Now that the new season is fast approaching, how do you all see our fortunes panning out, im plumping for a reasonably comfortable mid table, and maybe a cup run, anyone think well do better/worse?
If Bony stays I can see us doing ok, but if he goes I can see a problem in the goal scoring department. Not sure if we'll get enough goals without him which could mean being involved in relegation battle.
With Bony, Gomis, Gylfi, Montero, Routs, Dyer & Emnes in the team/match day squad, we should be able to find the net. Assuming we can get cover for Leon and another full back, then we could very well finish top half.
Don't want 8th after what's happened for Southampton, but if we get another DM and nobody else leaves (what is happening with Canas?) I think 9-12 is very realistic.
I see many have high expectations for the season ahead. For me,a lot of changes in personnel is not good. We have lost a lot of players and signed some good players,but will they take too much time to bed in. It's important to have a good start and the pre season results are good so far. We have an injury problem though,and key player Britton will be missing for the first few games. Shame we missed out on Besic,do we have anybody else lined up for that position. Canas can play there but is in limbo and not wanted by GM. Regarding the "engineered" exits of Michu,Vorm,and Hernandez. It seems it is too easy to get out of a contract nowadays and move on,just play badly or say you miss your family and then blatantly move further away from them than before! The proof will be when these players suddenly start to play well again,we'll see.
Almost impossible for me to tell how we will do as there is so much change in the air. .. GK - Vorm's gone, Fabianski has never played a full season in the Premier DEF - Ben's gone and Rangel is on the cusp of being past it. In comes Taylor and possibly Bartley/Kingsley/New signing at full back. MID - We now have only 1 DM. Siggy's a good player who "knows us" but has only played with Leon and Dyer (who's not guaranteed his place anymore) on a consistent basis. Montero looks excellent but will have to work on his understanding with Siggy, Shelvey, Routs, Dyer, Gomis and Bony... ST - Bony might leave. Gomis needs to adjust to his new team mates. Will make my judgement after 10 games. Could well be down the bottom end by then but I reckon we can finish mid table if there are signs of a team gelling.
Would hope so but think we need DM and 2 full backs to be bottom of the top half. Essential to a good season is keeping injuries are kept to a minimum. Don't forget Laudrup was playing in 4 competitions with up to 11 first team player out and Bony not quite at the races.
The end of transfer window will be vital. I agree with uncertainty about fullbacks, in particular right back. Ki and Shelvy can play DM but the closest we have to Britton (injured) is Canas and appears to out of favour. I was looking for highlights for one Swans v Exeter and found last year match before 2014. Without going back over old issues, some of the interplay and close skills between players that have now left or leaving was impressive, but there was this tendency to pass the ball into the net. From the highlights I have seen from this year, passing the ball in triangles thro midfield less evident but using long ball to wide players to relieve pressure an allow wingers to run at defence. Similar to how we used to play in Championship with AW passing putting long cross balls to dyer or balls to Sinclair. Hopefully we can develop a mix of styles but we need the players who can do this. Sinclair got worked out at premiership level, I hope Montero has more than on e trick. Bony is vital as is good with ball at feet and in air.
Neath we used that diagonal far to much in the Plymouth and Exeter games, that will be read by PL defenders far to easily. But you are right we have to mix it up and could be interesting. Got to the stage watching the plymouth game, oh another long diagnol, oh another long Diagnol, got far to repetative.
Good to get the diagonal practice in during a game where it doesn't matter! That's what pre-season is all about. We know our boys can pass the ball for fun already, so let's get them practicing the things they're less good at during pre-season. Makes sense to me. Onto the OP, I think we're in for a similar season to our first season in the Premiership. After the first 10 games, we'll sit 5-8 points above the drop-zone for the majority of the season and finish between 10th and 12th. If we click, we certainly have the firepower to finish a few places higher.
