Swansea need to revert to type to get league campaign up and running
Against Spurs the Swans once again struggled to impose their passing game on their opponents, and if we're being honest since beating Bradford for the Capital One Cup in February there hasn't been much to shout about in terms of league form - we've only won two in our last thirteen. That's not to say there's no reason to be positive - with new signings looking like they're settling in already and Europa League form markedly better it seems it's just a little bit of tinkering is needed in order to secure a first league win of the season.
It would be all too easy to write off the first two games of the season and say simply "Oh, it was Man Utd and Spurs - we were never going to get anything from those games" but the reality is we should be approaching every game hopeful of getting some form of result, as if we're serious about pushing on from a 9th place finish we can't afford to have a proportion of games that we're not expecting to get points from. We showed last year we can beat anyone on our day, and with an improved squad there's no reason to approach any game with trepidation.
Tactics then. Last season, I started to think that with Michu at attacking midfield we lose something in terms of ball retention, and it's something I still believe is happening. The reason we are where we are as a club, the sole reason, is our ability to retain possession and play as a team. Traditionally, this has involved three dedicated central midfielders who all know their role explicitly, and this allows us to keep possession ticking over and more importantly starve the opposition of the ball.
Key to this style of play is Leon Britton. The Swansea stalwart is integral to how we play, and his absence against Spurs was notable. Even when Britton has a slight "off day" he'll still ensure we operate how we know best, and any time he's not in the starting XI I have my doubts as to how well we'll control the midfield. An ideal midfield for me (from the current squad) would be Britton and Canas deep, with Shelvey or De Guzman ahead of them. This would give our midfield a good sense of balance and I'd wager with a midfield like that we'd look a much more efficient footballing unit than we did at White Hart Lane last weekend.
Don't get me wrong - I love Michu. If you have a player who doesn't necessarily fit your team 100%, but what you gain from having him in the team outweighs what you lose in terms of ball retention, then obviously it makes sense to stick with what you're doing, but given results towards the tail end of last season I am starting to wonder whether we'd be better off going with three "proper" midfielders as opposed to two, Michu ahead of them, and then Bony up top.
Granted, we started with three midfielders against Spurs, but I think the manner of the performance only serves to highlight how important Leon (or someone capable of mimicking his role - Ki?) is to the team. I think of all the new signings Canas is the one I'm currently most excited about (not including Bony) - I love the idea of him alongside Britton, and I think he'd prove a perfect foil for the diminutive midfielder. Whether they'll get the chance to forge a partnership remains to be seen.
With Europa League football likely to be on the agenda for a long time yet, we're likely to see a great deal of squad rotation, and the makeup of the midfield is likely to change significantly from match to match. Leon played 90 minutes against Petrolul but then missed out against Spurs - given the result on the weekend I'm now hoping he's rested for Thursday's second leg so that he can feature against West Brom a few days later.
The argument against this would be that, once Michu & Bony forge their own partnership, we'll be less reliant on possession and more capable of scoring goals. I'm all for that! Until then, however, let's stick to what we know best...
Skipper claims 2013/14 is his best pre-season yet as squad look to carry good form into league opener
Some of Swansea's new signings could have been forgiven for thinking the whole "Welsh weather" thing was perhaps something of a cruel in-joke, given the balmy conditions we've enjoyed over the last few weeks. With the temperatures nudging 30 degrees and a plethora of beaches to choose from post-training, players arriving from Spain must have thought they'd discovered a home from home, while the sun will no doubt have helped endear SA1 to Jonjo Shelvey and Wilfried Bony too.
As any seasoned South Walian knew though, the glorious sunshine couldn't last. The last few days have seen the kind of weather we're more accustomed to in these parts, but it clearly hasn't dampened spirits in the Swansea camp as evidenced by Ashley Williams' positive take on the club's pre-season campaign:
"I am excited. I think pre-season's gone really well and you're almost scared to admit that you think we're going to be good this season. We've progressed every year and I've never had a pre-season this good before. We've scored a lot of goals and haven't conceded many. Things are going well so I am excited — but I don't want to say that and jinx it."
"It was really good. We're proud to be in European competition and in a way it was the perfect night for us. It is something we can celebrate, four goals scored, a clean sheet, and on top of that a good performance. We want to go as far as we can in the competition, we've said that all along.
