To complete a hat-trick the Rams will have to do it the hard way by winning on the road.

The Liberty Stadium, Swansea

The Championship

2nd October 2010 - 15:00 pm

 

Swansea v Derby – Historical:

P 19 W 4 D 3 L 12 F 23 A 38

Last game at The Liberty Stadium:

Sat 20/02/2010      Derby County      0 - 1      Swansea City

Recent Form:

Swansea:         9/24        P 9 W 5 D 0 L 4 F 14 A 12

Leading scorers: Sinclair (4 lg 4 cup)

Derby:             15/24        P 9 W 3 D 2 L 4 F 15 A 12

Leading scorers:  Commons (5)

The Rams:

Two really good performances on the trot and the smiles are coming out again at Pride Park. Whisper it quietly but some are even using the P word already.

Is it too early? The fact is the football on display from the Rams before last weekend has mostly been good - there just hasn't been the vital spark there to turn the football into points.

Kuqi seems to be just that spark. He was good in the Palace game and even better in the Boro game. He holds up the ball well, he chases lost causes and he runs for 90 minutes. Dare I say it but he's better than Rob Hulse was in that position.

That said - he's still only a loan and the better he does, the more likely we are not to be able to afford him. The Swansea City fans think he's better suited to our brand of 'kick and rush' football than their cultured style!

Kuqi will not be playing on Saturday so yet another change is foisted on Clough. It looks like being Luke Moore who will step up to the plate. We've not seen enough of him yet to say if he's up to the job but from what I have seen he does look to be a willing runner.

Clough could change the formation and have a more regular midfield with Commons playing in the free role behind Moore. Having said that, our attacking play is good to watch with both Cywka & Bueno doing very well on Tuesday. The fact is we seemed to struggle more when we tried to hold the ball up and defend.

Message to Clough - Attack! Attack! Attack!

Mick's Team:

Bywater

Green Brayford Barker Moxey

Bailey Savage

Bueno Cywka Commons

Moore

Subs –   Deeney, O'Brien, Pringle, Martin, Pearson, Noble

No.     Position     Player       

1    Keeper         Stephen Bywater       

2    Defender     John Brayford       

3    Defender     Gareth Roberts        LFT

4    Midfield     Paul Green       

5    Defender     Shaun Barker (vice-captain)       

6    Defender     Dean Leacock       

7    Striker     Steve Davies        Injured

8    Midfield     Robbie Savage (captain)       

9    Striker     Shefki Kuqi (on loan from Swansea City)       

10    Midfield     Kris Commons       

11    Midfield     Stephen Pearson       

12    Striker     Chris Porter        Injured

13    Keeper         Saul Deeney       

14    Defender     Russell Anderson    Injured

15    Midfield     David Martin       

16    Midfield     James Bailey       

17    Defender     Jake Buxton       

18    Midfield     Ben Pringle        Injured

19    Striker     Tomasz Cywka       

20    Defender     Miles Addison        Injured

21    Defender     Dean Moxey       

23    Striker     Conor Doyle       

25    Defender     Mark O'Brien       

26    Striker     Callum Ball       

27    Striker     Alberto Bueno (on loan from Real Valladolid)

28    Striker     Luke Moore (on loan from West Bromwich Albion)

29    Striker        Ryan Noble (on loan from Sunderland)       

32    Keeper         James Severn       

35    Midfield     Jeff Hendrick       

36    Defender     Kallum Keane       

37    Midfield     Ryan Connolly       

38    Midfield     Medi Abalimba       

39    Defender     Mitchell Hanson   

__    Striker        Ryan Noble

The Swans:

Four games played at home and four victories with just one goal conceded - The Swans are doing well. Only on the road are they have been struggling with four defeats and twelve goals conceded - Their first win coming at Watford in midweek. They had to hang on then - having gone three up they conceded 2 late goals to high flying Watford. Speaking to the BBC Swans boss Brendan Rodgers said;

"At home we have been outstanding so let's hope now that's our little motivation when we come away,"

"It allows us to grow in confidence mentally because tactically and technically we are very strong."

"With 15 minutes to go Watford get the goal which gives them a wee bit of motivation, and then it was different type of game."

There are no injuries reported at the time of writing.

No.     Position     Player

1    Keeper         Dorus de Vries

2    Defender     Ashley Williams

3    Defender     Neil Taylor

5    Defender     Alan Tate (vice-captain)

6    Midfield     Ferrie Bodde

7    Midfield     David Cotterill

8    Midfield     Darren Pratley

9    Striker     Craig Beattie

10    Midfield     Andrea Orlandi

11    Striker     Cedric van der Gun

12    Midfield     Nathan Dyer

13    Keeper         David Cornell

14    Striker     Stephen Dobbie

15    Midfield     Jordi López

16    Defender     Garry Monk (captain)

17    Defender     Albert Serrán

18    Striker     Gorka Pintado

19    Striker     Frank Nouble (on loan from West Ham United)

21    Midfield     Scott Sinclair

22    Defender     Àngel Rangel

23    Midfield     Scott Donnelly

24    Midfield     Joe Allen

25    Keeper         Yves Ma-Kalambay

27    Midfield     Mark Gower

28    Midfield     Thomas Butler

29    Midfield     Ashley Richards

31    Midfield     Lee Lucas

34    Defender     Joe Walsh

35    Defender     Daniel Alfei

36    Striker     Casey Thomas

What the bookies think:

Swansea are clear favourites at 4/5 while the Rams are at 4/1. The draw is 9/4 and the Swans are due on e- they've not had a score draw there for 17 games.

 The Bookies don’t seem to know that Kuqi is a Swansea player and have him at 8/1 while Kris Commons & Alberto Bueno are at 8 & 9/1 respectively.

Scott Sinclair is a 4/1 favourite for the Swans.  

Information for travelling fans:

Driving

Its 200 miles to Swansea and a bitch of a drive. Tale A38 to M6, then M5 and M4. Leave the M4 at Junction 45 and take the A4067 towards the City Centre (sign posted A4067 South). Stay on the A4067 for around two and half miles and you will reach the stadium on your left.

Parking

There is Park & Ride Facility located at Swansea Vale, which is signposted off the A4067, shortly after leaving the M4. It costs a fiver. If you continue past the ground and you are early enough there is some street parking to be had.

Drinking

Apparently drinking around the ground has been banned for away fans however footballgroundguide.com reports Frankie & Benny’s and another couple of establishments are still serving.

The town centre is probably the best place to get a drink as long as you aren't loud.

Mick's prediction:

Pleasing last two games. One swallow doesn't make a spring but injuries and loans permitting we might do better than expected this season. Not expecting much from this game before last weekend but we might make a fight of it.

Swansea 2 - 2 Derby

 Join in the MatchZone interactive thread as the game unfolds, on the RZ MB HERE:

http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/derbycounty/fb_mb.php?m=v&t=8326#0

Photo: Action Images

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