Wilfried Bony goes a long way in proving himself to doubters

Ivorian's two-goal haul should prove that given time, he can succeed at Swansea

 

Since his arrival at Swansea, there has been a noisy section of the Swansea support which seemed hell-bent on seeing Bony fail to live up to both his price-tag and his free-scoring reputation. "He doesn't run enough" they cried, "he doesn't get into goalscoring positions enough" they protested. Well, last night's performance should go a long way in refuting any of those statements, as he was outstanding from start to finish, and easily our best player on the day.

I can only remember him losing the ball in the first half once, when under pressure from multiple Man City defenders, and apart from that he was involved in everything good the Swans did. He went close with a long range drive,  and linked well with his midfielders, at one point flicking the ball on coyly which allowed De Guzman to be played through - though the Dutchman couldn't produce the finish the move deserved. His first goal was the result of a great ball in from De Guzman and Bony got between the centre-backs (and was lucky to not be flagged offside - even if it would have been marginal) before heading past a flat-footed Joe Hart.

The second half sadly saw Bony involved much less as Man City upped the ante. It was no surprise that without the ball making it's way to the figurehead of the Swans' attack, we looked massively less likely to break through the opposition defence - but we must remember the calibre of the opposition we were facing. Having said that, I can only remember Bony getting two opportunities in the second half - and both times he found the target. The first was a snapshot which forced a save from Joe Hart and the second was an absolutely fantastic hit which swerved away from Hart and into the bottom corner. A great finish, and hopefully that's got the camel off his back.

Personally (as any regular readers of the blog will know all too well), I believe Bony will come very good. He's now got six goals in nine starts (plus a further six sub appearances) in the league, which really isn't that bad. I know he cost £12million, and that's a grotesque figure considering where we've come from in the last ten years, but he should be judged on performances - not his price tag. We signed him for the player he is - not because of how much he was valued at.

Anyway, I'm in Thailand and it's too damn warm to keep typing - I'm off for a beer. I'll endeavour to keep the site updated but given internet access issues it's unlikely I'll be able to blog much before heading home on the 15th. Expect an inundation of blogs when I get back as no doubt there'll be plenty to discuss.

Swansea kick off their Dutch tour, while talk of Bony finalising a move intensifies

Swansea pick up wins in their first two friendlies as they look to get up to speed ahead of the new season

As suspected, I spent the entire weekend on the Brighton promenade, hawking the wares of my friend's clothing company, and as such I was unable to catch any of the sport. I didn't time that one too well to be honest, missing the Lions smashing Australia and Murray becoming the first British winner of Wimbledon in donkey's years, but in truth I spent more of my time wondering how the Swans had been getting on in Holland (and whether a certain striker had agreed terms). 

They kicked off their pre-season shenanigans with a match against FC Gravenzande - very much an amateur side and the Swans seemed to take their time about things, using the game to get up to speed and get their passing game going. The game was a bit of a dead rubber, but finished 2-0 to the Welsh side thanks to goals from Ki Sung-Yueng & Pablo Hernandez. The Spaniard was pleased to get off the mark so early on in pre-season:

"Considering it was our first game, we enjoyed good possession.It wasn't easy because we are not 100 per cent fit. It's always better to win, but more important for us now is the hard work we do to ensure we start next month 100 per cent fit and ready. 

"Obviously I am happy to score in the first game, but the goal is secondary to me. It's the work that comes first." Pablo Hernandez

The game saw the inclusion of many of the club's new signings, as did the second game - against Excelsior - who despite supposedly being a class above the Swans' previous Dutch opponents took a bit of a pasting 5-1, with the goals coming from Lamah, Donnelly, Pozuelo, Gorre & Dyer. Good to see some different names popping up on the score sheet, but notable for me was how much Ki seemed to be getting forward. Is it possible he's trying to make a point in pre-season? With attacking midfield options secured in Pozuelo & Shelvey, it's imperative he sticks his head above the parapet in the next few games if he's any hope of figuring in a more advanced mifield role this season.

Another player who's hoping to force his way into the first-team reckoning is Jazz Richards, who's spoken to the official site regarding his plans for the new season:

"I went on loan to gain experience and get some game-time so you can return and push for a spot in the team. Obviously Angel is going strong and doing very well, but I hope to be a part of things this season. I don't know if I will go out on loan again, but you never know what can happen during pre-season. 

"Just look at Ben [Davies]; he was among the best players we had in pre-season last year, and he went on to have a great season. When Tayls got injured, Ben went straight in because he had a great pre-season and was fit, sharp and ready. 

"That's what it is all about. You go into pre-season, get your fitness in and show the manager what you can do. Then it's up to the manager. So that's what I'm hoping to do." Jazz Richards

Personally I thought he did very well when he featured for us in the PL, and as a right-back I think he could have a good future at the club. With youth on his side, he's got plenty of time to add a bit of defensive savvy to his name, and with a decent first touch, good passing ability and a great engine he's a tidy player to have kicking around the squad. While it seems Tiendalli won't be retained (which is a shame as he was excellent for us) I think Jazz will seize this opportunity with both hands and we'll see more of him this year.

