Liverpool v Swansea City, PL, Match Preview

Moving on, Rock on, Bring it on.


Last Saturday's dismantling of QPR at home in our 4-1 win went a long way to convincing most skeptics that City had indeed, not taken their "eye off the ball" by neglecting PL form in advance of the Capital One Cup Final upcoming on the 24th. It reinforced what ML had been saying pre-match, in as much as it was important we didn't devalue PL placement in advance of an upcoming glamorous occasion. He, and the team, were as good as his word.

That the Squad has spent this past week in a pre-booked Mid Season training break in Dubai should be viewed in the same way.

I've seen some mischievous Press comment that all 5 of the PL teams who are out in the Middle East this week could be construed as having taken their "occular organ off the leather spheroid" by somehow abandoning February's grey British skies for the blue and warmth of the Gulf.

Excuse my dubiety in relying more on ML and HJ's knowhow than the sometime jackals of the British Tabloid press (and its talkSHITE radio equivalent) in determining what's right for our Team and Club but I'd suggest that both we and the other four - Norwich, WHU, QPR and Reading - know what they're doing.

They'll all be back, of course, in sufficent and apposite time for the upcoming fixtures, and ours takes us once again to Anfield .

This rearranged PL fixture is slotted into this FA Cup weekend as a result of both we and the Scoucers being serendipidously available having both been knocked out of said Tourney. As it happens, for us at least, that may be no bad thing.

As far as we're concerned, it's surely more expedient that we've a top class game in the almost 2 week gap between QPR and the COC Bradford City game, potential injuries notwithstanding. The Reds, however, may view this as a game too far, given that following their 2-0 home defeat to WBA on Monday night, this Thursday they're engaged in an awkward trip to Zenit St Petersburg in the Europa League knockout fixture and then have another 3/4 day turnaround before Sunday's meeting against us.

In putting together this week's preview I think you'll understand that I've decided to stray away from the usual format that concentrates on individuals in detail and concentrate instead on the background to the game , taking in, hopefully, some of my perceptions of where both Clubs are.The contrasts are quite enlightening I feel.

Back in the summertime , when we'd lost yet another Manager to a bigger beast, we Swans were understandably nervous. After all, HJ and the Board had done the business on previous occasions but could they do it yet again? I think it's fair to say in retrospect that the answer is a resounding yes.

Moreover, it continued the evidence that each and every of the 5 previous Managerial appointments have improved us, and I include in that the much reviled Paulo Sousa, and I'll happily explain.

The Jury's still out on precisely when the Swansea City transformation began to happen.

I confess that I'm in Huw Jenkins' camp, who's voiced the opinion that the upward trajectory began with Kenny Jacket. Shorthand suggests that he first got us up a Division, and whilst Roberto Martinez undoubtedly was the first to introduce the abiding Swansea Style, post his departure Sousa made us more defensively resilient, and despite all the brickbats took us higher than ever before (in PL era terms).

Consequently , Brendan Rodgers was the Manager who acually presided over our ultimate ascent, and whilst his poaching by Liverpool FC initially seemed limiting for us, there's a strong argument to be made that ML's appointment means that nowadays BR is more limiting for them. Think on this.

How many of us Swans would nowadays argue that we're a better team than we were last year? Most of us, I'd suggest.

How many Liverpudlians would argue that they are a better team this year than under Kenny Dalgliesh last year ? A huge percentage fewer than we Swans I'm certain.

You've only to read various Liverpool FC fansites (The Anfield Wrap, RAWK  ) etc., to see that there's a large minority who are not yet convinced that his necessarily scary attempt at transforming the Liverpool "Brand" is still, frustratingly, on a knife-edge.

Don't forget that last year they won the Cup that we're favourites to win in 2 weeks time and that they also lost in the final of the FA Cup whilst finishing 8th in the PL. For all that, KD was dismissed and BR poached from us. And are they better? Hugely, and entertainingly (for me at least) debatable.

The most notable features of Liverpool this year seem to me to be these............

1) Pattern. They play nowadays as he (BR) used to set us up in formation terms, ie a 4-2-3-1, but there are many caveats. For example, our wingers under ML play narrower and are much more in the game, allowing the FB's greater license. There are many more, often subtle, differences cf.............license to shoot, tempo, fewer "keep-ball" passes more penetration etc., for us.

