Something like that, anyway.
I thought seeing as I've started this directly before the Capital One Cup Final, we might as well do what is ostensibly a countdown to arguably the biggest game in the Swans' history, but in reality will more likely be a mix of gossip, news, and anything else that seemed interesting at the time.
Let's start with Joe Allen. Always hard to get a word from (unless someone asked him in Welsh) during his time in Swansea, he's broken his silence, partly, it seems, in a bid to answer (or at least placate) his critics:
‘I’m not jealous of what Swansea have achieved this season,’ he said. ‘I left a club last summer I loved massively but I closed that chapter of my career. This is a new chapter for me here and I am looking forward to creating new memories and achievements with Liverpool.
‘Swansea have got their chance to play in a cup final coming up but I’m hoping that during my time at Liverpool I’ll get the opportunity to do that a few times myself.‘I took a long-term view. That is the reason I left. I’m 22 and I would like to think that I have got a massive future at this club. Hopefully we will have massive success in the coming years.'
‘I don’t think it has been a secret that I have not had my best spell in recent times,’ he added. ‘I haven’t performed but I am working hard and striving to change that. I think it is the first time that I have had to deal with a dip in form like this.’
Interesting that he chose to use the word "loved" when describing Swansea City. Surely, in terms of maintaining the status quo with Swansea fans, it would have been safer to use the current form of the word? I do feel for Joey, as it is almost impossible to turn down the kind of move he was offered, but he definitely runs the risk of being lumped in with Rodgers. If Rodgers fails, Joe Allen will not, I fear, be the kind of "big name" Liverpool fans will want to see in central midfield as they try to turn their fortunes around. Not unless, that is, he ups his current level of performance.
Having said that, his replacement in the Swansea engine-room had some kind words to say about his predecessor.
Ki on Joe Allen:
"Joe is a very good player. I had watched him many times when he was at Swansea and I played against him in the Olympics too. He can pass, he can do the defensive work very well and he just knows how to play football" Ki said.
"Sometimes people expect you to be better than Joe was when he was here, but I respect him too much to think like that. He is a good player in his own right with great qualities. We are different kinds of players. I am obviously bigger than him and we have different aspects to our game, but we are also similar in our way of thinking about the game and wanting to pass the ball.
"He is a very good player and hopefully I can show I am a good player here too."I know I'm not alone in being extremely impressed by Ki this season. How he hasn't scored is beyond me, though I get the feeling when he does finally find the back of the net it'll be from some distance, given the power he's shown he can produce with both feet.
It seems he's been told, when Leon Britton isn't available (or rested), he's been told to mimic the game of the Swansea legend. His game is naturally more expansive, possessing a great range of passing and a surprising turn of pace. Couple that with a neat first touch and a growing appreciation of his role within the Swansea side, I think he's going to further improve as time goes on.
Plus, they bloody love him in South Korea, it seems, and anything that helps improve the Swansea fanbase is always good news. Did anyone see Leigh Dineen (Swans Vice-Chairman) tweeting about the advert for FIFA13 in a shopping centre in Seoul?
(portrait photos originally taken by Ben Wyeth Photography - photo taken from Swansea Council website)
This was part of a 30 metre long advert, which I think I'm safe in saying definitely would not have happened if we hadn't signed the rangy midfielder. Long may this continue, and I'm probably not alone in having seen a sizeable online presence of (I assume) new Swans fans from Korea, on Twitter, Facebook and other mediums.
One player predictably grabbing the headlines is Luis Suarez, even if it isn't (for once this season) for his general plundering of opposition defences. I think I'm right in saying he's gone three games without a goal, and he'll be looking to address that, no doubt with Chico Flores' absence at the forefront of his mind.
Ashley Williams on Luis Suarez:
"He's going to start. He's a good player and they've got Daniel Sturridge as well, so it's going to be very tough for us defensively," he said."I haven't thought too much about facing Suarez again. We've just enjoyed a good win over QPR and we have done our work during the week for this game against Liverpool."Sounds like it wasn't just posing on the beach they were up to! The sounds coming out of the Swansea camp were encouraging - ones of "team building", "bonding", and preparation for the Liverpool game. The proof is in the pudding, but after a hectic couple of months few would begrudge this Swansea side a few days in the sunshine.
Luis Enrique on Suarez:
"Luis Suarez is a winner and he likes to win every game. Of course he was really disappointed for the misses he had on Thursday but he is a key player and one of the best strikers in the world. Like everyone he is still a person who has mistakes and Thursday was not his day. But all the chances he has he makes all on his own."
"It is happening to us a lot this year. We had our chances to score, like a lot of games this season. I think we are doing well. The problem is, in the last three games we have been trying to score goals and had chances to score and then we have had mistakes.
"We have to improve in defence and in attack do what we are doing and hopefully we will have better luck."So, one of Liverpool's senior players is saying they have to improve in attack and defence, and that they're hoping they get lucky. I'd feel that way if I was playing the mighty Swans too...
One player likely to feature is Daniel Sturridge, after he missed the Zenit St Petersburg game through being cup tied (although he would likely have failed to make that game due to a niggle). Since joining he's scored four goals in six games and has continued to show that if selected up front, he will produce the goods. Keeping him and Suarez fit will be key to any long term aspirations Rodgers has to improve Liverpool's current standing.
Martin Skrtel on Daniel Sturridge:
"I think in the games Daniel has started, he has shown his skills, his quality and his strengths. He's proved he can help the team and so I hope he will be back in the side for Swansea.
"With him our attacking strength is much higher. You can see that in the games he's played so far. He links with Luis Suarez and with Steven Gerrard and he is a real danger for every defender he faces.He will help us to get the three points.
"He's a difficult player to mark, he's a top striker and its difficult to play against him in training."
Realistically, it's not going to be long before some kind of "normal service" is resumed at Anfield, as they do
have too many good players to not push up the table, so I'm hoping that we see the Rodgers team of the first
half of the season. That being said, there's that stat about Liverpool not having beaten any team in the top half
of the table, and we're sitting, well, easily in the top half. See if that still stands come 90 minutes, eh?