...a little reflection perhaps? For me, Swansea have done pretty much exactly what I'd hoped we'd do. We've been competitive at home, while looking blunt at times in the first two games, and even though we've been comprehensively beaten twice we've still maintained our footballing philosophy and drawn some plaudits for it. Had it not been for an error, we might well have got a point at Arsenal, and despite recent woes that would have been regarded as an excellent result. Something I've been wondering is what other people make of our activity in the transfer market now that we've had a chance to see all of the signings in action? I don't mean so much in terms of how you think "xxx shouldn't have been signed, he's useless" but more in terms of do you think players were signed in the correct positions? Routledge, for example, is a winger. No doubt about it, he's always played on the wing... but Buck has been employing him as an attacking midfielder. Would we have been better off trying to find someone a little less technically gifted (a pre-requisite to being a Swans player by all accounts) but much more drilled in that position at Premiership level? Vorm, I think, has already shown he's at least as good as De Vries (assuming his form doesn't dip dramatically) so he's been a good signing, while Lita I think will ultimately end up repaying his price tag with goals. Danny Graham was expensive, but I still think he's worth the money. People spend that kind of money in the Championship regularly now, so if the worst happens and we DO get relegated, we'll have a proven striker at that level and the cost will have been offset against a season in the Premiership. I'd say the one area where we've been unlucky is defence. Between Tate and Caulker being injured, and Halliche and Situ being denied international clearance we've lost four defenders! Crazy. Hopefully this area of the team will be bulked out soon with the arrival of one of the trial players, so we'll await that with baited breath. So anyway, what're your thoughts? Is there an area of the team you think we'd have been better off strengthening? Have we lived up to pre-season expectations?
we have had the toughest start you can get as "New boys" away to 3 teams who are going to finish in the top 5 now there is only Man U and possibly spurs anyone else i fancy our chances espescially at home but we must have more belief in ourselves we look like we are afraid to loose possesion and are either tryin to walk the ball into the net or afraid to have a shot in case we miss, i dont think its a case of showing to much respect to the opposition because we have tried to play footbal agains everyone , but we need a Bodde type player who is not afraid to have a Pop..we need to be a little less cautious and not so tentative when attacking i dont mean throw cation to the wind just a litle more confidence in our abillity any way i think we weill survive
I wonder .... what's his threat. What is it that makes Graham a threat. I have seen all the league games seen so far, the Man City match at the stadium and the rest on tv (not the best perspective by any means - and I look forward to being corrected on what I am about to say), I am struggling to see his threat. To my recollection: I haven't seen him get the ball outside the box, turn and shoot - in fact I don't think he's got a serious shot on target yet; I haven't seen him get the ball (anywhere) and skin a defender or even look like he could; I have seen him miss some clear chances in and around the six yard box although he was denied at Arsenal by a brilliant save in the first half. So what's his threat - if he's going to live by being a six yard box finisher, then can certainly do that, but he's got to be super clinical at it and we've got to work our back sides off putting the ball in there for him. In comparison, we all knew what Scotland could do. From any reasonable distance, he could receive the ball, somehow create a yard of space, turn and drill it on target. He didn't have to get in the box to score. Sinclair can take people on when he's in the game and shoot from some distance. Lita appears more mobile, can clearly head the ball and has some spring - but still too early for me to get a clear picture on him. Borini ... well I just have to say the name - the kid could pretty much do it all and created problems all over. So even if Graham's a one trick pony ... what's his trick?
I think, while he's not top Prem standard, he's very good across the board. That "float like a hornet" video on youtube showing all his goals, showed he scores all different types of goals from all over the park... the problem is the park is now occupied with much better players. I very much doubt that (whatever statistics would be needed to show it) statistics showed our striker has been as abley supported this season as they were last season. He's cut a fairly isolated figure so far by all accounts. Without service, it's hard, but on top of that he's gone up a league AND he's playing in a new team. It's probably not the best combination of things to have to be doing at the same time, but I'm sure he'll come good.
" I think, while he's not top Prem standard, he's very good across the board" alhough i agree dont you think it sounds a bit like Trunds..dt it in every league he played in "Up to the Premiership"
Nah man, Trundle, for all his tricks and showboating, never had the fitness or ability to play at that level. Graham (bear in mind I'm basing this largely on a video compilation of last season) has scored goals with both feet, his head, from distance, after beating defenders, 1 on 1. Like I said in the OP, if we DO get relegated we've got a striker who finished top of the goal charts in the league we'll be entering, playing in a team worse than us. You'd back him to bang loads of goals in at that level again, surely?
OK as this thread is concentrating on signings (Sorry Scott I know this wasn't exactly what you were looking for): Graham: Some appalling misses but will get his chances and it's up to him to take them when they come along. He has the ability and that doesn't disappear overnight. Confidence seems an issue for him right now. Lita: Offers us something different imo. More of a blunt instrument and his touch isn't as good, but can do a job. Superb last week against the Baggies. Routledge: MOTD highlights were kind to him. He was shocking yesterday and gave the ball away for fun but wasn't alone. May help create chances but we won't get goals from him. I see him as a useful sub for when Dyer or someone else in the midfield needs to come of in the last quarter. Imo Dobbie will create chances AND score but he's not been given much of a run to date. Vorm: It's all been said. Could be the player of the season for us. His worse game yesterday even though he did very little wrong, but I disagree that he's as good as De Vries - he's a much better than that and the guys in charge of the Dutch squad agree. Vorm is second ahead of Krul in third who is also playing well for Newcastle, and De Vries is nowhere. Caulker: COME BACK!!! Hope he's back with us soon as Monk is well out of his depth. Caulker has really impressed me and I'm sure I'm not alone. We know all about Bessone so I haven't mentioned him. No jokes please.
if, and i say if, the situation is looking dire come jan, will the club splash the cash both tfr and wage wise in order to stay up? it is painfully obvious a couple of defenders are required, a midfielder and a striker. i would be selling moore, beattie, routlidge for a start
How can you say to sell Beattie when he ain't played for us in the prem ? Routledge has not been good so far and Moore the same, but how much game time have they had our just 6 games ?
true true which asks the question why arnt they getting game time? ( i know Beattie is injured atm) but Jager, you didnt answer my real question, do you think the club will splash the cash?
Tough away games for you guys, so 0 points equals no shame, but not being disrespectful or horrible to teams you have to get most of your points at home and should be beating teams like Sunderland and Wigan. Think you guys will struggle, unless you are like QPR and turn to be better away than at home.
It's quite simple. We expected very little out of the biggest teams (Man U, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea & Liverpool) and that's what we've got so far. Outside of those teams, we haven't conceded a single goal! If we keep it up, we 'should' be fine.
Bolton will improve, they've had a bottom of the league fixture list (yes losing at home to Norwich was very bad), mind you so have Stoke and look at them. Wigan and Blackburn look the 2 with the most to worry about.
one nice thing i will say about Tony Pulis, he has done a remarkable job with Stoke, until this weekend i hope
maybe after 6 games we should be one or two points more IMO. the sunderland and wigan matches we failed to implement our home advantage, but to be fair it was our first couple of home games in the premiership and when you play in a new league then nature says you are going to be cautious and apprehensive. we never lost those games and the players have grown in confidence, just look how we destroyed wba in our third home match and that was down to the players losing their fear and believing in their ability, we have been given the short straw with the fixture list but I'm proud of the way we have played even in defeat. we cant complain as we are not bottom or in the relegation places after a very tough opening 6 games.......well done swans we are not the worse team in the premiership.......
Spot-on Dai!! Just about sums it up. Although like to add how we've also had to cope having being dealt a bad hand with the injuries too!!...
