We played rather well last season, and if my memory can remember back that far, we played the majority of games with one striker and one on the bench. Can someone please try to explain in easy speak, why do we now seem to be tracking striker after striker after forward? I said at times last year, we need a decent playmaker in central midfield and all we have done is get rid of Prats! We need a good CH and a youthful CH to learn his trade and all we have done is got rid of Bessone. We do have young Ash Richards as full back cover but is this enough? We have a second choice goalkeeper, perhaps this is where Emnes or Lita will cover .... I know its early days, but is anyone else out there a little anxious? We are a team that plays from the back, so surely we need to be solid at the back! Throughout the last few seasons, premier teams have struggled with loads of injuries. We have been fairly lucky and had a stable team, but it won't get us through the coming season. Come on Brendan give us something to look forward to. Find us a keeper and a least 2 CH's and a playmaker, please!!!
Anxious no. Confused yes. Why the need for the two Boro boys - neither of whom ever came close to setting the Championship on fire last season. Is this really "news" coming from us or a prayerful pot being stirred by an agent.
I think we'll need options up front if we're to survive. Scott Sinclair isn't a striker, and I don't think we can bank on him scoring as many goals as he did last season, so a big man/little man thing on top of SS is a good idea I think. I'm not fussed on either Emnes or Lita to be honest, but if this Soriano guy is as good as we think, then perfect!
A lot of the stories are just newspaper rumours. But how can you be so negative? We didn't "get rid" of pratley or bessone- they chose to go. I am not anxious about next season, not one iota. The opposite in fact, I think we're embarking on a golden era. I trust in Brendan and huw 100%, so whatever they do, they will have my backing (on the assumption they know more about football and the football industry than I ever will)
A goalkeeper, or two, is obviously a must. I would guess that Ash and Caulker will eventually be our starting centre backs with Monk and Tatey as cover - the latter covering both full back positions as well. I would guess that if Toon up their offer Taylor will be on his way, so we will be looking for a quality left back who will gel with the way we play it out. Our central midfield options are possibly pretty thin. Bodde, brilliant player at his best, is making his way back so the jury is still out. Brits and little Joe are too lightweight if we are honest. When we are on top they shine, but all too often we came under the cosh last season against Championship sides, so what price they are going to be able to compete against tough, fit, skilful, Premiership mid-fielders? I'm not optimistic. If Bodde hits the ground running that will be a huge bonus but Jackswan is right; we need an experienced play-maker at the very least. If Bodde struggles, we will also need a steely midfield dog who can play a bit. Dobbie, of course, seems unchallenged in his role just behind the strikers whilst Sincs and Dyer will probably make the step up in class. Graham and Soriano (if he signs) seem a pretty potent strike force to me but, again, we will need cover. Emnes could do that as well as the wide positions, so he could be a useful addition. Moore would be further cover and I think that he might surprise one or two people, in that the Premiership might more suit his style - no doubt he has quality when he chooses to produce it. We have a decent basis to work from but we definitely need at least three QUALITY players to put us in with a realistic shout of surviving this critical first season. Make no mistake, this will be a huge ask and I do not subscribe to some people's view that we will finish in the top half - it will be a minor miracle if we do. Bring in some experienced players with a positive work ethic, though, and it will give the squad sufficient added strength to go one better than Blackpool and stay up. What a prospect!!! PS: Just a throwaway thought - I wonder if Orlandi might feature on the odd occasion. You get a fraction more time on the ball in the Premiership and that would suit his style far more than the hurly-burly of the Championship. I'm guessing that I'll get a fair few pelters for that one but there's some merit in the thought. At the very least, along with Rangel, he would offer a Spanish presence that might encourage some decent La Liga players to consider coming to us.
We have one decent striker up front and we do need a second one. Do we really need a midfielder? I don't think so to be honest. We have Britton and Allen who can hold things together nicely, Allen can also pass well, we have Gower to back them up. We have Dobbie who was very good in the playmaker role last year and hopefully Bodde as well. Sure someone to replace Pratley and add some experience would be nice but surely it's a lower priority than someone who can score at this level or an experienced centre back or a left back who can defend or a keeper, any keeper!
Campionijack - But how can you be so negative? We didn't "get rid" of pratley or bessone- they chose to go. According to the horses mouth (prats himself), he said at interview this morning he felt let down by Swansea!!!! He asked about a new contract last summer, and the chairman (well there's a thing), stated they were not contract negotiating. So he went home, spoke to his family, and talked about where they could go next. So to me 'we got rid of Prats' Question is, did this also happen to De Vries and Bessone?
