Garry Monk shows why midfield width is king at Swansea City

Comprehensive win over Cardiff shows new Swansea boss Monk understands what is needed in SA1

There was a time not so long ago when Swansea fans went into every game confident in their team's ability to boss the centre of the park. Ever since Roberto Martinez came in and transformed the club's playing style we've had a succession of managers who use midfield dominance to control matches, but of late it's been painfully obvious that we simply weren't building anything constructive through the middle and teams had figured out how to nullify the threat posed by Michael Laudrup's Swansea City. I've ruminated often when it was I thought we last properly controlled a midfield, and before Saturday's win over Cardiff I'd have to say it was probably Newcastle at home almost a year ago. Worrying? Not any more.

What has been excruciatingly frustrating to most Swansea fans is that the changes to the style which were necessary were just so bleeding obvious. We've built our success on our ability to retain the ball, and key to this is having two central midfielders who work as a unit in front of the back four. Ok, one can wander forward occasionally but for a possession system to work properly your midfielders have to rely on each other and play their way out of trouble. 

In the past Mark Gower sat alongside Leon before Joey Allen broke into the team and made that spot his own, but since Joey's departure (and Laudrup's arrival) we've steadily gone away from a midfield with two deep midfielders, instead operating with one holding midfielder, one attacking midfielder and the third seemingly floating between the two. It might sound like I'm splitting hairs here but the difference is massive - especially when on occasion Leon hasn't been selected. Without the tika-taka protection offered by a midfield duo our defence has become more exposed, but the answer was staring us right in the face. Play Leon with a midfielder who has been explicitly told to hang around the Swansea number seven, and the rest will sort itself out!

De Guzman vs West Ham

De Guzman vs Cardiff

A good example of the immediate difference made by Garry Monk can be seen in Jonathan De Guzman's heatmap (heatmaps from the Daily Mail Matchzone). In Laudrup's last game in charge against West Ham, De Guzman had his usual wandery free role in the centre of the park and guess what? We lost. You can clearly see though that against Cardiff the Dutchman had been told to stick deeper and operate alongside Leon, and the difference was massive. Instantly, we'd returned to the football we hadn't seen since Brendan Rodgers. And not before time. 

Aside from the use of two holding midfielders, there was only really two other things Monk had to change in order to restore order in SA1. Well, three if you include geeing his team up but I suspect that was a foregone conclusion, so back to tactics for now. Under Laudrup. our wingers had become inside forwards and given the area they were running into often contained our centre forward, attacking midfielder, one of our central midfielders as well as possibly the "winger" on the other side it's no wonder they found the going tough - and that's before you factor in all the defenders marking the aforementioned players, or the fact that they only had to defend the central 60% of the pitch because we weren't using the touchlines effectively that far up the field.

So, what did Monk do? Easy - tell the wingers to play like wingers and get them hugging the touchline. Not only does this mean the opposition defence has to split itself wider from the outset, in doing so it creates space in the centre of the field - space we've long craved and put to good use against Cardiff. Look at the first Swans goal - Pablo had space in the centre as our wingers had stretched Cardiff, and that allowed the Spaniard to play a delicious ball inside the Cardiff full-back with Routledge careering around him on the outside. There is absolutely no way Routledge would have been in that position had Laudrup still been in charge, and it goes further than that. Our second goal? A cross from the wing from Routledge. The third? A free kick from out wide after Dyer had found space on the right flank. Width is key.

Ok, it's possible that given our recent style of play the impact these changes had has been exaggerated slightly given Cardiff may have been expecting us to set up differently, but if Monk continues in this vein we will be just fine. More than fine, in fact. The other noticeable difference in Saturday's performance when compared with any recent showing under Laudrup was how high we pressed the opposition. Cardiff didn't have time to play their way out and if I'm honest there were several occasions when I thought to myself "this is like watching Brendan Rodgers' Swansea team". 

To label Monk's success as such would however be a disservice. There were changes needed to how we were playing, and in my opinion Garry Monk got every single one of them spot on. He clearly knew what needed doing, and now he's got the opportunity to go and do it. If we play like we did against Cardiff at Stoke on Wednesday night, I'm very confident of a result, and I'm very, very interested to see how Garry Monk does for the remainder of the season. I've been saying for a while that perhaps what the Swans need is a head coach instead of a manager, given the unique way the club is set up and how heavily involved Huw is in the footballing side of things, and perhaps we've just stumbled upon the winning lottery ticket.

With Garry Monk in charge "for the foreseeable future", and on the evidence of Saturday's heroic win, I'm now more confident in the Swans' ability to produce results than I have been in about a year. Long live Garry Monk.

