(Video) Michu scoring past Casillas in Spain training

This international lark is easy...

That's some finish eh? Great first touch, great poked shot into the corner... he looks the part and clearly isn't overwhelmed by the big names around him. With Spain not playing Belarus until Friday, he's got some time to impress the powers that be yet. 

Hopefully he does enough to warrant selection. If he does well, he'll come back buzzing and that positivity will no doubt transfer to some of the players around him in the team.

Good luck Miguel, do Swansea proud!

Michu "price tag" stories show ridiculous nature of media speculation

Did Huw say he was for sale, or that clubs were interested?...No. 

In the last few days we've had to deal with all kinds of stories resurfacing, most of which concern Arsenal and Liverpool "having to pay £30million to secure Swansea's star asset". What a load of horse...poopy.

Ok, so given the conversation Huw had with the media some speculation would be expected, but insinuating we've "told Liverpool and Arsenal how much they have to pay" (as intimated by various newspapers) is just sheer fabrication. Let's have a look at what Huw actually said when interviewed by the Daily Mail:

"We've seen with Tottenham and Gareth Bale that every player has a price. We are not in that bracket with Tottenham but they sold a top player. We are realistic about that side of things. I would say Michael was about right with his valuation of Michu [when he said he was worth around £30million] if you look at the current market, but this call-up enhances that further. 

"We know we have a very talented player and naturally we want to keep him. As a club we are delighted he has got the call-up for Spain. It is fantastic that he has been included in the Spanish squad because of his performances with Swansea in the Premier League. 

"It is a massive compliment and achievement for Michu and Swansea City that he has been called up by the current European and world champions. It is not an easy squad to break into, but his commitment, work-rate and level of performance since he joined us has been first class. 

"He enjoyed a successful first year with us and he has continued his form into this season, which is great to see. We are looking forward to seeing him continue his success here at Swansea in the Premier League and hopefully with Spain at international level. 

Huw Jenkins  http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8963237/?

Thankfully, I didn't have to actually enter the Daily Mail website to find those quotes. Phew.

Anyone who knows how the media generally operate won't be surprised he ended up talking about Michu's worth. It's highly unlikely he brought the topic up himself, and it's probable he was specifically drawn on the subject. Nevertheless, if you were a responsible media outlet why wouldn't you take this opportunity to create some speculation? 

I mean, he did kind of mention a price-tag, even if he wasn't specific, however most of the articles we've seen relating to his comments have been, in my opinion, complete tosh. Why write about Michu possibly making his first appearance for Spain when you could just invent some transfer speculation? Much more longevity in those stories, I guess. I mean, it's not like Rodgers and Wenger have, as yet, failed to even mention Michu as a possible target. Oh, wait...

Huw's comments clearly show we're not interested in selling the man from Oviedo. Why would we?! The guy has excelled so far this season and looks like he may yet find another gear - if he does Premiership defences better watch out. If and when his form dictates a big-money bid arriving, we'll deal with that then, but until that time I think it'd be a lot better if everyone associated with the club avoids being drawn on potential values of our players. It only serves to fuel further media speculation which can often unsettle players liable to have their head turned by a "bigger club", and I for one am fairly sick of the press speculation that comes following any comments from someone in a position of power. 

Just take a look at Roy Hodgson and Adnan Januzaj. This weekend just past, Hodgson became the first current England manager to appear on BBC's flagship football programme Match Of The Day. Presenter Gary Lineker clearly wanted to get a quote out of his guest relating to Januzaj, who'd scored twice on his debut for Manchester United and just about qualifies for England, and you could see Hodgson squirming and trying to avoid saying anything in particular. In the end, he said something like "we're aware of him and are monitoring the situation" - something he'd probably say about any player of that age who could go on to qualify for England. 

What was the main headline on the BBC site the next day? Let's have a look...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24416142

The article from which this image and headline is taken actually had the headline "England keen on Januzaj" on the BBC site, which, if you'd watched MOTD, you'd know to be far from the gist of the conversation between Lineker and Hodgson. I thought Hodgson clearly didn't want to talk about the issue and was being baited for a quote. It certainly worked.