"Maybe in the season it's going to catch up with us. I've never been involved in Europe before, but sometimes it looks that way with other teams. We planned for that game, we wanted to win it and we did.
"It's nice to come into the Liberty and see the Europa League signs on the door. I never thought we'd make a Euro competition so it's something to be proud of.
"I thought they played really well. Jordi next to me had a good game and I'm a big fan of Jonjo's. You can also see what Wilfried brings to the team. He's a great focal point for us attacking-wise. I'm sure that when he gets up to speed and knows Michu's game, those two are going to be a threat.
"Not since Jason Scotland in the Championship have we had a physical presence up there, someone we can play the ball to and it sticks. He can certainly do that. But also he's got great feet and can play."
When asked what he thought new Manchester United manager David Moyes would have made of the performance (he was in attendance for the Malmo game), Williams was quick to point out the squad are only concerned with how they feel they've played:
"I hope he's impressed with the performance we put on. I know we feel that we played well and that's all we can worry about. I felt like we dominated the game so we didn't really give them a chance to impose themselves on the game.
"I haven't seen this sort of competition before at Swansea. There's a lot of players looking for places, but I'm sure we're going to need them as the season goes on." Ashley Williams
Early signs have been positive indeed, but the litmus test will surely come when Manchester United roll into town. A positive result against the champions will go a long way in instilling confidence throughout the side, and could well see us build up a head of steam as we take on what is, without doubt, a daunting opening set of fixtures that includes Man Utd, Spurs, Liverpool & Arsenal before the end of September.
Britton claims current crop of players best Swansea squad he's seen
I think anyone who has only seen the Swans post-1983 would agree with you in a flash there, Leon.
"This is the best Swansea squad I have ever seen. We now have genuine depth with two players for every position. That means everybody has to be at the top of their game or they will be out of the side. It was a great performance against Malmo.
"It's so exciting to be playing [Man Utd] with a new manager afterso long. That's going to make it some occasion." Leon Britton
Laudrup pleased with squad depth
Last but not least on a day when it seems everyone is in the press talking about how happy they are, our esteemed manager has been chatting with the Evening Post, saying that while he's not immediately concerned about tired legs, squad rotation will definitely be a factor when games start piling up in the middle of the season:
"I don't look at resting players, we have only played one game. But if I am talking about the depth of the squad, we have to use all the players. I showed last season I would do that, I changed a lot of players in December and January - I have a lot of possibilities so even if I change four or five we will still have a very competitive team.
"Even without the Europa League, we need that depth. In August you can play the same team more or less in every game, but then suddenly you need the others. You get to the middle of the season and there are a lot of cup games; and that's without the Europa League." Michael Laudrup
As I showed in a recent blog (here) the strength in depth we've acquired in the last few years is rather remarkable. We've gone from plucky team-ethic newcomers to, it would seem, a team brimming with Premier League quality in just over two years, and most of it has been done fairly under the radar. Kudos must go again to our board, as well as the managers (and other movers and shakers behind the scenes - a begrudging not in the direction of Bayram Tutumlu included) who made some of the transfers happen.
One thing is for sure; we're venturing into unknown waters for Swansea City football club, and it seems everyone is intent on enjoying it. Long may it continue.
Tiendalli offered new contract & called up to Holland squad!
Swansea full-back Dwight Tiendalli
Quite a bit of news today; let's start with Dwight Tiendalli. The Surinam-born former Ajax youth team player will surely have a grin on his face at the moment, as he has recently been the recipient of two bits of good news. Firstly, he was offered a new deal by the Swans, which was no more than his performances this term have deserved. Every fan I've spoken to has been a fan of the marauding full-back, and his European experience could be very handy next year. Within the space of a few hours it was also confirmed that Dwight would, for the first time, join up with the Holland squad as they travel to play friendlies against Indonesia and China. While the opponents are far from auspicious, playing for your country is a privilege few will enjoy during their careers, and he will no doubt be excited at getting an opportunity to showcase his abilities on the international stage for the first time. He'll be in good company too, as teammates Michel Vorm & Jonathan De Guzman have also been called up, so at least there'll be some friendly faces in the squad. Incidentally, Ajax have three players in the Dutch squad too - can you imagine being told ten years ago that the Swans would have the same amount of players representing Holland as Ajax? Incredible stuff!
