Enjoyed that, thanks Monty. Things that stood out: Rusyn still learning how we press out of possession - forcing the opposition into certain areas where we can overload and win the ball back. Rusyn is very impressed with the standard of the side and says we would be good enough to win the Ukrainian league. Getting up to speed with the league and Tuterov is helping in training by clarifying what the coaches want. Burstow suffering a bit as we don’t play to his strengths of balls to run onto. Asking him to come short and link the play a lot. Hemir is a talented footballer but needs to sharpen up on the professionalism side. Get into training quicker, not be the last one due to still tying his laces or putting on the tracker vest. Roberts needs to up his assists and goals so that he’s a player capable of playing in the Premier League - either with us or somebody else. Contract talks ongoing and hopefully get sorted. Mowbray would like him to step up a gear in training as he doesn’t put everything in / cruises a bit. He is contributing to the team a lot with a lot of second assists (passing to the player that assists) - in the top 5% for that. Opposition managers talk about how concerned they are by him. Running stats are good and he puts in a lot of defensive work. Still has to really fulfil his potential and that’s up to the coaches and Roberts to help achieve. Rigg is happy with the game time he’s getting. Mowbray thinks he is best suited at the moment to come on for fading midfielders, to try to influence the game. Mowbray says that he shouldn’t say it but likens his grit and desire to Roy Keane - nice lad off the pitch but has that desire to win every game/session/5-a-side. Has that bit of nastiness.
Strong team. Need Jobe to put a performance in. Looked off it last few IMO. Surprised he got the nod.
They say 'never change a winning team' and tbh these are all fit young lads who've just had a week without a game ... ... they should be absolutely flying, especially off the back of Noirwich. We showed in that game we don't always conceded from set pieces, don't give up when we go behind and know how to see a game out. After seeing that team I'd have gone for 2-0 ... ... after seeing the bench I'm going 3-0 Rusyn with the first and one each from the subs, Burstow and Hemir ... who needs wingers!
Swansea City head coach Michael Duff names an unchanged starting line-up and bench for this afternoon's Championship clash with Sunderland. The Swans boss keeps faith with the same squad that secured victory at Blackburn last time out. Carl Rushworth continues in goal and is set to make his 100th EFL appearance, with Harrison Ashby, Harry Darling, Bashir Humphreys and Josh Tymon making up the back four after their clean sheet in Lancashire. Skipper Matt Grimes and Charlie Patino are paired together in midfield, with Jamal Lowe, Jamie Paterson and Liam Cullen operating ahead of them. Jerry Yates leads the line for the hosts. Swansea City: Carl Rushworth, Harry Darling, Matt Grimes (captain), Jerry Yates, Jamal Lowe, Jamie Paterson, Josh Tymon, Charlie Patino, Liam Cullen, Harrison Ashby, Bashir Humphreys. Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Kristian Pedersen, Jay Fulton, Ben Cabango, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Kyle Naughton, Liam Walsh, Ollie Cooper, Cameron Congreve. Sunderland: Anthony Patterson, Niall Huggins, Luke O'Nien (captain), Nazariy Rusyn, Dan Ballard, Patrick Roberts, Jack Clarke, Dan Neil, Trai Hume, Jobe Bellingham, Pierre Ekwah. Substitutes: Matthew Young, Jenson Seelt, Alex Pritchard, Luis Semedo, Abdoullah Ba, Dennis Cirkin, Mason Burstow, Bradley Dack, Adil Aouchiche. Ashby, on loan from Newcastle, is right back - he will be marking Jack Clarke.
There's some good talent in the Swansea team, I'm expecting a decent game of football. I don't think Swansea are a scruffy bunch of cheats, like Stoke, so I'm not expecting players standing on our free kicks, choreographed falling over and timewasting ... Norwich started that on 14 minutes last week which was an insult to a decent away following. We've sold out, as usual, so will have a good support who'll be expecting us to score. It's not long since some Swansea fans were calling for Duff's head so an early Sunderland goal could get things a bit shaky for you. Clarke is usually double marked so it'll be interesting if he only has Ashby on him.
