Opposition View – Swansea City

Swansea fans have been suffering lately, in some sort of perverse mutation of nature, the Swans of a couple of seasons ago have turned into Ugly Ducklings. I asked Steven from www.sosfanzine.com a few questions in an attempt to ascertain the mood in South Wales before Saturday’s big game.

Not the best of starts to the season it has to be said. What’s the underlying problem do you think? Instability at management level or player quality perhaps? Or maybe the owners? Or all three? Sorry, I’m getting carried away. You answer please.

It’s all three. Last season was mediocre and we needed to strengthen significantly in the summer. Instead we sold Andre Ayew and Ashley Williams and failed to replace them. Our signings haven’t been up to scratch either although I think Fernando Llorente and Borja Baston are both good strikers. Problem is they’ve had no service due to insufficient quality out wide.

Elsewhere Francesco Guidolin should not have had the job full time. He got it because he was a yes man to the owners who wouldn’t loosen the purse strings. They are the main reasons why Swansea are struggling.

What are the early impressions of Bob Bradley and do you think the fans will be patient with him?

Not convinced by Bradley at all. He still doesn’t know his best eleven or formation and we’ve looked worse under him. Yes, we won last week but still let in 4 dreadful goals and he didn’t start with a striker and it was only after Llorente came on that we looked better. The fans aren’t too keen on him, he’s seen as the new regime’s man, the old lot would not have appointed him and with good reason.

Lots of people like Swansea due to their footballing ‘philosophy’. Is this still valid do you think? Are Swansea still trying to play ‘the right way’?

No I think we’ve lost our identity which is sad. Under Garry Monk we started to develop a plan b which was a good thing as we were sometimes too predictable. However, we are now unrecognisable to the team we once were. I don’t really know what we’re trying

to do anymore. We had a golden chance in the summer to bring back Brendan Rodgers who would have rediscovered our style. He wasn’t a yes man though so no way he was coming back sadly.

In terms of fruit sizes where a single blueberry is “Ah well, it was fun while it lasted and besides, I’ve never been to Brentford or Scunthorpe” and a large watermelon is “Five goals in a game? We’ll be challenging for the Europa League by January!”, how optimistic are you for the remainder of the season?

Definitely closer to the blueberry. We may yet get out of it but I’m far from convinced. Our squad isn’t good enough. I have no confidence that we’ll spend in January and even if we do I don’t trust our judgement on new players. 17th would be a great achievement, that’s how low we’ve sunk.

Most people were very disappointed to see Gylfi leave us especially given that neither Davies nor Vorm have totally proved up to the task. I take it Swansea fans are happier with their side of the deal?

Gylfi is one of the few positives at the club right now. He’s undoubtedly our best player, when he returned in 2014 I was over the moon and he hasn’t disappointed. Ben Davies was a top young player for us and Michel Vorm was half decent, we probably should have had money rather than a straight swap in my opinion.

Which players do Spurs need to keep an eye on on Saturday as well as Sigurdsson? Barrow? Llorente?

Gylfi is the obvious one. Barrow can be good as well but very hot and cold. Elsewhere I don’t think many others will cause you problems.

Any thoughts on Tottenham this season? Anyone you’re looking forward to seeing?

Spurs are a great young side that have the potential to do really well over the next few years. Only concern I have for you is that if Kane doesn’t play you struggle for goals and you draw a few too many games.

And finally, a prediction for the game please.

2-0 to you. No way we’ll keep a clean sheet with our defence!

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