Tiendalli himself seemed unsure as to goings on as of Sunday, however it seems things have now progressed and we may see him sign on for at least one more year in the very near future.
Leon to undergo double hernia operation
Fresh from coming out with a plea for Ashley Williams to stay in SA1, it's been announced that Leon will have surgery, after playing through the pain barrier in order to see out the season.
"My groin has felt quiet tight, but I wanted to play through the pain and finish the season. I missed parts of training in that time but it was necessary to ensure I was available for the games, although I did struggle a little bit in the last four to six weeks. I've had one hernia since December, and a scan around four weeks or so ago showed I had another one." "I've had a hernia operation before, around 2005, so I know the procedure. It means I will come in during the summer to do some rehab which will make sure I'm ready for pre-season training. "Next season will be huge for us as we will be involved in four competitions, so I want to make sure I'm fit and ready when we report back for pre-season." Leon Britton
It seems that Leon has been keen to further his "Jack Bar Steward" reputation by grinning and bearing pain in the name of the cause, but the indication is he should be fine for next season. Despite picking up the odd recurring injury over the years Leon should be a firm fixture in the Swansea City midfield for years to come; news which will no doubt please Swansea fans to a man.
West Ham reportedly enter race for Romelu Lukaku's signature
I mentioned this as more of a joke than anything else. It's been reported for months that the Swans are interested in signing the Belgian teenager, however rumours resurfaced recently indicating there may yet be something in this, despite Lukaku seemingly being "out of Swansea's league" as it were. European football will no doubt help if we are in for him, however I will be absolutely amazed if he decided West Ham was the best available offer for the 2013/2014 season. They have just agreed a fee for Andy Carroll, and play nasty, nasty football; while a partnership featuring the two would be one of the more physically imposing in world football it's unlikely anyone will ever have to defend against it. Lukaku to West Ham? No sodding chance...
So, the season has drawn to a close. Over the next few months journalists, bloggers and reporters will be sniffing around for stories as the lack of competitive action impacts upon the amount of content available to fill column inches, but for now at least there's an abundance of post-season analysis and comment available for our perusal.
First up is Leon's interview where he stated his belief that the Swans should pull out all the stops in a bid to retain Ashley Williams services for next season.
"It is vitally important that we keep someone like Ashley. He has been fantastic since he joined us and he is the captain now. He has been absolutely brilliant, and it's no surprise he has been linked with Liverpool and Arsenal. "It is a testament to the player because he has been outstanding, but hopefully we can keep hold of him. We would all love him to stay and we will see what the summer holds but hopefully come the start of August he will still be here." "I think it is important we spread the games around the squad. We have seen this season with the likes of Newcastle and Stoke - two teams who have done well in the Europa League - that you can struggle a bit in the league. "It can take its toll, but I am sure the management and staff have plans in place to bring players in." Leon Britton
People have been using Newcastle as an example of what can happen if you try and compete in Europe with a fairly thin squad. They finished last season with 65 points - a massive twenty four more than they accrued this term. Granted, there were other factors involved in their dismal form this year but ultimately it seems the extra games really affected their league performance. Given that Newcastle enjoyed some success in the Europa League and actually had a crack at it, their experiences are likely to be more comparable to Swansea's impending Euro adventure than Stoke's the year before, where Pulis didn't really take it seriously and put out a second team against Valencia (the Potters unsurprisingly went down 2-0).
Laudrup has stated that if (and that's a big if) the Swans retain their entire squad (minus players he wants to ship out) he'd like to sign six or seven players for next season. He's also hinted that some of his transfer targets would "get fans excited" so it seems we may be in for a surprise or two over the close season. As for Ashley Williams, would he go? Liverpool seem set to sign Kolo Toure on a free, which would seemingly make Anfield an unlikely destination for the Swansea captain, however with Arsenal consistently rumoured to be interested you feel a bid is now imminent. Would he go? It would be hard, if not impossible for him to turn down such a move, but you never know.