2) Individuals. Reina in goal looks diminished, making more errors than previously. The FB's are never seemingly set solid - Glen Johnson plays both L and R, Enrique veers from a free transfer to a key member. At CB, Agger and Skrtel have suffered an apalling lapse of form, leading to the almost retired Jamie Carragher being recalled.  And that's just at the back.

3) Creativity. After his £15m transfer from us, Joey Allen and Steven Gerrard were originally the 2 defensive MF'ers, but Lucas Leiva's return has forced Joe out of the team, and whilst he offers solidity he's knocked the tempo of pass. Plus, there's a large portion of their following who are yet to be convinced by young Joe.The advanced 3 seem never to be settled. After giving up on Nuri Sahin (I'd have him but Dortmund called :) ) and young Suso there is constant flux.

4) Resources.  Limited (early season) options up front. Whilst the elusive and effective Luis Suarez is world class, to go into the season with just him and Fabio Borini as their only options was naive in the extreme. Borini's long term injury (since recovered) made it worse, but even now with him back and the exciting Danny Sturridge recruited in the Window available, their crowds' dislike of Fabio is worrying, and Sturridge has to do more than play well in a couple of games to convince.

Link all of the above to the lingering doubt over Jordan Henderson, the ongoing frustration over Stewart Downing, the bizarre JonJo Shelvey debate (is he good, or a wally?), the over use of a kid - Raheem Sterling with its concommitant over-hype, the over use of Gerrard (he's played every PL minute), and you can see this is a Club and Team still in a far from settled state.

With a Club as famous and revered as this there are a large number of issues still and we shouldn't be dismissive of the attendant daily pressures. This is a Club that arguably deserves to be called, still, that ubiquitous term in football commentariat a "top-4 side". From recent years it obviously isn't, and whilst we're currently ahead of them in the table, there are several other teams who could claim to be on the same (footballing at least ) level as well.

And here's what I'd suggest is the ultimate bloody nose - so far, this season, Liverpool, who sit 9th, have not beaten a single club who are above them in the table. Ouch, and double  bloody ouch.

So, let's look to us. What will our line up be given that we've got a rather important Cup Final the following week? Well, here goes, see what you think.

In goal we can confidently expect Michel Vorm, our no1, as Gerhard Tremmel has done all of the COC games and can be sure of playing next Sunday.

At FB I think there's a place for playing Dwight Tiendalli for either Rangel or Ben Davies, but I feel it'll be for Rangel since Davies is a young tyro who is taking everything in his stride.

At CB I expect to see Kyle Bartley partner Garry Monk in an audition of who partners Ash Williams next week. I've assumed Chico, unfortunately, will be unfit due to his ankle injury but if he's not then it's him 'n Ash next week.

MF is the hardest area to predict. Given that our MF 3 next week ought to be LB, JdG and Ki, I'd protect Leon by sitting him down and playing Kemy plus Ki and JdG.

Michu should wrapped in cotton wool and brought out next Friday. Of the wingers, Pablo is the one to sit first and Routledge second, so Nathan Dyer and Roland Lamah must play wide with the line led by Itay Schecter (probably) or Luke Moore (possibly).

My rationale is that whilst I realise the PL is the preference, on 37pts we're all but secure and to secure a possible European adventure by winning the COC neccessitates a somewhat protective line up this week. What do you think? After all, what do I know - certainly no more than you.

We can go to Anfield confident in the memory of defeating them there on our way to Wembley in this year's COC run. Who says we can't do it again ? Not me.

Onward, Swansea City.

For all us pedants (myself included ) here's the full Liverpool Squad...................

1. Jones, 2. Johnson, 3. Enrique, 5. Agger, 7. Suarez, 8. Gerrard, 10. Coutinho, 11. Assaidi, 14. Henderson, 15. Sturridge, 16. Coates, 19. Downing, 21. Lucas, 22. D Wilson, 23. Carragher, 24. Allen, 25. Reina, 29. Borini, 30. Suso, 31. Sterling, 33. Shelvey, 34. Kelly, 35. Coady, 36. Yesil, 37. Skrtel, 38. Flanagan, 42. Gulacsi, 43. McLaughlin, 45. Sama, 47. Wisdom, 48. Sinclair, 49. Robinson, 50. Morgan, 52. Ward

January additions....