This is particularly indicative of how the press in this country work. Until they learn, or are made to talk about tactics and things which actually matter it's unlikely the status quo will change. To sum up how I feel about this issue, I'll use a quote from Napoli manager Rafael Benitez not long after taking charge of his new club:

"I have received more questions about tactics in twenty minutes here, than in one year in England"    

https://twitter.com/tancredipalmeri/status/360150092990251014 

Says it all really. Hopefully in time we'll see more pundits like Gary Neville and less like Jamie Redknapp. 

Fingers crossed.

Ashley Williams pulls out of Wales squad

Swansea captain withdraws from international contention

I'm sure this will be greeted with grins from lots of Swansea supporters, but it leaves Chris Coleman a remarkable ten players short for what was already hardly a world-beating Wales squad.

"Cookie", once of Swansea City himself, could be forgiven for thinking the footballing gods are conspiring against him, but Ash needs rest and ultimately this will be good for him. He never misses games, so if he's had to sit out the last few it's clearly a fairly serious problem, and playing through the pain barrier is ultimately something that should be avoided at all costs. Hopefully he'll come back fit and raring to go after the international break.

I'm sure the man himself is gutted, but with Wales's chances of qualifying already all but mathematically impossible there's no way he should risk it, and I'm glad he's ruled out the possibility of featuring for Wales if he's not fully fit. Hurry up and get fit as quick as you can Ash, boy do we miss you!

Wales must be trying to play "The Swansea Way"...

Late call-ups for ex-Swans means squad has a decidedly South West Walian feel to it...

Wales have been underperforming for a while. Since being appointed, Chris Coleman has struggled to get his team producing results - or even decent performances. The football they've played has, on occasion, made them look like a poor man's Swansea and it's understandable they're trying to put in place a style of play which can be carried on by the next manager, in a bid to benefit from continued continuity much like the Swans have.

Without a crop of star players for every position, the best way to assemble an international team must surely be to pick a young squad and stick with it. The players will learn each other's games, and over time you'll develop a tasty looking team. Toshack started this but was hounded out by the vendetta-fuelled Robbie Savage and chums, and I thought that was pretty harsh. He had the right idea, and I'm convinced if he'd have had more time we'd have seen him produce results.

This brings me neatly to the announcement that Chris Coleman has called up nine players to cover injury victims, one of whom (Daniel Alfei) is currently a Swansea player and another five of whom used to play for Swansea (or are out on loan in Jazz Richards' case). The full list of replacements called up was as follows: Lloyd Isgrove, Owain Tudur Jones, Daniel Alfei, James Wilson, Rhoys Wiggins, Jermaine Easter, Shaun MacDonald, David Cotterill and Jazz Richards.

With so many players in the squad having experienced life in SA1, it seems Wales could benefit from adopting the "pass and move" style we've become so used to in these parts. Wales have tried to operate in this manner for a while with limited success, so hopefully having a lot of people singing from the same hymn sheet will stand the squad in good stead and they can adjust to each others games' quickly. 

Why Coleman called up Bale when Madrid had said he wasn't fit we don't know - he withdrew from the squad only hours after being called up. It was a very strange move which doesn't help Coleman at all - it smacks of desparation and he's surely not long in a job if results don't go his way in the next two matches, despite FAW protestations otherwise.

As for current Swansea players, Ben Davies, Neil Taylor & Ashley Williams were due to travel to meet up with the rest of the squad, despite all recently having their own injury worries. Davies has been ruled out of both games after picking up a hamstring injury against Southampton while Ash is continuing his comeback from an ankle injury which has kept him out of the last few Swans' matches. If Coleman plays Ash when he's not 100% fit, he can expect a frosty relationship with Huw & Co for the rest of his tenure. Taylor, however, should be fully recovered from a bruised thigh.

With Macedonia up first, the lads will be keen to secure a result ahead of a seriously testing trip to Belgium. With eight ex or current Swansea players in the squad, at least we should be able to make a decent fist of a possession game. 

That'll be the idea, anyway...

The Swansea Way on the latest EPLIndex Podcast

Another week, another ramble...

This week, I feel I most definitely "went off on one" in regards to players diving and how I feel they should be punished. Let me know if you agree or not! I also gave a brief rundown of our performances last week.

