Swansea – Welsh representation
By David, BettingExpert.com | Published
Swansea, the first Welsh team to make it to the Premier League, had to fight their way through the playoffs after finishing third in the Championship. And if that fact and the numbers suggest that they are the weakest team in the top flight and the most likely to get relegated it is because that’s simply how things are.
Manager: Rogers
Tactics: 4-4-2
Players In: Jose Moreira, D. Graham, Lita, Caulker, Routledge
Players Out: de Vries, van der Gun, Pratley
Current Probable Formation: Moreira, Rangel, A. Williams, Caulker, Tate, N. Dyer, Bodde, Gower, Sinclair, Graham, Dobbie
Rogers’ style of play, a classic 4-4-2, produced quite a number of defeats on the road. These were, however, made up for by some solid home displays. Theirs was in fact the best home record in the Championship last season with 15 wins, 5 draws and just three defeats. Their backline was an almost impeccable on home turf allowing just 11 goals, four better than top of the list Queens Park Rangers. In contrast, away from the Liberty Stadium they conceded a total of 31 goals.
What these statistics show is that essentially there is nothing something wrong with how the team is set up defensively but rather that they suffer a lot the backing of their crowd away from Wales. This should be their Achilles heel in a league which expects first and foremost discipline and a straight-thinking mind in order to survive.
Graham and Lita will boost the strike force and Routledge should also be a good addition to the team, providing a valid alternative to wingers Sinclair and Nathan Dyer. Sinclair is the star player and the fans are expecting him to do well for the team in supplying the strikers.
Goalkeeper Moreira will be the main competition for Vorm for the number one spot in Rogers’ first eleven. In front of the keeper will be a defence that has been rock solid at home but less brilliant on the road last year. Rangel, A. Williams, Caulker, Tate have the potential but need to gain psychological strength before they can be a true strong point for Swansea. Last year the unit, excluding the young Caulker who played with Bristol City, failed to be continuous in their displays. Expecting them to suddenly consolidate the mechanisms may be too much to ask of them in their first at these heights.
Offensive play can be less problematic for Swansea but that will never be enough to ensure survival, as Blackpool’s past season demonstrates.
Predicted finishing position: 20th
Things should work quite well in attack and as explained the defence has got potential. The team may easily get shell-chocked though and whatever can be potentially good may never actually materialize on the pitch. Lack of experience and a poor away form should be the downfall of this team.
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