Most of us know and have seen Daniel Sturridge, the England forward having spent a frustrating couple of years at Chelsea after his move from Man City. This, to quote BR, is probably his "last chance at a big club" but he's started well and is an outstanding forward talent.

Their other main buy was Phillipe Coutinho, a terrifically gifted if slight MF'er bought from Inter. The next couple of years in this unforgiving league will determine whether this skillful and exciting ballplayer can survive amongst the cutlasses.

Swansea City v QPR, PL, Match Report

QPRROFLLMAO.............

This PL season may well be remembered for many things, many of them positive, but to see a modern Club adopt the "Portsmouth" model of PL survival causes no less of a shock.

Hey, listen, I 've no need to be smug here, but to compare Saturday's opponents, Queens Park Rangers, with our own Swansea City set up is at least strange  in the extreme. However, let's do a little of it anyway, since it's guaranteed to make us feel slightly more comfortable at the very least.

From the depths of despair some 10 yrs ago we've come a long, and most would say, sensible, way. We arrived in our second season PL adventure as co-tenants with our West London opponents , but, demonstrably different in each Club's set up.

I'm deliberately staying away from some sort of mention of superiority, but I must admit I'm finding it hard. We seem to me to be similarly contingent sorts of Clubs nowadays - albeight it QPR have a great deal more top flight history than we - but the path we're treading is almost in the opposite direction of those at Loftus Rd - and that, surely, will at least make you wonder which might be the more rewarding .

Whilst our own set up, with it's 20% Trust Ownership model gives us a degree of stability but a limited freedom financially, is it really the case that with the Air Asia Supremo Tony Fernandez as Chairman, and a Board that includes Lakshmi Mittal (reputedly the world's 3rd richest man) the "R"'s are any more stable ?? Or in advance ??

Hey, the devil is in the detail, and the numbers will give you a clue.

Now, apart from the obvious distance of 18pts and some 11 places, even the disinterested will have noticed that they were still on the bottom whilst we enjoyed a more top half predicament/placement. How could this be so ????????? The game proceeded to explain.

Here were the teams.......

Swansea City
01 Vorm, 04 Chico (Bartley - 33' ), 06 Williams, 22 Rangel, 33 Davies Booked, 09 Michu (Moore - 80' ), 11 Pablo, 12 Dyer, 15 Routledge (Agustien - 62' ), 20 De Guzman, 24 Ki Sung-Yeung

Substitutes
25 Tremmel, 02 Bartley, 21 Tiendalli, 26 Agustien, 14 Lamah, 17 Shechter, 19 Moore

Queens Park Rangers
33 Julio Cesar, 03 Traore Booked, 05 Samba Booked, 06 Hill, 15 Onuoha, 04 Derry (Granero - 46' ), 10 Taarabt Booked, 16 Jenas (Wright-Phillips - 68' ), 29 Townsend, 40 M'bia, 12 Mackie (Zamora - 46' )

Substitutes
01 Green, 21 Ben-Haim, 07 Park Ji-sung, 11 Wright-Phillips, 14 Granero, 25 Zamora, 37 Bothroyd

Ref: Swarbrick
Att: 20,529

The biggest loss for we Swans may have been Leon Britton's injury and absence, but in this engrossing season we've learnt to trust Michael Laudrup's vision and response, and both Ki and de Guzman again didn;t do anything to disturb that equilibrium.

Co-incidentally, it allowed us to play the three out and out wingers with a roving brief - so at any one time either Dyer or Routledge or Pablo were the no 10, playing behind the sublime Miguel Michu, who again proved that if the Swans have ever made a better buy he would have to be in the Ivor Allchurch class of player - woohoo, what a pleasure to watch.

I'd suggest @Arry had set up in a defensive "let's get a point" formation, with the frustrating but talented Adel Taarabt furthest forward, but despite his occasional displays of classy skill, the limit of QPR's wishes were ephemeral.

City took control of the game from the start, and from several probing and concessant ball retension moments started pushing the 'R's further and further back. This culmitated in a "between the lines" moment when Nathan Dyer took control some 30 yds out centrally, and did what most fans love to see - ie - he put his foot through the ball and shot, the
resulting trajectory allowing Cesar in goal only to palm out centrally, and Michu following in managed a flick with the outside of his right foot a touch  that took the ball over the keeper and in.1-0.

The Lib burst to further life as we Swans took on board just reward for early pressure. Just 9m gone and now any QPR struggle for equality would be harder and harder.