Improvement needed, but lay off the histrionics

Swansea need to improve, but we're still better than a good few teams in the Premiership

Over the last few weeks I've commented on an increasingly frustrating level of performance from the Swans. We know that the players who now pull on the coveted white shirt are capable of putting on spectacular displays of football, however so far this season we've flattered to deceive and I feel the 4-0 victory over Sunderland helped mask the underlying issue. 

We're simply not operating anywhere near the limits of our abilities. To me, we've been playing at around 60%, and of late it's almost started to resemble the football we were playing under Paolo Sousa, such is the lack of invention in the final third of the field. With the players we have at our disposal it's clearly not a case of lacking quality, and I believe it's entirely down to team selection.

This summer we signed Wilfried Bony for £12million. We also retained Michu, who'd been heavily linked with a move away from the Swans, and given his performances last season it would take a brave, brave man to bench him in favour of anyone - no matter if they were signed for a club record fee which doubled the previous figure. So it's been that Michu is, in my eyes, still regarded as the focal point of our attack, and I feel that's largely the reason we've been misfiring so far this season. I've likened trying to fit Bony & Michu into the team at the same time to trying to fit two round pegs into one square hole. Frustrating.

Towards the tail end of last season - in fact, since we won the Capital One Cup, we haven't played anywhere near as well as we did in the first half of last season. Thankfully, we'd managed to rack up a healthy points total which saw us retain a top-half finish, and despite some committed performances which gained decent results early on this season we still haven't reached the heights I, and most fans, feel we're capable of.

The main issue I see is we're drifting away from the team-focused football which has stood us in such good stead for such a long time now. I'm a massive fan of Laudrup and not for a minute do I want to see anyone else in charge in SA1, however I'm starting to feel his tactics seem more suited to Manchester United than Swansea City. It seems he expects his players to be able to replicate the individual feats of brilliance he himself was (and still is) capable of, which is all well and good. It's important though that these flicks, tricks and more come on top of our structured passing game - not instead of it.

Ok, we still retain possession at will. There's no doubting that, and we're adept at swinging the ball from left to right to evade opposition clutches, however the intricate passing which previously saw us undoing opposition defences simply isn't there, and I can't remember any of our midfielders presenting Wilfried Bony OR Michu with a clear-cut chance which it would then be up to them to mess up. Strikers at other clubs with far inferior players are given much better service, and it's something we need to improve on. 

With Michu at attacking midfield, the issue is exacerbated. The Swansea way is based on having three midfielders who can pass their way through any opposition midfield and while the players we're selecting in the three central positions are no doubt capable of that style of play Michu's natural game is to wander all over the park, which then leaves the other two midfielders short of an option to relieve pressure with a forward pass. Instead, we go backwards and sideways every time, and we're not able to build play in close enough proximity to our centre-forward to be able to provide him with any kind of meaningful service.

With Michu having picked up an injury against Cardiff, it seems we may finally see three "specialised" central midfielders playing behind a traditional centre-forward. I've argued for a long time that doing just that will bring a balance to the team which allows every player to play his natural game, and see a swift return to attractive, penetrative football - if not winning ways. Who knows, maybe we'll even see Leon & Jose Canas line up alongside each other.

For me, the problem is deeper-rooted than results. We need to start playing the Swansea way again, because as soon as we do, we'll start taking teams apart. If we were managing to outplay "Champions League level" midfields with Mark Gower, Leon Britton & Joey Allen in the middle, we should damn sure be able to do it with Leon, Jose Canas & Jonathan De Guzman in their place, and you can interchange Jonjo Shelvey & Alex Pozuelo with any of those three in my opinion. We have the players we need to succeed, it's just a case of figuring out which eleven players in which system is best suited to getting us results.

With Bony sure to get a few games up front without Michu behind him, this could be where Swansea's season turns around. Let's get back to what we know boys - pass, pass, and pass some more, and the rest will come. With Stoke visiting the Liberty in our next league fixture (after a cheeky Thursday-night jaunt to Russia for the Europa League), it's the perfect opportunity to put this theory to the test.

Come on boys, you're better than you've shown of late. Show everyone what you can do.

Keith Haynes: One man's viewpoint

The Swansea Way's Chief Football Correspondent returns with his take on recent international goings-on

In a week where the media tell us that footballers don't earn enough to survive after their retirement (barring the top 5%, apparently) and of course once again the Wales national side fell at every hurdle, optimism returns! It returns in the form and shape of Swansea City taking on Liverpool at The Liberty on Monday night (8.05pm KO) as the SKY cameras once again beam Swansea football to the world. 

A number of Swans fans bemoan the international breaks we all endure, the most recent one a point in case, and don't think its over folks! No, no, because next month there is another one as the final World Cup qualifiers are played out, and in November we'll endure another blank weekend of non fixtures as well. I don't blame any supporter for wanting more and more of the success and glory the Swans have achieved over the past eleven years or so though, the momentum gathered has been relentless, and season after season of non-stop glory is one hell of a drug. Those players not involved in these international breaks and blank fixture weekends are at least, I would hope, getting some fiscal advice -  so they at least know how to go to the bank and open up a savings account. 

