Swanselona....

I saw a lot of people talking about them yesterday, and there's been a few news paper articles written about them today, all saying that "Swanselona" need a Cisse...

Are they trying to imply that they're only one player away from being successful?

Or are they implying that our strikers are the only reason we're doing well?

Either way, views like these insult me. Yes our strikers have played a big part in our success, but they have just been one of a number of aspects that have lead to our success this season. Our defending for most of the season has been fantastic. Krul has made some amazing saves, and look at some of the build up play and assists that have lead to the goals.

All you have to do is look at the assist that lead to the first goal yesterday and see that our strikers have been aided in most of their goals by quality team mates.

Swansea may have more possession than any other team, but I believe we play a better style of football. Our passing is and build up play requires far more quality than Swanseas simple keep ball style.

They need far more than just a good striker to make them contenders for a Europa League spot. I'm not just talking about players, I'm talking about their philosophy. They need to change it. They can keep their passing style, but they need to know they don't need to keep massive possession to be good and effective at passing. We had 35% possession yesterday, and it only took two great passes to win us that game, unlike the quarter of million Swansea played that lead to nothing.

IMO they would need a better player maker, a quality winger, and also striker. Plus they will need to stop being such pussies, passing back to their keeper all the time, and instead take some risks and try something clever.

Anyone else agree?

 

It does my head in when the media jizz all over the place over their posession stats. Since when did posession % alone win you things. Fast forward 10 years and will anyone remember this PL season for the Swansea stats....?

Nope.

 

I think they need a Cisse to stretch teams, and a Benni to unlock them. I also think some added quality at centre half and maybe left back would help. To be fair to Taylor Benni is hard to handle. They are not far away and have the makings of a very strong side. Like us they have a very clear way of how they approach each game. I think they also need to add some flexibility to their tactics as they ran out of ideas at times. They are in their first season in the PL and couldn't go spending stupid money on the kind of players I'm talking about or afford them. The risk ishuge when everyone expects you to be relegated. But their coffers will be swelled by a decent league placing and if their scouting system can do what ours have done this year and get value for money, they could be the Newcastle of next season in their own way.

I found it a fascinating tactical battle between two emerging british managers.

 

It does my swede in too

 

From that game I'd say Swansea have three players who look top Prem class, Sigurdsson, Angel Rangel and Allen. The rest just looked a bit average to me.

 

Get a grip, Gog. We're doing very well for our first season. We dominated the game but you parked the bus every time we got into the final third. Even Cisse and Ba were back defending. Two cracking passes and Cisse was the difference. Don't begrudge the Toon the win because tactically you got it spot on.

Bitching about our plaudits smacks of sour grapes, maybe wishing the halcyon days of the 'Entertainers' would return when every pundit was praising your free-flowing, attacking style of play to the skies. In fact, you're actually a better side now imo and have learned to win ugly - something we can't do as yet.

You lot have an experienced, long-standing Prem set up so you shouldn't begrudge the little guy's day in the sun. Most Swans fans would be in dreamland with a mid table finish so the OP's talk of Europe is nonsense. We're not even aiming for that yet.

 

I think Swansea have a fantastic team spirit, though many of their players may be considered 'average', they are players who have been together for a long time and have an understanding. I don't see the article as any kind of dig at us, that's just paranoid. Swansea have shown they are lacking a little in the final third so a goalscorer such as Cisse would probably help keep them comfortably in the premier league next season.

A fine example is Aston Villa. European contenders, missing 'their Cisse' (Bent), now flirting with relegation. Sometimes having just one bloke you can trust to bang them is enough to boost the confidence of the squad and help them perform at a higher level. Swansea are certainly punching above their weight but that's not a criticism, surely that's what all clubs should be aiming to do?

 

Correct. Some of your fellow Geordies are a little more complimentary than the OP, but it takes all sorts.

http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/135508-Keep-up-the-great-work

 

I don't hate Swansea, and I have respected Swansea for a while now. My problem is not with the Swansea fans or Swansea itself. Swansea play some decent football, it's the people hyping them up so much that annoys me.

I just think Swansea's so called beautiful football is over hyped.

 

I think it was more our tactics of stifling them in midfield not letting them get beyond 30 yards away from our goal that made their play seem extremely boring, fair play to them they stuck at it but in my eyes 1-0 down and it's not working you should at least try be a bit more direct. When they play teams that aren't as disciplined as we are and are given space to pass and move then they are very entertaining to watch.

 

It's funny how everybody judges us on our last game. After the Liverpool and West Brom games, we were a quality counter-attacking side. Now, we're a direct, ugly side who can't pass. You can't win every game by playing beautiful football, and if Swansea learnt that perhaps they'd be more successful.

 

You'd have to say at times, they pass for the sake of passing, Brittons Xavi and Iniesta beating passing stat is impressive but slightly moot as he never makes an incisive pass, instead passing to Ashley Williams or Vorm.

They're a refreshing change from Stoke and Norwich but do flatter to deceive at times.

 

Our game plan first half looked clearly like sitting deep, compress everyone back and pounce on the break. Pardew would have wanted them to keep it 0-0 until half time and I think we were as caught on the hop as Swansea that we scored so early.

Conceded a lot of ground and allowed them the ball in safe areas of the pitch.

Swansea had most of the ball BUT they did very, very little with it – forced into speculative efforts from distance. You can have all the possession you want, knocking it about across the line of defense but we totally stopped them doing anything meaningful...

 

Typical Larsson

 

I agree, it does tend to overlook the excellent assists from Cabaye a tad.

 

I applauded Cabaye off the pitch yesterday - I thought he was outstanding! Pardew got the tactics spot on yesterday and allowed us possession, but stopped us dead when we threatened to get in any meaningful positions. I think some of your posters have been a little harsh on us; we are still learning how to play in this division and cannot afford £10 million players, we live within our means and play possession football that isn't always meaningless, it's got us this far and got us into a position we would only have dreamt of at the start of the season.

The Swancelona tag is getting a bit embarrassing for most Swans fans - but we can't control the media so please don't use it as a stick to beat us with. You guys know what the media are like

Pardew showed us respect with the way he set about his task yesterday, would hope that you lot can do the same. Had a drink and some banter with your supporters after the game and have to say that they are a great set of fans - very knowledgeable, approachable and a great laugh. Every one of them said they were impressed with the way we play so was a little shocked when I read some of the posts on here.

Don’t knock us because we seem to be the media darlings at the minute – you know from experience how quickly that can change! We will continue to learn from game to game – we have no superstars, just a team of good, honest players who sweat blood for each other. So please don’t hate us for that!

 

They can have the one at QPR

 

Greatcomment.

 

Cheers Strawberry and really hope you get fourth spot this season - have had a soft spot for Newcastle since the Malcolm MacDonald era.

For us, avoiding relegation was the be all and end all this season and it looks like we have just about done that (especially with the way results have gone today!) So I look forward to seeing you again next season.

 

As boring as I found Swansea to watch yesterday, with thier reluctance to go forward with the ball and inability to create chances (Before Swans shout at me about the number of shots they had, I only remember one of note from inside our penalty area, and it was 2 minutes in.), I think they do what they have to to get the results they need to stay up, with the quality they've got. By frustrating opposition, and not letting them have the ball, the opposition will not score with the few chances they are limited to, unless they have great quality up front, as shown yesterday. If they can then nick a goal and win the game, it's a success. Until they add more quality and flare going forward, they are doing what they need to effectively, though to me it doesn't yield overly exciting football.