I hope so as that will go a long way to release the pressure and fear factor that is undoubtedly with the players and fans..
Well i don't know anyone apart from on here who is not worried. even the players and laudrup are concerned by just listening to them....It takes a brave fan to say for certain what is going to happen...or are they foolhardy..
Pre match interview with Chico - in the telegraph . Unfortunately, Chico Flores appears to have forgotten about this interview. An hour passes in the reception area of Swansea City's Liberty Stadium before he eventually roars up in his red Ferrari, jewellery dazzling in both ears. Yet if this sounds like Flores is living up to all the worst footballer-stereotypes, the reality is quite different. The Spaniard could not be more apologetic and spends the next hour patiently answering questions about Swansea's second-season struggles, sitting among the fans, breaking into the Spain squad, learning Welsh, studying architecture - and one day becoming a pilot. By the time he finally leaves, he has created the impression of a player perfectly at home in Swansea, both with the club and the city. There are no pretensions here. Flores is a grounded individual, even going as far as choosing to make his own way by car to Fulham last season - when he was suspended. He and his wife, Davinia - who is also by his side during this interview - duly took a seat with the travelling support. "I'm a football fan," Flores says. "I think like a fan and wanted to be with them. I enjoyed it, enjoyed watching them and being among them, seeing how they lived the moment. It's certainly something I would do again. I don't need to sit in an executive box I remember when I was young and I used to see the players of Cadiz [his hometown team] and talk to them and if I can do that here then why not? It's not asking a lot, it's no big thing." His willingness to integrate fully even extends to wanting to talk to them in Welsh, not just English. And even though this interview is conducted in Spanish, through a translator, there is some evidence that his lessons are already having an effect. "?'Nadolig Llawen,'?" Flores proudly volunteers - it is Welsh for 'Merry Christmas' - before relaying how he and Jonathan de Guzman, the Dutch midfielder who was another recruit of manager Michael Laudrup, spoke about the need to immerse themselves in the local culture and cuisine. "This is Wales, not Spain," says Flores, who is one of eight Spanish players in the Swansea squad. "And we have to adapt to the Welsh style of life. Obviously the Spanish style of play is here in Wales! But Wales is not Spain." Still, Swansea's success - and their Spanish contingent - means the club are talked about back home. An under-21 international, Flores harbours ambitions of a full cap. "I want to meet my goals, it's something that I have thought about and something I would like to achieve. I focus on Swansea and have to be realistic. Spain are the best team in the world and there are a lot of good players who are not in the national team. But, yes, I would love that. It's my dream." Like almost all the Swansea players he lives in the city. "It's a family club. We are close to the supporters. Very close! An example? The changing room at the training ground was just a gym, open to the public, and the fans were able to use it. It wasn't owned by the club so we shared this gym and the fans let us know what they thought. It was a positive thing. It meant we were even closer to them." With his hair dragged back into a ponytail, those twinkling earrings and his black beard, there is something piratical in Flores's appearance. The 26-year-old's home city of Cadiz, the port in southwestern Spain, has a rich nautical history and Flores's style of football is appropriately swashbuckling, particularly for a centre-half. "Swansea's style of football matches with my style. Swansea is not a famous team but it was an attraction for me that a more modest team, so to speak, plays in this way. I'm a defender but I like the way we keep the ball and the kind of football we play sits very well with me. I want to play the ball and also attack and go forward. We are one of the better footballing teams in the league and do well against the better teams because of the way that we play. It's top-class football." The problem for Swansea is that results this term have not always matched their swaggering style. It was always likely to be difficult to replicate last season's staggering successes - winning the Capital One Cup, qualifying for the Europa League, finishing ninth - but a relegation battle has been the crudest of wake-up calls. This season, Laudrup and his players are focused simply on ensuring that next season they are in the Premier League. That task continues with a home match today against Tottenham Hotspur before a run of games against teams who sit around them in the bottom half of the table. "It's been frustrating but we have to think realistically and the fact is Swansea are a relatively modest team in the Premier League," Flores says. "The main goal is to remain in the Premier League. Last season was really good but it was always going to be difficult to maintain that. It's been complicated because of the Europa League and with a lot of players injured but now we will start getting the results and the points that we need." Flores's renowned commitment to the cause - "I give everything and have done so with every team I have played for. More than 100 per cent - you understand?" - will be invaluable but he at least understands that there is more to life than football. He reveals that he also wants to gain a pilot's licence and study architecture and design. "I would like to learn. But only after football." And when, eventually, that comes, how does he want to be remembered? "The main thing I would like to hear is simple: he did the best for the team. But I am like any player: I want to do my best and I want the fans to love me. Like everyone I can have good games, bad games but it's about working really hard for the team. If they remember me as someone who did that then I will be happy."
Damn I thought Bony scored there. And he was fouled in the box with that push. What the hell have we got to do to get another penalty
Jesus .. this is depressing .. all those chances and now Bony hitting the bar .... we just dont have any luck, penalty on Bony not given either.
I'm here and it's far more pleasant to watch when we're crossing like this. Bony is really giving a good account of himself. Pozuelo however...
played really well up until Spurs scored with their 1st attempt, we hit the bar and should have had a definite penalty (refs not giving us nothing). since then weve looked rattled and been giving the ball away cheaply. this is a real test for Laudrup and the team now - we need to get back on the ball, up the tempo and keep creating the chances that we did in the first 30 mins. AND the jacks need to get behind the boys. big 2nd half - cmon swans!
Shelvey's injured. f**king hell, why are our players getting crocked so much? I wish we didn't have to, but Laudrup has to get two midfielders in by the end of the month or were in big trouble. Annnnd an own goal and it's game over. This game was always one to get out of the way with the big four coming up, but its still infuriating that we dominate, concede and then are out of the game, and ANOTHER PLAYER GETS INJURED.
FFS our defence is ****ing shocking. Ash is blowing out of his arse. Didnt try to get back there. We NEED 2 top class centre halfs!