Jimmy, my compadre in G119 remarked that now they'd have to come out a little and would be more vulnerable to counter attack. Jimmy is 82yrs old going on 50, so tends to get more things right than wrong, and again he was on the money.

The goal had come from Dyer and Routledge both assuming positions "between the lines" (as is the modernspeak) and the pressure and second goal followed much the same pattern.

QPR's defensive shield of Derry and M'Bia were consistently going walkabout, so when Routledge picked it up centrally some 30 yds out going right he was immediatelly offered an option by the rampaging Rangel showing Mackie a clean pair of heels.

He advanced and shot, and Cesar's block bounced back to him to sweep a left footed follow up accurately and in. 2-0, and we Oldies bopped along with the rest of the delirious Home crowd.

Comments on the shape and pattern of this half.

Swansea's three wingers had indeed rotated and switched constantly, just as they'd done in the WBA game and were again ripping through the opposition by consistently finding THAT space between the putative back 4 and their MF protectors, and that was regularly freeing up space wide for Rangel on the right and Ben Davies on the left. Ki and de Guzman sat deeper, with the Korean biting into challenges and the Dutchman often gliding away from a nicked ball - all in all a fine substitution for the absent Britton.

Meanwhile, up front, the sublime Miguel Michu put on his no 9 cloak and this week adopted the target man role- as ML later said, he is good enough to perform several roles equally efficiently.

City got to half time at 2-0 without QPR offering any decent threat so we went into the break comfortably.

I suspect in the Rangers dressing room it might have been different, since they came out as if "H" had given them the Fergie hair-dryer treatment, and Zamora (hip inflicted) and Esteban Granero (we'd have him, please) replaced both Mackie and Derry, and they immediately looked more dangerous, further complicated by Ben Davies needlessly giving the ball away within 2 m of the restart.

Taraabt drove for goal and got off a decent shot which Michel Vorm nine times out of ten would have held. This was the 10th time, and he palmed it forward where a muscling Zamora out-reacted Kyle Bartley to drive home a goal. 2-1, and all of a sudden there was an opposition fanbase which, up to that moment had been mouse-like.

It would be unfair to say anything other than thegame was now, bizzarely, open, but within 5m Pablo Hernandez put that to bed.

Receiving on the left from a clever Michu hold and reverse, he turned Onouha one way , another, and a third (inside out is the usual phrase), and drilled a low shot past Cesar again to put City 2 goals in front once more. 3-1 and a passage of play that deserved it.

The final knife to the heart came after QPR, by now desperate, were denied a penalty from a cross that appeared to strike Ash Williams on the hand, and a goal line clearance from Kyle Bartley from the follow up.

Kemy Agustien, another apposite ML substitution, fed through to Pablo H, who put an exquisite ball past Christopher Samba, the £12m pound man, and Michu, the contrasting bargain, ran beyond him and caressed an delightful first time flick finish beyond Cesar and in. 4-1, game over.

The game played out with City content to boss posession, and QPR only able to offer a Wright-Phillips effort that hit the bar. Another 3 pts gathered.

Both Managers summed the game up rather well, and can be found here............. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21311593

As ML hinted there, the biggest problem was the loss of Chico to an ankle injury that could well keep him out of the COC Final. Let's hope not, but otherwise, this is a season that keeps on giving.

Onwards, Swansea City.

Swansea City v Stoke City, PL, Match Preview

It may be wet, it may be cold,  but at least it's not Tuesday.

Of late, in the last couple of years particularly, when football pundits consider whether a Continental Import to a Club is likely to do well or not in the Premier League, the yardstick question seems to have become....."Ah, but well, how would he/they get on on a wet Tuesday night at Stoke?".

This Saturday, when Swansea City play our fixture against SCFC (North), at least we get to do so on a weekend, taking out of the equation yet another "Football Cliche" (to go along with Second Season Syndrome) and you never know - Broadcast and Print analysts of the lazy order might have to do some genuine match analysis.

What is certain is that this, just like last year for us and many other Clubs, is a game against these opponents that is never, ever easy. Tony Pulis' marauding band will want to gain an away victory that consolidates their PL pedigree.

We, Swansea City, go into this game in the middle of a run of season-defining fixtures, and our 1-0 defeat at the Emirates in the FA Cup replay really shouldn't dismay us that much, given that it was our first loss in 7 games.

