INTERESTING.

[ivoralljack]

As we know, Swans sit top of the Championship table. But what came as a surprise to me, maybe to you as well, is that we are also top for games played in the calendar year for 2019! Okay, I accept that it's not a fully reflective table as teams promoted and relegated obviously couldn't be factored into the equation. Nevertheless it's a decent enough indication to show that we have been making steady progress for quite some time. It's even better when you consider that meantime we have sold Dan and Oli, banked £38 million plus for them and still sit top of the actual table this season, with a rejuvenated Borja and Ayew now fully committed to our cause and making significant contributions. In other words, where we are IS NO FLASH IN THE PAN!!!

If the owners can't see what a great opportunity this is for us to regain our Premier League status and dip into their own pockets in January to help seal the deal then even more fool them. Speculate to accumulate, you two, it's about time you put your money where your mouths are because our team has achieved this not because of you but in spite of you!! Just imagine what they could produce if you supplied some half decent backing.

The annual Championship table that shows Swansea have been best for ages

 

[KVetch]

I think Birch must have explained it to them. He had the credentials from Chelsea and showed them the numbers. Premier League means £100,000,000 bonus. Enough to pay for Ayew and Baston I think.

 

[CroJack]

We have a good and comitted squad Ivor, I wouldn't change anything.

Just curious, which positions would you strengthen in January if you were Swans manager?

 

[ivoralljack]

We have a good and comitted squad Ivor, I wouldn't change anything.

Just curious, which positions would you strengthen in January if you were Swans manager?

Haven't given it any thought, CJ, as I agree that we seem to have a balanced capable squad that should serve us well - as long as they keep playing to their potential. Given the massive amount of fixtures we face in 3 competitions, there are bound to be injuries, suspensions, loss of form and plain fatigue that will hit the squad during the season. But if we are challenging the top positions by the turn of the year, I would like to think that the owners will be savvy enough to inject funds to strengthen the squad, wherever it is deemed necessary, to ensure that our momentum is maintained.

 

[CroJack]

I think we haven't seen the best of the Swans when it comes to both team and individual performances.

Also we have so much depth in the squad that I'm not sure any Championship team can match us. Peterson, for example can't get in the match squad.

We must not forget that we have three strikers. Borja, Surridge and Ayew. Even Peterson can play as a striker. Ayew actually played his best football for us when he played as a striker.

Then I don't know how many players we have who can play as wingers. Eight? Ayew, Dyer, Routledge, Peterson, Celina, Kalulu, Garrick and McKay.
Midfield: Grimes, Fulton, Carroll, Byers, Celina. Wilmot can play as DM, Ayew and Routs as ATM. Again, eight players. We are well covered in full-back and centre-back positions, and we have three goalkeepers. I am sure the new goalkeeper coach will do everything to improve Nordfeld and Mulder.

So, Cooper has penty of options when he wants to rotate in case of fatigue or when he wants to rest players when we start playing three games a week.

Which Championship side can send its second XI on the pitch and beat a League 2 side 6:0 in a cup game? Apart from Swansea I'm not sure if there is any.

We'll have injuries for sure, but so will all other Championship teams - the difference is they don't have as many quality options as we have.

 

[Jackflash]

Haven't given it any thought, CJ, as I agree that we seem to have a balanced capable squad that should serve us well - as long as they keep playing to their potential. Given the massive amount of fixtures we face in 3 competitions, there are bound to be injuries, suspensions, loss of form and plain fatigue that will hit the squad during the season. But if we are challenging the top positions by the turn of the year, I would like to think that the owners will be savvy enough to inject funds to strengthen the squad, wherever it is deemed necessary, to ensure that our momentum is maintained.

A situation we've been in before Ivor, apart from having to stay in the Premiership, Laudrup had us involved in other competitions,then injuries began to take their toll. He was refused point blank by Jenkins & Co. for any addition to the squad.
Maybe all this begs the question, did Laudrup make us too successful? Could it have been that a chairman who went bankrupt trying to run a small building materials company found all this extra work beyond his comprehension,more than his brain could handle. On reflection it would appear Monk was instructed to get out of the competitions by his team selection, and successfully did so.

 

[CroJack]

A situation we've been in before Ivor, apart from having to stay in the Premiership, Laudrup had us involved in other competitions,then injuries began to take their toll. He was refused point blank by Jenkins & Co. for any addition to the squad.

It was a different situation with Laudrup. He didn't have two competitive Premier League squads in the beginning of 2014 when we, at the same time, lost many KEY players to injuries. And Laudrup lost his star player Michu to a long term injury. Even Rodgers struggled at Liverpool when he lost Suarez to Barcelona. Barca are not the same team without Messi.

We were just unlucky in January and February 2014. Laudrup didn't have three Premier League quality strikers and 8 wingers. And when, apart from Michu, all other players were coming back from injuries Laudrup was sacked. In his first game as a manager Monk had a fully fit squad against Cardiff. Who says we wouldn't have beaten Carrdiff had Laudrup still been our manager?

Cooper, on the other hand, has a luxury of two competitive Championship squads. Just have a look at this 4-2-3-1 formation:

Nordfeldt
John, Wilmot, Cabango, Naughton
Carroll, Byers
Peterson, Routledge, Garrick
Surridge

Bench: Mulder, Evans, McKay, Dyer, Kalulu

Four of these players used to play Premier League football. Dyer and Routledge were brilliant under Laudrup, and now they are in our second XI.

Also, I'm sure some other players from our U23 are knocking on the door ready to step up.

I'd argue that Cooper could rest two or three first team players in every game and we wouldn't be weakened. At least, not significantly.

 

[CroJack]

Could it have been that a chairman who went bankrupt trying to run a small building materials company found all this extra work beyond his comprehension,more than his brain could handle.

Exactly.