Swansea expected to finalise £13million deal for Wilfried Bony

It looks like it's finally happening. Fingers crossed, touch wood and all manner of other superstitious sayings are no doubt being rolled out across South Wales as Huw & co try to iron out the creases in what would be a record signing for the Swans, and a record fee received for Vitesse. The transfer is believed to be over £10million up front, with £13million being the top end fee if all add-on's come to fruition, and it's a real, real statement of intent from the Swansea board.

"Until it is signed we cannot speak about an agreement, but there are only a few details now. We want it done by lunchtime [Monday] or so. We have the last few details to sort with his representative, but that won't be a problem. 

"He will have his medical in Holland before joining up with the team." HuwaJenkins speaking to Dutch paper De Telegraaf

Quite a few people were sniping cynically for weeks and weeks about how the lack of ambition in the transfer market could cost the Swans dearly, however in pursuing Bony they've shown that (if they believe the player is right for the Swans) they have no problem spending money to get him. One thing that can't be said of other clubs too, is that as fans we know that if we're bidding £13million, it's because we can damn well afford it. How much remains in the Liberty coffers remains to be seen, but with around £20million spent (assuming the Bony deal goes through) hoping for further big-money signings may be futile.

Of all the strikers we've been linked with this summer, Wilfried Bony seems to be the one that excites the fans, and his goal return also far exceeds that of any of the others too. Stay tuned as it seems we could be hearing something imminently - but then again, we have been hearing that all weekend...

Bony transfer very much back on, and the Swans bid for Tom Ince

Huw reported to have met with Ivorian striker's representatives today

There's been a lot of talk that the Swans' chairman has today tried to iron out the finer details of a £10.2million transfer for Wilfried Bony, in what had started to look like the typical protracted Swansea transfer saga. Thankfully, it appears that won't now be the case, as if a bidding war had broken out you can bet your bottom dollar Huw would have got on the first plane home (if he allows himself the frivolity of air travel) and wouldn't dream of moving from what he felt was a fair price.

I get the feeling that all of the stories we've seen in the last two days regarding other strikers we may make moves for have been serving a purpose, and that purpose was to let Vitesse know we weren't going to stand around while they waited for a bigger offer from, say, Newcastle or Chelsea. The player himself has come out and said he wants to join the Swans, and with everything pointing to this being tied up soon we could well be seeing a new addition being unveiled very shortly. 

If this comes off, Huw will have played a blinder.

Tom Ince latest player to attraction the Swans' attention

Skysports are reporting that we're now involved in a battle for the signature of Tom Ince, who's currently playing for his father at Blackpool. That lends nicely to some mad quotes, the type of which you don't see that often:

"Cardiff have come in massively for Thomas and the chairman has accepted their offer, but Thomas loves it here and has told me he's in no rush to leave the club. 

"I think it's 50/50 at the moment. It's a tricky one for me. Ideally you want your son to be playing in the Premier League, but you also want him to be playing for you." Blackpool boss Paul Ince

I'd say the Swans must surely be a more attractive opposition than Cardiff, despite all the money that's been spend on Cardiff Bay over the last decade, and if we match their offer you'd be fairly confident that (if Ince wants a transfer) we'd get the man. The Independent seem to think between Ince and Bony we'll be spending £20million, so the fee for a player who last year set the Championship alight could well be more than the £8million which was reported as the going rate a few weeks ago.

I for one was a little disappointed we weren't going after Ince earlier in the summer, as I felt he was one of, if not the outstanding player in the Championship last season - and what's more one who's ideally suited to playing for the Swans. Fast, tricky and eager to break the line, he'd rejuvenate a forward line that seemed to lack a spark towards the end of last season, and with the possibility of Bony charging around the place too we could well see a vastly changed Swansea attacking unit. Ince, Routledge, Hernandez, Bony, Michu, anyone? Yes please!

Ben Davies: "Ash is worth £10million", Amat explains why he signed & the Swans to drop interest in Wilfried Bony?

First up today is Ben Davies chipping in with his tuppence worth on the protracted rumour surrounding Ashley Williams' future. It's been reported for months that Arsenal and Liverpool are interested in signing the Welsh captain, however it seems neither club are even remotely interested in meeting the Swans' valuation, believed to be around the £10million mark.

Davies alongside skipper Ashley Williams

When you're a club the size of Arsenal or Liverpool (or any other club with CL aspirations, for that matter), you have to expect to be paying these kinds of prices for established Premier League players. Ash just finished his second PL season, drawing plaudits from all corners while helping his team to (another) improved league finish, along with their first ever major silverware.