I don't know about you, but for me the way the team is playing keeps me bouncing from week to week, and hand on heart this year is equal to, if not better, than last year for excitement.

Anyway, let's get back to Saturday.

Most of us football fans will have heard the old saw that says ..."Messi wouldn't do it on a cold Tuesday in Stoke - would he??".

I have a suspicion that the answer, of course, is that he he could - undoubtedly - since his talent is that sublime, oh, and btw, he often plays in Northern Spain (in the snow and cold rain), and is equally as good as he is down South.

As far as we're concerned, hey - it's a cold day in January - it must be Stoke City. Here they come, again.

Just like a rash, or a bad cold you last had last winter, the PL's "bad news bears", who nobody likes to play, come down for their annual visit this weekend. Welcome, Stoke City Football Club (SCFC North as is) to the Liberty.

Please don't get me wrong.

Whilst there is still a dated opinion in Football generally that Stoke only play in an antediluvian "long ball" manner, things have changed over the last few years and continue to evolve, to this modern and progressive Club's ultimate benefit.

This is, after all, the Potters 5th year in the division, and they have improved their position year on year , and can nowadays be legitimately considered a "Premier League Club", having both consolidated their year on year position, and, arguably, developed both their style and substance of play by equally evolving the squad whilst maintaining their resilient style.

Coupled with that, this side were good enough to qualify for the Europa League last year, and their decent run in that competition saw them ultimately lose out to a side no less than Valencia - and I think we'd all like to be at that level.

This is our 4th meeting against SCFC North since our return to the top division. Each game has been hugely divisive, with successive 2-0 away defeats interspersed with a cracking 2-0 home victory, and we cognoscenti will lament the absence of Vorm via a virus contributing to our first year away defeat but we can offer no excuses for the mirror 2-0  reverse the second time around. Conversely, in the Home fixture we ripped them apart, with both DG and others exposing the weak heart at the base of their supposedly granite defence.

There seems to be a collective feeling in Football Punditry that Stoke City have got where they are, and remain there too, only because of their limited, one way of playing, ie long ball and bruising. I'm here to offer that it's a little more nuanced than that, and whilst it's stood them in good stead on occasion, the development beyond has been equally as crucial in their continued success.

How far back shall we go ? Well, it seems fair to take in their progress since being promoted to the PL in 2007/08 . In the seasons since then, Stoke have finished progressively higher, which, if it happens to your own Club (as it has to ours), doesn't seem to me to be a bad business model.

In terms of sustained achievement, that is some record.

 

From talking to confirmed Stokies on successive Away trips not every fan is enamored by the evolving style of play, with many lamenting that they sometimes wish they played a little more attractively (a bit more "like us" was often offered). Manager Tony Pulis has always had that massive get-out-of-jail free card of PL achievement and PL status to keep the natives in check - and why not - in this age of petro-dollar billionaires, Stoke City's family dynasty Coates model seems a little closer to us than the Etihad etc..

At the end of the day, the major criticism of Stoke City seems to me and many others to revolve around their style of play. I wouldn't argue that for the first years particularly of their PL tenure, much emphasis was given to their direct methods, persistently and aggressively "putting it in the mixer" on every opportunity, a style complemented by the astounding value of the now departed Rory Delap's bombing long throws, given occasional echo by the current Ryan Shotton (when selected).

Pulis has always seemed to select big and aggressive athletes in his teams, and the current model is not too far away from that blueprint.

For instance, the team selected for this week's cup-replay victory against Crystal Palace was........

29 Sorensen, 02 Cameron, 04 Huth, 17 Shawcross, 28 Wilkinson (Whelan - 37' ), 15 Nzonzi, 18 Whitehead, 21 Kightly (Jerome - 55' ), 26 Etherington, 19 Walters, 25 Crouch (Jones - 63' )
Substitutes
27 Nash, 20 Upson, 06 Whelan, 16 Adam, 09 Jones, 10 Owen, 33 Jerome

The immediately preceding League game, which had seen them lose the last undefeated Home record in all divisions against Chelsea (yes, I know) had seen this line up step up to the plate...........

