leon and Carroll, and probably Ki rotate in the two DM roles. Sig and Shelvey in the two #10 roles.

 

Ki has to start with leon coming off the bench if needed.

 

Three games in a row? Tomorrow, yes. It would be nice to see over the three games, but he's likely to be on the bench for one of them.

 

I'd like to see Barrow and Monty start but I think he will go for Monty and Dyer. I expect Palace to be tight and narrow so we need to stretch them. Hope Monty shows his 'Liberty' form he showed in the Arsenal game.

 

Lovely sunny day in South Wales for those who live afar. A good day for a Swans performance

 

Beautiful day indeed , looking forward to what should be an entertaining game, if we keep the same intensity as the Arsenal game and we will prevail, we didn't crumble when we conceded against them and I expect the same performances today .

 

Beautiful day here too ....if your a polar ****ing bear..Bit nervous for this one , feel that Palace are better than theyre showing in the table . They will be full of vim and vigor after theyre last game ..but , 3 - 2 us.

 

nearly midnight and 20 degrees celcius, enjoying a classic hoofball match between Charlton and Ipswich

 

Swansea XI: Fabianski, Rangel, Bartley, Williams, Taylor, Ki, Shelvey, Sigurdsson, Routledge, Montero, Bony.

Gerrard on the bench for Liverpool

 

No Britton or Carroll is a bit worrysome , especially if Shelvey has one of his ""Off"" games and Siggy and Bony end up falling back all game.

 

no idea of the bench but guessing Tremmel, Amat, Dyer, Barrow or Carroll, Gomis, Britton and Tiendalli

 

Shelvey starts .... why? What has he done to deserve this start over Carroll who has been very effective against top teams in Arsenal and City and Leon who looked good in his appearances.

WTF .... long balls to nowhere here we come.

 

Bench is:

Tremmel, Amat, Richards, Britton, Carroll, Barrow & Gomis. Strange no Dyer, must have a knock.

 

Dyer didn't look like he was moving to easily second half last week. May indeed have a knock

 

yes just saw that and Richards over Tiendalli, maybe saving Dyer for Tuesday