I'm with you here, I actually think Orlandi might be pretty decent cover in the Prem. He's a skillfull player that has never really got to grips with the English "style." I'm not 100% sure that you actually "get more time" in the premier league as such, but I do think if he gets his head down and works hard there could be a place for him in the 1st team squad this year. And yes, he loves the area and is fully commited so he could well help convince other Spaniards to make the move. PS. Earlier mention of Bessone being our CH cover is way off... he is an OK left back, not a centre back. Not really relevant as I wouldn't have picked him over Tatey at left back anyway, so the search continues for these positions.
All of the midfield players on our books will be challenging for a start: Orlandi, Gower, Agustien and Jazz Richards included. Who knows what system and combination Rogers might develop based on who shows and who doesn't in preseason and whether Bodde actually has is knee in good shape. Last season Dobbie was a revelation in the last third of the season. Perhaps this season Agustien will get whatever act was missing together. And I wouldn't be surprised if Gower is not at least on the bench come the start. Orlandi has the skills to step up if he has the mind and would have featured more last season if not for injury.
you say we need an old and young ch, well caulker is the young one and on planet swans today, it say's we're after a african defender from germany,but he can also play midfield(from ghana)
Jackswan. Pratley is no mug. He knows he has to come back here. He isnt going to go on sky and say yes they offered me a great contract. Was he. Mind you i actually think we got this one wrong. Should have been offered a new contract last season. As for the same happening for DVD, I dont believe it. Not one of us knows what is happening behind close doors and not one of us knows what has been offered with regard to players contracts. As per ususal it is pure speculation. They have gone move on from it. I for one am not worried by their leaving. It will be their loss not ours. As regard to panicing or should i say anxious over our signings. I have no fears. Buck and HJ have their list of who they want and it will be the right signings. Yes we do need another striker as what we have behind DG isnt good enough, to get us goals in the prem. ( they struggled for goals in the champiomship.) Just wait and see and enjoy the new signings that come to our club. We will have the strongest ever squad to wear a Swansea shirt. When the season kicks off. Have a little faith.
Pratley was offered a deal, he turned it down. If pratley was looking for more dosh, that's his prerogative. It's also his choice. in my view he'll regret leaving (just like every other player in the last 7-8 years, apart from ricketts)
pratts was not offered a deal and neither was dorus when they both asked for one when we offered tailor a 3 year deal. big mistake and now we have lost two players that could have done a good job for us . one player that wont get many games is britton, he is to light weight an will be mussled of the ball due to his size.....
So Dai, we just let pratley and de Vries go without offering them a contract... You really believe that? And Leon will be muscled off every ball. Like he was in the championsip, L1 or L2...? Doh!
Lightweight Midfield? Maybe small but I think Allen premier class and will start more than we think.. Britton will probably be cover. Miss Prately/miss DDV maybe but we always seem to bring a better player into the club to replace. I notice in one of the replies we didn't score goals. I beg to differ, as the season went on we scored for fun at home, our achilies heel was away games. As for LB I rate Jazz over Taylor and again will be premier class.
Just as a short point on Jazz, LB isn't his preferred position. I think he's found himself there on the basis that so many people have played his favoured CM over the last few years. I rate him at LB though, was great cover for Taylor this season.
Just because we are tracking lots of strikers doesn't mean we are planning to buy them all. We have to be tracking lots of players, to make sure that we get at least some of them. Also, don't believe everything you read in the press. I have enough faith in BR to be sure that he knows what he's doing. He has already identified all the targets and his working very hard at getting them, but these things take time. This isn't some fantasy football game. Perhaps they need to change the rules of those fantasy games so that fans get to understand football a bit better. Many fans seem to think buying a player is as easy as walking into a shop and buying a loaf of bread. Let BR & HJ sort out what players are coming.
I agree with casual. We may be tracking 4 or 5 strikers, but of those 4 or 5, only 1 will sign. It's pretty much like job hunting. You apply for 4 or 5, and you'll probably only hear back from 1 or 2. COme the start of the season, we should have a decent strike force in Soriani and Graham (Hopefully). With regards to GK and Defence issues, they are probably being addressed behind closed doors in the hope other clubs don't get a sniff. I'm sure a man of HJ and BR calibre isn't going to allow us go the whole summer without the main players we need. Just won't happen. So, lay back and wait for the good times to roll!!