01 Begovic, 02 Cameron, 04 Huth, 17 Shawcross, 28 Wilkinson, 06 Whelan, 15 Nzonzi, 16 Adam (Whitehead - 79' ), 26 Etherington (Kightly - 86' ), 09 Jones (Jerome - 78' ), 19 Walters
Substitutes
29 Sorensen, 20 Upson, 30 Shotton, 18 Whitehead, 21 Kightly, 25 Crouch, 33 Jerome

Comparison of both lines-up is quite interesting and will tell you several things. Firstly, manager Tony Pulis was loth to make too many changes to his first choice line up, and  it suggests he thinks that Stoke can both progress and thrive in the FA Cup, just as they've done in the last few years.

First choice keeper nowadays is Asmir Begovic, the Bosnian having supplanted the Danish International no 1 Thomas Sorensen, and Begovic 's stock is rising still, with rumours of even bigger beasts ( Man Utd and others) sniffing around.

Robert Huth and Ryan Shawcross are the first choice CB's , with the giant German Huth (ex Chelsea) nowadays supportive of club Captain Shawcross recently signed to a 5 year deal, and moving on from his controversial break of Aaron Ramsey's leg some 3 yrs back. Andy Wilkinson is a shaven headed bruiser who can play both left and right FB, and Geoff Cameron, the 6ft 3in RB came from the Houston Dynamo in the States, and the dynamic Yank international can play centrally and as a defensive MF'er.

The MF is anchored by the ebullient Steven N'Zonzi, signed from Blackburn Rovers, and the French U-21 cap has thus far resisted overtures from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to play for their national team, as his background gives him dual qualification.

The other premier MF'ers are Glen Whelan, the ROI international schemer, a sort of lesser paced JdG, and Charlie Adam, the one paced (but skillful) ex Livrpool and Blackpool schemer. Excellent alternate choices come from Dean Whitehead and Michael Kightly, who can both play wide or narrow, and Matthew Etherington, who gives a choice of top class left footed wingplay that Pulis often opts for.

Up front the one constant is Jonathan Walters. Signed from Ipswich, this is your quintessential run-all-day grafter, and the fact that he's started some 79 out of 83/4 games tells you he's the one either Peter Crouch or Kenwyne Jones (and occasionally Cameron Jerome - boo, hiss) get to partner. Crouchie's talents are well known, and I've been interested to see us reportedly bid (low) for Jones of late, although there's no doubt the Trinidadian offers more than just muscle. We'll see.

Further cover within the squad is provided by Carlo Nash, a vastly experienced GK'er, the aforementioned Ryan Shotton (long throw apprentice), Matthew Upson the ex England CB, and the seemingly perpetually broken Michael Owen, who, if he's on a pay-as-you-play deal must be pounds out of pocket - because he just doesn't (play, that is).  

 

Pulis has moulded, over the years, this, and other, collections of seemingly disparate individuals into a series of effective and successful teams, retaining, as I've said, their PL status for the last 5 years. Kudos to him.

Stoke City's fans are a passionate bunch, who make their Home, The Britannia Stadium, an intimidating and fearsome arena, but, as hinted before , I've travelled up the last 2 years and have been made very welcome, with a lot of serious football chat with a great number of their supporters. Just like us, unsurprisingly, they are real football people.

Welcome to the Liberty you Stokies!

As for our lot, what can I say apart from "bloody well done, please keep it up!" ML's squad rotation over this busy period has been excellent, and the team on the pitch has given us some fabulous experiences.

When you consider that our next fixture is the 2nd Leg COC semi final where we're 2-0 up from the first leg I really can't ask for much more than a steady-as-she-goes.

Doncha' just love being a Jack??

Onward, Swansea City.

Back up and running..........

Given Swansea City's recent performances, I've been writing but not publishing - all with the view that I could get back up to speed to match the Team's performances!

To that end, we go to Everton in the PL this Saturday, and the Emirates for the Cup Replay on Wednesday next, so the plan is to give both those matches the breathing space they deserve without my clumsy clogs, but on Thrsday next week to offer a Preview of our Home game against Stoke City, and, thereby, to hook into my old routine of Match Preview and match Report on an ongoing basis.

Hope this suits, and thanks for your patience,

A Sneaky post.................

Here's to wish all you Swansea City fans particularly, and football fans generally a really sincere Happy New Year.

Whatever the outcome for our partricular Clubs, you can bet on it being an eventful time.

At our Club - will we sign Iago Aspas or someone of that ilk? Yes.

Will we continue to grow, - slowly, organically? With any luck , yes.