As I mentioned in a previous blog here, it's not always sensible to cash in. Ok, the Swans could probably get £10mil, maybe a bit more, but we don't necessarily need it and selling Ash would rip the heart out of the defence, the team and the dressing room. He's been exceptional since signing for us and has come on so far; I remember when he was still rough around the edges - any time he came for a header I winced because generally he'd fly past the man and miss the ball, but I think playing alongside Garry Monk has made Williams into the defender he is. He now has a greater appreciation of how to read the game and despite the incessant abuse he doles out to Monk you feel he appreciates how much playing alongside him has helped his game.
If he wants to go, then obviously we can't stop him. That's the one thing no-one knows and you won't find many Swansea fans who'd begrudge him his chance at playing for an established Champions League club. If and when he does move on, it's going to be one hell of a task replacing him, and the Swans are probably already keeping tabs on options in case he does up sticks. Leon clearly agrees that selling Ash would leave a massive void and it's always questionable whether you can fill such a void without suffering on the pitch. So far though the Swans higher-ups have performed miracles in terms of player recruitment and I don't expect that to stop now. Onwards and upwards, eh!
With yesterday's blog looking at how Ki and Jonathan De Guzman fare when their stats are compared, it seems only fair (and a few people have asked me) to look at how Leon comes out when all is said and done. With Ki seemingly being asked to play like Leon, it should be very interesting to see how this pans out. I'll throw JDG's stats in at the end for good measure too, for ease of comparison.
It's Leon, so let's start with passes. Famously Europe's most accurate passer last season, he's so far found himself usurped in the pass completion department by his lanky South Korean counterpart. Leon has completed 91% of his passes (1359/1493) compared to Ki's 92.5% (1438/1554), and the Korean again comes out on top when you look at key passes, playing 1 a game compared to Leon's 0.3. I think we'd all agree that from what we've seen of Ki this season, his game is naturally more expansive than how Leon has played for the last few years, so this is likely an unsurprising statistic to most. That Ki plays on average 55.5 passes a game compared to Leon's 53.3, however, may surprise some given that Leon is still regarded as the central cog around which the Swansea team rotates, and when you consider Ki plays 5.8 successful long passes a game compared to Leon's 1.8, it seems that when it comes to shifting the ball on quickly (and accurately) the Korean is at least a match for the Swans' legend.
£5million man Ki Sung-Yueng
A look at defence now. While Leon is hardly a tough-tackler, Ki has been at the receiving end of criticism from fans for, ahem, deciding not to tackle (I promised to keep the language on this website child friendly...), so it's interesting to see that, even if this is true, they make almost an identical amount of tackles per game (Leon with 1.3 and Ki with 1.2), however Leon does come out on top when you look at interceptions, averaging 2.1 per game, edging towards double the 1.2 Ki manages, and also makes more blocks - stopping 0.5 shots a game to Ki's 0.3. Interestingly, Leon get's dribbled past almost once a game (0.8) whereas Ki is clearly a tougher man to get past, averaging exactly half that, and Ki also makes more clearances, with 1.3 to Leon's 0.8, and given that the defensive role is new to Ki I'm surprised at the level of criticism he's received for supposed defensive failings.
The similarities continue; both midfielders attempt 0.4 dribbles a game, are dispossessed once a game (ish - Leon is 0.8 and Ki 0.9) and draw one foul a game, however Leon actually gives away possession twice as often - 0.8 times per game as opposed to Ki's 0.4. There is definitely an element of splitting hairs going on here; I get the feeling that if I was to compare, say, the central midfielders at another mid-table club (West Brom, Fulham etc) the statistics would vary a lot more from player to player, although I'd imagine on the whole the attacking statistics would be a little more impressive. Ki has two assists while Leon has none, and while the 1.4 shots per game attempted by the Korean isn't a huge amount it dwarfs the 0.3 attempted by the diminutive Londoner. That neither have managed a goal this term is no surprise.
I'm not alone in expecting Leon to pass regardless of the goalscoring opportunity that's presented itself, and slightly tenuously it gives me a chance to stick a quality video in.. I'll never forget the Playoff Semi-Final - Leon received the ball from a short corner, nipped past Marcus Tudgay and let fly with his left foot, leaving Lee Camp with no chance and putting the Swans 1-0 up. Epic stuff, that, but the excitement was definitely heightened because not one Swansea fan would have expected Leon to shoot from there - the little man himself was probably as surprised as anyone to see the ball end up in the top corner! The noise in that video is special...