To listen to the podcast, just click here:

http://eplroundtable.podbean.com/mf/web/534f3j/EP10.mp3

You can also download the podcast for future reference by clicking here:

http://eplroundtable.podbean.com/mf/web/534f3j/EP10.mp3

Michu called up to Spanish squad: "I found out on the bus!"

Spaniard's hard work pays off with selection for arguably the greatest national side of all time

Miguel Michu, take a bow. Actually, do one of those little flamenco jigs you've done on occasion as a goalscoring celebration, because it's probably slightly more in-keeping with the national team you've been selected for.

Since joining for £2million ahead of last season, Michu has continued to confound critics who must surely have been expecting his performance level to drop off. I'll be honest, I was among those who were seriously dubious about his ability to maintain the blistering standard he set himself in the first few weeks of last season, but apart from a bit of a lull (which he wasn't alone in experiencing - the same could be said of the whole team) between winning the League Cup and the end of last season he's easily been our stand out performer since joining the club.

What's more, this season I'd argue he looks a much improved player. His appreciation of his role behind the striker seems to have increased dramatically and the midfield aspect to his game really is so, so much better than last year. Ball retention, key passes and other stats back this up, showing that his all-round game rivals that of almost any top-flight striker.

For his part, Michu admits to being both surprised and elated when he found out he'd been selected to replace injury victim David Villa, who's gone down with an ankle injury picked up this weekend:

"It's the best a footballer can hope for. The selection is the best team in the world, it's a privilege. 

"We were on the bus because we played in the morning and I started receiving many messages, which is not normal. Then some Spanish colleagues told me, I'm very happy." 

"Every Spanish footballer dreams of this and it's so difficult. Few people can wear the shirt of the best team in the world.

"There are a lot of players missing, but there are great players in the squad. Let's see if fortune is with me and I can play, although I'm already grateful to be called up.

"It's the maximum to which a footballer can aspire. The national team is the best in the world, it's a privilege.

"I'm enjoying it like a kid, these are the best players in the world and it will be complicated, but I'll try to take advantage of the opportunity." 

Miguel Michu

http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/michu-says-he-s-very-happy-found-out-on-the-bus-and-is-excited-li 
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11731/8961982?

That quote is taken from Spanish footie paper Marca (why don't we have a decent football newspaper?!), and it's not just them who are interested in this particular story. The broadsheet El Confidencial recalled that Valencia were interested in signing the forward, however baulked at the £2million asking price. Ha! How does that feel, chaps? The paper also goes on to touch on how Michu has never been afraid to ask for advice from coaches and teammates in a bid to be the best player possible, and also that he's worked his cojones off so far in his career. 

No-one can argue he doesn't deserve this, and considering the two games he's been called up for are qualifiers against Belarus & Georgia it seems there's a good chance he'll feature. It really is an accolade for both the player and his parent club that he's been selected for Spain - if someone had said ten years ago we'd have a player called up by the World Cup and European Cup champions...well, you'd be questioning that person's sanity, at the very least.

Hopefully the English hierarchy can learn a thing or two from this. Roberto Soldado and Fernando Llorente have both been overlooked despite playing for "bigger teams", and the continued English refusal to acknowledge players plying their trade at clubs outside the boy's-club-esque top six shows the difference between the two outlooks. One is progressive, and has resulted in unheralded success, and one is archaic and hasn't achieved anything in fourty-seven years. Work out which one is which.

Hopefully Michu will be rewarded for all his hard work so far with some time on the pitch alongside some of the world's best players. Next up, Leon for England...

(Goal Highlights & Match Report) Southampton 2 - 0 Swansea - Possession doesn't win prizes...

Clinical Southampton hold firm to see off profligate Swansea

Another Premier League match down, another frustrating afternoon for Swansea City and their fans.

Swansea went into this one with as much of a first eleven as possible given injury concerns, so realistically you could say that barring the absence of Ashley Williams we essentially had a first choice XI out - sadly it wasn't enough on the day to see off a spirited Southampton side who gave very little away all match. 

It didn't take that long for Saints to impose themselves on the game. Osvaldo, Lambert & Lallana all had chances early on, or should have done better when well placed, and the Swans retreated into a defensive shell which ultimately led to the first goal. 