Can we expect equal excitement and turmoil in the rest of this second fantastic season at the top? Yes, undoubtedly.

Enjoy the New Year, best wishes to all.................

....and Onward, Swansea City.

Sorry for the interruption....................





Just a brief note to let you know where I've been and to apologise for not being around. I've had health, family and computer issues - all of which are now resolved, thank goodness, and I promise to be back in the New Year - hopefully better than ever. Thanks for your patience, and .............

Onward, Swansea City!!

Swansea City v Liverpool, EPL.

Brendan's return. Back to the future - again.
I find this preview comes to you in a slightly different mood to the usual, and that's principally because this is the first time our previous manager, Brendan Rodgers, has returned to the Liberty in charge of his new team, Liverpool FC.

I guess there's still a twinge of frustration within me, but I think it's fair to say it gets less by the week and with each and every game .

Ah, it seems ages ago now, when in another odd Summer along came the Scouse "giants" and tempted yet another of our Managers away, but it would be hard to argue (from my point at least) that we haven't done even better since.

It starts, of course, with both our Club set up generally, and Board particularly.

Despite the upheaval of change, Huw Jenkins and colleagues have at least secured both Financial probity and proven Managerial worth in both the Transfer and Compensatory markets and the Leadership of Michael Laudrup. We won't know the eventual outcome until at least this season's end, but thus far I suspect most of us Swans are justifiably pleased with the progress.

BR is embarked on his new career at Liverpool in a major period of change at that Club too, and his road has been rocky (to be kind), with perhaps the most puzzling aspect the failure to secure Striking cover for the on loan and controversial Andy Carroll and to go into the season with so little depth up front. Plus there's the now infamous £35m fee aroma which will never go away. We'll come back to that.

Here's their full squad........

Goalkeepers
1 Jones, 25 Reina, 32 Doni, 42 Gulacsi, 52 Ward

Defenders
2 Johnson, 3 Jose Enrique, 5 Agger, 16 Coates, 22 Wilson, 23 Carragher, 34 Kelly, 37 Skrtel, 38 Flanagan, 45 Sama, 47 Wisdom, 49 Robinson

Midfielders
4 Sahin, 8 Gerrard, 10 Cole, 14 Henderson, 19 Downing, 21 Lucas, 24 Allen, 31 Sterling, 33 Shelvey, 35 Coady

Forwards
7 Suarez, 11 Assaidi, 12 Pacheco, 29 Borini, 30 Fernandez Saez, 36 Yesil, 50 Morgan

On Thursday night they played out a frustrating 2-2 draw with Young Boys of Berne  in a Europa league group game that leaves them still to secure a Qualifying berth from the Group, and all will depend on the final Group match up.

The team they went with on Thursday was........

25 Reina, 23 Carragher, 37 Skrtel, 47 Wisdom (Gerrard - 31' ), 04 Sahin Booked, 10 Cole (Sterling - 75' ), 14 Henderson, 19 Downing, 33 Shelvey, 11 Assaidi, 30 Suso (Suarez - 60' )

Substitutes
01 Jones, 03 Jose Enrique, 16 Coates, 08 Gerrard, 24 Allen, 31 Sterling, 07 Suarez

.....in a typical BR 4-2-3-1 with Pepe Reina back in goal, Wisdom, Carragher, Skrtel and Downing across the back, Henderson and Sahin as the defensive MF'ers, Suso, Cole and Assaidi the 3 supporting Jon-Joe Shelvey as a "false 9".

I understand the Irishman's need to balance and rotate, but the frustrating outcome was given the clue to by his need to use both all of the initially rested first choice trio - Luis Suarez, Stephen Gerrard and Raheem Sterling well before the end of the game, presumably in an attempt to get it done and dusted on the night. Ah well, such are the plans of Mice and Men often stymied. (Whoops = stop smirking in the back!)

Now look - I know Pepe Reina's been injured some and has had more frequent episodes of mistake than previously - but is Brad Jones really in front of the Spanish International generally, Brendan?? Really???

Personally I don't think so - but then that's why he's paid MegaBucks as the Manager of Liverpool and I'm not.

Maybe it's got something to do with Neuro-Linguistic Programming or maybe it's because he (Reina) is a very strong dressing room character who sometimes rocks the boat with opinions, - after all, nothing must detract from the "project".