As suggested in yesterday's blog, I don't really see these two players as having to compete for the same place, even though there's likely to be increased competition next year (press reports indicate we've agreed to sign Jose Canas, who operates as a defensive midfielder). With two defensive berths in the midfield against "bigger" teams (ie. Leon & Canas) and a dedicated attacking midfielder ahead of them (Ki or De Guzman) it would give us more balance than we've had of late (I still don't like Michu at attacking midfield as I feel it disrupts the normal rhythm). Against "lesser" teams, the three wingers formation should work a treat with a bit more practice/player recruitment, and I like the idea that we'll have two variations to our midfield, with interchangeable personnel. That kind of dynamism and fluidity could prove crucial when/if the fixtures pile up due to continued European involvement, and Laudrup has previously stated he'd like to have two players for every position.
There is, of course, the possibility that Canas is being lined up as a replacement for Leon. Let's not think about that eh...
Full stats for Leon Britton, Jonathan De Guzman & Ki Sung-Yueng
Diminutive midfielder has written his name in the history books
I'll be honest, I started thinking about who should play at centre-back (as my Twitter timeline will bear testament to), but it fried my brain and I decided it would be better to give that some thought over the next few weeks. So, in less than heroic fashion I switched and decided to select the first central midfielder for my All Time Swansea XI, and in truth it didn't take long for me to decide who would be the first outfield player to make it into the team.
Leeeeeeeeeeeeeon
Britton as a youngster at West Ham
Leon Britton arrived in Swansea with the club at a low ebb. The acquisition of a player who could legitimately claim to still be (at the time) the most expensive 16 year old in British football was regarded as something of a coup, and having already spent time at both West Ham and Arsenal it was very much hoped he could help pull the Swans away from the relegation zone.
Originally an Arsenal youth team player, Britton was a member of the England Development School at Lilleshall, and must have been doing something right because in 1998 West Ham manager Harry Redknapp deemed fit to pay £400k for the technically proficient midfielder. Britton was in esteemed company at West Ham - the team at the time would have included Joe Cole, Frank Lampard, Paolo Di Canio, Rio Ferdinand and other star names, however such a glut of talent (in central midfield in particular) left Britton watching from the sidelines. All in all, Britton spent four years trying to make a mark at West Ham but failed to make an appearance for the first team.
That takes us neatly to how Britton ended up at the Swans. By December 2002 (now aged 20) Britton had grown tired of playing reserve football, and instructed his agent to look for loan moves away from Upton Park. New manager Glenn Roeder didn't seem to fancy giving Britton his break, so when Brian Flynn inquired about the possibility of taking Britton to South Wales there was nothing standing in his way, and he found himself driving down the M4 towards Swansea. After playing in two friendly fixtures (against a Villa reserve side & Forest Green Rovers) he made his debut away at Exeter City - a game he remembers fondly despite the Swans going down 1-0. The Swans would actually go on to lose Britton's first four games 1-0, and these were followed by a 3-2 home reverse to Bury, and a 3-1 away loss at York, so it was seven games before Britton found himself on the winning side as a professional footballer, in a 1-0 home win over Lincoln City. I actually dug through my old programmes and found one from the Bristol Rovers game in December (Britton's third appearance for the Swans), but if I'm honest the overriding memory for me is that he had bright red boots which, let's be honest, were a bit flash for the arse end of Division Three. Thankfully, Britton had the skills to back up his boots, as it were, and found himself an instant hit with supporters.
His performances throughout 2003 undoubtedly helped the Swansea cause, but he was unable to stop the Swans spending most of the season in the drop zone, and as the end of the season drew close the Swans still needed to win on the final day of the season to secure their league status for the following year. Britton was part of the team that included Alan Tate, Kristian O'Leary, Roberto Martinez & James Thomas who famously kept the Swans up against Hull - a game that I'm sure will forever remained embedded in the memories of anyone who witnessed it. Britton's performances for the Swans hadn't gone unnoticed either - he found himself nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award, which he subsequently won - not bad going for a player who six months prior had never played a professional match. A sign of the man is that in March of that year Britton suffered a triple fracture of his cheekbone, and was expected to miss the rest of the season. Not Leon. After just one game out he returned to the Swansea team sporting a protective facemask which was a bit Phantom of the Opera, as the picture below shows!