Now and again I have a listen to our friends at Talk Sport - a station which employs a certain type of person, with a certain type of viewpoint, about a certain international football team. We all know which team that is - they're called England. Regardless of the presenter's nationality the script is always the same - they spend hour after hour analysing, de-constructing and criticising an international team that I think would struggle to get a draw against our beloved Swans (or indeed the majority of Premier League clubs!). Mark Saggers is a decent enough sports journalist, only one of a few at the station though. I recall his very lucid reporting of the 1993 grand national failed start, a reporters dream no doubt, but professionally done. He got an award for it I understand, but what's more he had his own viewpoint on whatever he found himself reporting on.

Unlike some of the stations presenters he hasn't served a prison term or been arrested and charged with criminal offences, which I suppose gives him a professional head start. I do give more credibility to a reporter with a professional background that doesn't include drug supply, drink driving, assault, criminal damage or animal cruelty. Mind you the station employing Andy Gray and Richard Keys after their pathetic and bullying comments on SKY for me, endorses anything I think of them as a media outlet and its reputation - and I haven't mentioned their employees being sacked for on air verbal abuse yet! Do you recall ex-QPR player Simon Stainrod on Talk Sport? He was employed by the station to manage a football phone in, but sadly for Simon his ability to understand the words football and phone in meant he was relieved of his duties on air. Not the brightest or shiniest of stars.

Saggers recent moaning about England's 0-0 draw in the Ukraine reflected the stations very clear agenda. It's a national radio station reporting on one country (England) and wherever possible focusing on the south east - and I mean wherever possible. If this isn't possible then it has to be one of the top 6 clubs, and most certainly sod the rest. Even in a relatively successful period for England (who are top of their group) Saggers found time to criticise them in the midst of World Cup qualification. Mind you he did have Tony Cascarino as a guest, a man who played eighty odd times for the Republic of Ireland before admitting he didn't have any ancestry to do so - In his own words "Im a fake Irishman, I should never have played".

So, another chap who fits the Talksport profile perfectly, but we wont talk about his private life here. Overall the programme bemoaned how England didn't have the guile and skill of more competent countries like Spain, for example. One news hack stated 'Yeah, but tippy tappy football wouldn't be acceptable to England fans' - the arrogance that oozes from Talksport couldn't have been more obvious than in this comment. This foolish person genuinely felt winning world and european cups as an international side should be done the 'English way' (off the bar with a dodgy linesman?), but personally if I want to see a team win any competition or game I would rather they did it 'The Swansea Way'.

Many people say to me 'I don't listen to Talk Sport' ..... Well I do, as I do to many things I don't rate that highly. We all have opinions, but surely to have one we need a little bit of experience? It's on this final point that the word 'experience' becomes subjective. Many England commentators and so called pundits hate the way their international side play, and more competent players like Matt Le Tissier (when he's not trying to assist a spread bet on putting the ball out of play in a premier league game) asked recently 'Why cant England just pass it to each other and build play from there?' I had to laugh when I heard this; poor old Matt, always looking confused, and still trying to put the ball out of play. He made this comment after two seasons of Swansea football and three years  of Premier League stats endorsing a club which do just that. 

And so it passes, the pun continues - as the so called clever people look at their top six, their south east teams and news reports amid their own agenda they don't see the players who could maybe help their international side. I'm not endorsing they should pick a player with better passing stats than Messi, or a player scoring the most goals or with top ten assists over every game he plays. Or indeed a player now finding his feet now he's out of the sights of Steven Gerrard. All I'm saying is the world of football, is just that; a world of football...but not at the English FA, and many a Swans fan will be thankful for that as well.

This is why Spain are the dominant force in the world game when it matters. Like Germany in tournaments, they always produce due to personal style and ethics, but of course, if it's about ethics and indeed ethical practices, then England will never aspire or succeed. Their mindset is such that it isn't allowed to - ego defeats common sense every time. With prejudiced views surrounding their game from those that write about it to those that played it they haven't got a chance, and never will have.

The thing is they cant see it, and nor do they care, because if it means their own prejudices being exposed they will never learn or develop. At media level, at club level and at international level, like a repeat offender the national side of England is riddled with an arrogance that is difficult to explain, but very clear and visible in its practice...and I haven't even mentioned Greg Dyke yet - the new man in the frame, the new voice that must be listened to. 

Go on pick a year, any year .....

See you under the bright lights of The Liberty on Monday folks!

Keith Haynes

Follow Keith on Twitter at @_KeithHaynes, and check out his latest books by clicking the link at the top left of the site.

The case for three midfielders

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...