Lallana crossed into the box from the right, but his cross was only half cleared. It fell to Steven Davis, who fed Lallana (who'd continued his run well) and he in turn smashed an effort across Vorm and into the top corner. The 'keeper got a touch but he couldn't do anything about it, such was the ferocity of the strike.

There were ten minutes after the goal (which came in the 19th minute) where the Swans really struggled to retain possession, so in truth the opening half an hour was pretty poor. Between the half hour mark and half time though, the Swans pushed further and further up the field, and produced a couple of really good efforts.

First Michu was denied by Boruc, before Swansea fashioned their best chance of the match. Dyer went on a darting run in from the right hand side, beat a couple of defenders and crashed a left footed drive off the inside of Artur Boruc's near post. It would prove to be Swansea's best chance of the match.

Before the end of the half though, Artur Boruc would have to produce a really, really good stop to deny Wilfried Bony, whose header from a Rangel cross was heading to the top corner before the Polish stopper clawed it away. The Swans were firmly in the ascendancy now, and Rangel played Dyer through but Nathaniel Clyne did well at the back post to stop Routledge getting on the end of his cross. 

Half time came at a bad time for the Swans as the Southampton defence was clearly rocking, and the interval gave Pochettino an opportunity to reset his team. It made a little difference, but the Swans were still on top and first Shelvey then Dyer both had opportunities after slick passing moves, but they couldn't convert.

Southampton by this point had dropped very deep, and the Swans were guilty of letting them go unpunished. Most of the good play produced from the team in white was coming down the wings, and in truth I felt we hardly got any joy out of Fonte & Lovren at the back. Bony & Michu were both fairly peripheral figures, and Saints' gameplan worked well in not allowing them space to operate in. In Wanyama & Schneiderlin they have two seriously good foils in front of the defence, and I thought they were both excellent today.

Until the 70th minute or so I was pretty confident we'd be able to get something out of this game, but once it was clear we hadn't capitalised on our earlier possession and opportunities Southampton started to gain more confidence. There was then a strange incident with about twenty minutes to go - a corner was given to Saints despite there being no touch from Nathan Dyer (who'd been adjudged to deflect the ball into touch), and Wanyama side-footed home after it had evaded everyone else. Referee Mike Dean ruled it out, however, and for what I haven't the faintest idea. Very much a case of "evening up" his previous dodgy decision, one feels.

The next real chance produced Southampton's second goal, and it was the result of some really shoddy defending. A high ball forward bounced and with Chico underneath it you'd expect the defender to clear under pressure from Jay Rodriguez. Not so. Flores tried to take a clever touch, missed the ball, and despite the retreating Jordi Amat trying to help out Rodriguez fired home past Vorm. Very poor indeed.

That killed the game as a contest, and the Swans had ten minutes to see out without making matters worse for themselves. What makes today really frustrating is that most people watching on would probably agree that we played the better football - and the statistics indicate we bossed things for the majority of the match. 58% possession and more shots in any away performance would normally result in a win, but the truth is I don't feel we threatened sufficiently throughout.

As I've said, everything good we did came down the wings, and we need to be more competitive in the middle of the park. A midfield of Canas, Shelvey & Michu just isn't cohesive enough and we can't play our way through teams with this lineup - we can retain possession but there's just not enough control in the middle of the field to allow us to build anything worthwhile. I'm really hoping Laudrup fancies giving Leon & Canas another go alongside each other as I feel with that combination anchoring the midfield we'll dictate games with a lot more balance than we've recently been playing with.

Overall, a disappointing result but not the end of the world. Some fans have been very critical of the team today on Twitter and elsewhere, but Southampton are a very good side and few teams will come away from St Mary's with points this season, and when you consider who else we've played so far this year I don't think there's cause for concern just yet. Hopefully the squad will be fully fit by the end of the international break, and we can "go again" from there.

On a final, positive note, Michu has been called up to the Spanish squad for their upcoming qualifiers against Georgia & Belarus. Fully deserved, and I think all Swansea fans will wish him all the best - hopefully he'll get some minutes and it'll provide him with another confidence boost - not that he needs it!