Despite his impressive loan spell in South Wales, West Ham were happy to let Britton join the Swans on a free and waived the final year of his contract - but things weren't quite that simple. Given the scarcity of funds available to the Swans hierarchy, it was left to supporters to gather funds to pay Britton's wages - with buckets literally being passed around between fans in an effort to raise the required sum. Leon has said he thinks his ex-girlfriend and her family chucked a bit of money in, and while it's a nice memory hopefully we won't ever require fans to literally put their hands in their pockets again in order to pay a players wages. That being said, it clearly worked, and after joining on a permanent basis in the summer of 2003, Leon has remained an almost ever present figure in the Swansea starting XI.
Britton seemed to enjoy playing under Flynn, and originally spent a lot of time playing as a right winger. His control and technique were way, way better than most of the squad's, and it was a joy to see someone who could, seemingly, control the ball every time (not a given at the level the Swans were playing at). Flynn moved on in March of 2004, and that led to Kenny Jackett being appointed as manager. Jackett's reign as Swans boss was, it seems, one of the two less enjoyable periods for Britton, as he found his first team berth threatened by players Jackett felt were more competitive physically. Jackett's tenure didn't start well, losing his first six games in charge and missing out on the playoffs, but the following year the Swans gained promotion back to "League One", and would start the next season playing in their new home - The Liberty Stadium.
The Swans flew out of the blocks the next season, and spent a large amount of time in the automatic promotion spots before eventually having to settle for a playoff place due to their form tailing off at the end of the year - although the team did win the Football League Trophy, in part thanks to this outstanding goal from Lee Trundle. Look closely, and despite the grainy resolution you should be able to make out Leon playing a lovely ball for Trundle to hammer it home.
The next year saw Jackett struggling to maintain the level of performance, and after a mountain of media criticism (mostly for what was generally construed to be a negative playing style) he resigned, citing lack of support from the fans, players and media as his main motivation for leaving the club. In the first of Swansea's curveball managerial appointments, Jackett's successor was someone who, when the call came, was actually still a footballer player! Ex-Swan Roberto Martinez was enjoying himself playing for Chester City when Huw Jenkins got in touch, and after a contract was agreed Roberto was unveiled as manager. This was the start of Leon's renaissance with the Swans - Martinez & Britton were room-mates during their time together as Swansea players and it was always likely that Britton would fit neatly into how Martinez would want his team to play football.
In reality, since Martinez sculpted the Swansea team in his own mould Britton has almost been ever-present in the side. The only manager who he hasn't got on with in the time that has passed was, famously, Paolo Sousa, but it seems no-one got on with him so that's no real surprise. What was surprising, however, was that it actually led to Leon departing the club - and realistically few would have seen Sheffield United as an ideal footballing destination. As everyone knows, that didn't work out, and Leon found himself rejoining the Swans for free six months later, and with Brendan Rodgers now at the helm he found himself once again enjoying regular first-team football, becoming the essential midfield pivot around which the Swans expansive football flowed. Promotion to the Premier League under Rodgers and unparalleled cup success under Laudrup followed, firmly cementing his name into the annals of Swansea' history. A good indicator of how far Britton has travelled with the Swans is that last year Britton finished the season as Europe's most accurate passer - fending off competition from most of the Barcelona squad! I'm sure you'll agree that's quite a departure from Exeter City away in front of 3,000 fans...
Europe's most accurate passers for the 2011/2012 season
That Leon joined the Swans at around the same time as the current owners took charge draws a nice parallel which is strengthened when you consider he has become the embodiment of how Swansea like to play football. For Swansea to prosper, it's imperative we retain as many links with the recent past as possible. Britton has, time and again, recalled less glamorous times for Swansea City; of training sessions at "mystery" destinations, washing your own kit, and travelling around in what appeared to be an old school bus. He, along with Garry Monk, Alan Tate and a host of behind the scenes staff, will help to ensure that the squad remains grounded despite their current lofty status in the league.
Leon celebrating promotion to the Premiership with fellow stalwarts Alan Tate & Garry Monk.
Given that his playing style leans more towards a neat pass rather than a lung-bursting sprint, it's likely Leon can maintain his level of performance for a number of years yet, and you won't find any Swansea fans who'd object to that. Leon Britton. Swansea Legend.
