Do the Swans need a new first choice right-back for the first time since League One?
Nathan Lewis returns to ponder whether we'd be best served bringing in someone to challenge Rangel
Listening to the BBC Radio Wales’ live commentary of the Reading game, it was hard to ignore Andy Legg’s repeated refrain about the line-up for the first game of the season at Old Trafford. Over and over again, he named the people he thought were dead-certs to start (Fabianski, Taylor, Williams, Sigurdsson, Shelvey, Bony). This I have no problem with. What concerned me most however, was his insistence that based on his performance against Reading, Dwight Tiendalli could challenge Angel Rangel to start at right-back in two weeks time.
This got me thinking about two things. Firstly, has Dwight Tiendalli become slightly less of a liability than he was last season? And more importantly, is the strength of our right-backs at such a poor place that Tiendalli can even get close to starting? Frankly, if the answer to the first is no, then I’m worried about the second answer.
In his first season with the Swans, Tiendalli was a half-decent, solid-if-called-upon option. It’s fair to say that while he performed decently in his eleven starts, he was never in danger of usurping Rangel from his starting position. There would, however, be few that would argue with the statement that last season Tiendalli’s form dramatically declined. Poor delivery when he got himself into an attacking position and regular failure to get back into position when he found himself caught out left me with a sense of dread every time Angel’s name was missing on the teamsheet.
The Spaniard, signed from Terrassa back in 2007 has been an almost constant name on the team sheet since joining the Swans in League One. His game seems to have grown as we have risen through the divisions, and in our first Premier League year he was outstanding. In the last season or so however, there have been signs that the fan favourite is beginning to feel the pace of top-level football. A few niggling injuries and a decline in form leaves us with a question that Swansea haven’t faced in years: Do we need a new starting right-back?
If the rumours are to be believed, The Monk is looking to sign a full-back, who potentially has the capability to cover both sides of defence. In recent weeks, we’ve been linked with Carl Jenkinson, Kyle Naughton and most recently, Adam Matthews. With Jenkinson making a loan move to West Ham, it would seem that Swansea’s attention is now on the full-backs from Tottenham and Celtic.
Naughton took advantage of Kyle Walker’s injuries last year to start a large majority of games at right-back, and has shown an ability to cover both sides of defence, having performed decently at left-back in a Spurs defence short of solid full-backs. With Spurs seemingly getting the better (at least money-wise) of the Davies-Vorm-Sigurdsson deal, and Spurs rumoured to be looking to bring in a new right-back, could Naughton see the Swans as a chance to make his name with more regular first-team football?
The signing of Adam Matthews would surely raise objections from some Swansea fans, giving his Cardiff roots, but Matthews has Champions League experience (albeit very little) and has also been utilised in a variety of positions for the Scottish champions. He could offer an extra body in centre-midfield if really necessary, and has been in a team that knows how to win the (admittedly very easy) title. There’s also the added bonus that he is Welsh, and more Welsh influence in the Swansea squad is never a bad thing from my point of view.
It seems clear (at least to me) that a right-back who can cover both sides of defence is needed. It would be a struggle to consider Tiendalli and, though it pains me to say it, Rangel as top-level defenders in the Premier League, and we could do with a dependable replacement for Taylor, should he get injured. My choice would be to bring in Adam Matthews, forget that he’s played for Cardiff, and let this young but experienced full-back grow into a spot in the starting eleven. What will The Monk choose? Time will tell.
Thanks again to Nathan for this latest piece! You can follow him on Twitter @NathDavidLewis