He helped secure Europa League football for next season, so to me if Arsene Wenger wants Ash, he wants him because he believes he can compete in the Champions League and he'll have to pay the going rate to do that. Name another established first-choice Premier League centre-back who you'd back to compete in the CL, who you could pick up for less than £10million? I don't think that's an exorbitant fee, and Ben Davies clearly agrees:

"Last season I would say Ash was one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, I cannot think of many who were better than him. The job he did was incredible.. 

"A price of £10m or more to sign him is completel justified. You see some of the money that gets spent in this league on players who are unproven in the Premier League. I think £10m is more than a fair price. 

"Ash gave me a lot of confidence on the pitch and the transition from Swansea to playing for Wales was made a lot easier as I played with him every week. He is a great player and a great captain, he is always there to talk to, and if you have to say something he is happy to take it." Ben Davies

Jordi Amat - "Swansea style the reason I signed"

The latest in an ever expanding procession of Conquistadors to make their way to SA1, Amat adds to an already healthy Spanish contingent, and acknowledges that with numerous countrymen already at the club making the switch to the Liberty was an easy decision to make:

This picture of Amat was worth including
purely for the kit he's wearing. Epic.

"I think I can settle into the club straightaway, especially as we have Spanish players here already. I know Pablo Hernandez and Michu already, while Chico and Angel Rangel are very important players here. I also played against Jose Canas last season in La Liga, so I know a lot about him, but it's not just that, or the fact Michael Laudrup is manager, it is the way in which the club play. The style here is perfect for me — it is the way I play. 

"I am very happy to join Swansea. One of my dreams has been to play in the Premier League, and I can do that here. I am very grateful to the chairman and Michael Laudrup for giving me this opportunity and showing a lot of faith in me. My target now is to repay their faith and do everything I can to help the team. 

"I watched Swansea last season — what the club achieved was incredible. To finish in the top half of the Premier League and win a trophy is a massive achievement. In Spain, Swansea are very famous now. They talk a lot about the club and how they have become a successful team in the Premier League with an attractive style of play. 

"The club has a great set-up — the stadium is lovely and I know it's full every game, and I can't wait to run out in front of the supporters for the first time."      Jordi Amat

When Jose Canas came out with similar comments regarding the Swans, it was greeted (outside SA1 at least) with a small amount of mirth, given that the more hirsute of the two recently arrived Spaniards claimed Swansea were "the most famous team in Spain". While I don't think we could go that far, it's unlikely there's any kind of corroborated charm offensive being utilised by the Swans in terms of pitching the club to Spanish players, so it's likely they're not just making this up, and we are developing more of a following in Spain. Nothing wrong with that, and it'll only be of benefit to the club both financially, through increased shirt and merchandise sales, and in terms of how easy it is to attract players to the club in future.

Swansea to drop interest in Wilfried Bony?

With Huw Jenkins having gone on record as expecting to hear something regarding the Swans' bid for the Ivorian before the weekend was over, it seems the Swans' chief is losing patience with his current club, Vitesse Arnhem. It's believed the Swans have tabled a bid worth around £10million plus add-ons, and when the Swans put that kind of money on the line I can't imagine they'd be willing to hang around too long waiting for an answer. Huw knows that he can't, and won't be drawn into a bidding war, and while I don't feel we can rule out this deal being completed just yet it's more than possible we're now looking at other options in terms of a new striker.

Nacer Chadli. Tricky.

There've been two names which have appeared in the last 48 hours. First, Christian Benitez (once of Birmingham - remember him?) - the Ecuadorian has excelled for Club America in Mexico over the last couple of seasons and has reportedly drawn interest from Tottenham, amongst others. I'd say it'd be very hard to draw any conclusions on a striker's efficiency by comparing the Mexican league to the Premier League, but if the club feel he's worth a bid they know a lot more than I do.

The other name which has been linked with the Swans in the last few hours is that of FC Twente striker Nacer Chadli. The 25-year-old Belgian scored 16 goals in 32 games (in all competitions) last season, and from what I'm reading he's very much in the Scott Sinclair mould - a tricky forward who operates on the left hand side, but is actually right footed. He's only 23, and would apparently cost slightly less than Bony at around £8.5million, however given Bony's scoring record it's hard not to feel like we're accepting second best if we miss out now. That being said, Chadli has been featuring for the Belgian side and given the wealth of talent they have in attack it's clear that the powers that be rate him highly.

One issue may be the reported interest of Aston Villa. With fellow countryman Christian Benteke enjoying such a prolific breakthrough season in the Midlands, it's possible Chadli will decide to opt for the Villains over the Swans. With information on Chadli scant, the best I can do is link a video from youtube:

The guy has clearly got technique in abundance and I've no doubt he'd be a good addition to the squad, but he definitely seems like more of a winger than an out and out striker. Is there anything in this one? We'll have to just wait and see...