First choice RB is likely to be Andre Wisdom, the Academy graduate, (Stephen Kelly is injured) with Glen Johnson, the England RB replacing the nowadays utility LB Stewart Downing ( only £20m Kenny !). How are the mighty fallen.

CB's are almost certain to be our old friends the Tattoo Twins, Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel. The Dane and the Slovak are solid and quality players - even if Daniel seems to have stolen one of Martin's vowels.

Rogers has been using both our own Swansea City developed Joe Allen and the Club Captain Steven Gerrard to hold, and we know both the quality and influence of both - 2 players at opposite ends of their career. Gerrard is rightly revered by the Scoucers, and young Joey seems to have won over most of their doubters ( most, but not all), and at £15m I'm confident the deal was right for us both.

Nuri Sahin, the quality Turkish International on loan from Real Madrid has also been used to hold, but as Sahin is essentially a Michu type (advanced MF'er) rather than a Leon type (withdrawn MF'er) the Turk has of late fallen out of favour, and will ultimately be contesting selection along with Suso. Undoubtedly Lucas Leiva, the recently injured and talented Brazilian is likely to enter the MF equation too, when fit.

Part of BR's gamble this year has involved using the far younger players more and more, along with a fairly recent conversion of a stalwart Spanish defender into an advanced left sided MF'er.

That's why he's used an advanced 3 of young Suso, the Spanish youth generally playing left footed from the right, and Jose Enrique, the Iberian LB signed long ago from the Toon on the left, and England's (or Jamaica's) 17 yr old Raheem Sterling as the support striker to the out and out goal-thief Luis Suarez at the head of the team.

Suso is a highly skilled dribbler with a good shot, but has periods where he does tend to drift out of games. Enrique, on the other hand, after long being out of favour with Rodgers as a defender has been a key assister in two of Suarez's more satisfying goals of late, providing one long and one threaded final pass prior to the goals. Moreover, he's chipped in with one himself.

Sterling's rising star has been nothing short of meteoric - from Academy player last season when we played their reserves at Parc Y Scarlets to first-team saviour and the "future of the club" and a full International within 6 months. Forgive me if I proffer that I'm not yet entirely convinced.Seems promising, but still a long way to go, methinks.

Up front, of course, think of him what you like, what we can't argue about is that in Luis Suarez they have the PL's most in form striker. His performances this year have been genuinely thrilling, and the recently stated Ash Williams' reported wish to "knock him out" when he saw the alleged extent of his more nefarious tricks, makes me hope our defence can keep this predator caged as he is their most dangerous player by a country mile.

On that basis, this is the team I expect to face us - and my belief is he'll pick what is at the moment both what he perceives as their "strongest" side - fitness permitting.

Jones, Wisdom, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson, Gerrard, Allen, Suso, Sterling, Enrique, Suarez. We'll see.

Incidentally, you may wish to take a look back at the full squad listed above, because some of the names on there will give you more than a hint at the scope and range of transformation that BR is attempting to imprint.

Firstly, there's the "Elephant in the Room" - Overpaying.

As I've hinted previously, the amounts lavished by the previous Manager ( the sainted King Kenny) encompasses the on loan Carroll (£35m), the stuttering Stewart Downing (£20m), the bereft Jordan Henderson (£18m), and the lost Joe Cole (free but on £120k a week). I suspect there may be some money lost there over the next couple of years.

There are some quality squad players too, to be fair.

Sebastian Coates is Uruguay's first choice CB. Nuri Sahin and Lucas Leiva I've mentioned already. Oussama Assaidi is a young Moroccan winger/striker of some talent and pace. Samed Yesil is a very young highly rated German Striker. And then there's the currently injured Fabio Borini, late of this parish and still much admired in my heart.

Plus, there's a tranche of good young talent that will also come through. Guided by senior pros like Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard, there's no doubt that if allowed the time and patience (and money!) to process his changes, BR's incessant modern "Managerspeak" may succeed. Just forgive me if I don't really care. I've said it before and I'll say it again - the King is dead, long live the King.

As for our own side, after last week's excellent win at Newcastle, perhaps you'll allow me a phrase associated with the saturnine Peter Mandelson when talking about the super-rich = he's alleged to have said  - " I'm intensely relaxed in their presence.......". So am I, Peter, so am I.

I quite fancy fashioning another mud pie, all the better to poke into BR's beatific visage........

ONWARD, SWANSEA CITY.