Swansea have progressed from an attractive but toothless side into one of the league’s most difficult opponents over the course of a superb first season back in the top flight.
Back in December, after a 1-1 draw between QPR and Swansea at the Liberty Stadium, I offered this assessment of the much praised and lauded team Brendon Rodgers had put together in South Wales…
Good God Swansea like possession, but at times the experience of watching them play is similar to one you might have on a visit to the Tate Modern. “Marvellous darling, simply wonderful” people cry as they gaze upon this supposed art form – quite often though, Swansea are the footballing equivalent of an abstract painting of a hairy minge. Pointless, pretentious, dull.
Side to side the ball goes, repeatedly left and right, and backwards - very frequently backwards. Pundits count the passes for you; “21, 22, 23”. Fluidly, calmly, methodically they go about their work, like a footballing metronome. Aren’t they majestic darling? But, like a metronome, they rarely go anywhere. Tick tock, left to right, pass, pass, pass, tick, tock. Swansea are fourteenth, without a single win away from home, and with only 17 goals scored in 18 matches.
It was my firm belief at that stage that we were witnessing another Hull City scenario being played out at the Liberty Stadium. Sure the Swans had achieved some notable results by surprising teams with their positive outlook and style of play, but they lacked a cutting edge and ruthlessness to finish teams off when on top or pick up sufficient points away from home. QPR were better than them in the second half of that game, and I expected they would be so again during the rest of the season.
Well, predictions never were my strong suit I suppose. While QPR sunk deep into relegation trouble and sacked their manager Swansea have gone from strength to strength to the point where gaffer Brendan Rodgers is being touted as the division’s manager of the year. Justifiably so as well, he gets my vote. Following our last meeting they won six and drew one of ten Premiership games to climb into the top half.
They did that by completing arguably the shrewdest piece of business in the January transfer window – taking Gylfi Sigurdsson who’d been a star of the Reading team Rodgers previously managed and earned a big money move to Hoffenheim as a result. It provided Swansea with an extra bit of quality and cutting edge in the final third so there was more to them than simply holding possession on the halfway line all the time. Sigurdsson scored twice in recent a 3-0 win at Fulham, their third straight win without conceding a goal including a 1-0 home success against Man City.
Swansea, and Rodgers, benefit from superb long term planning at board level that has seen the club rise up through four divisions in a controlled and admirable way. Every signing and managerial appointment seems to fit with the club’s ethos and style, everything they do seems to be with an eye on the short, medium and long terms. This is in stark contrast to everything that has happened at QPR during the same time period and a big part of the reason behind our contrasting fortunes this season.
It wasn’t always this way. Swansea were one of those teams in the queue to go out of the Football League little more than ten years ago. Playing in a stadium that, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, had been an impressive fortress that played host to top flight football and scared the established names in the game but ended up looking very much like that place I used to go to with your dad on a Sunday to throw household waste onto a large pile. No money, no decent players, no hope – they finished in their lowest ever position in 1997/98 and then, after a brief stirring with John Hollins in charge that saw a promotion and immediate relegation, they were 20th in the bottom tier again in 2001/02. The following year they scraped out of the relegation zone on the very last day of the season, relegating Exeter instead in dramatic circumstances.
Off the pitch the boardroom saw one botched takeover after another. In 1996 a new consortium bought the club from chairman Doug Sharpe and immediately appointed Kevin Cullis, of Cradley Town fame, as manager. So outraged was Sharpe that he invoked a clause in the deal to resume control of the club, and sacked Cullis after two matches. In 2001 the managing director bought it for a quid, then shifted it straight on to an Australian consortium fronted by Tony Petty who immediately terminated the contracts of 15 players. The Petty group sold its stake in 2002 amid a torrent of anger from the few Swansea fans left who could actually still bring themselves to care.
Since then the club has never looked back. Like Hull City and not at all like Coventry it’s a club that has been galvanised by a move to a new council funded stadium. Kenny Jackett led them out of the bottom division in their final season at the Vetch Field after leaving his position as assistant manager to Ian Holloway at QPR and then when things stagnated a little in the third tier he was replaced by former player Roberto Martinez. Originally part of the ‘Three Amigos’ at Wigan Athletic (like the Three Degrees at West Brom but not quite as racist) Martinez was the popular captain of the Swansea team that avoided relegation to the Conference on the final day of the season and his stock continued to rise in South Wales when, as manager, he took them back into the second tier of English football after a 24 year absence.
A season of consolidation in the second tier league followed with pundits and supporters alike attracted to the Swans and their unique style of play. While Championship teams in trouble tend to knock a ball in behind an opposing full back to relieve pressure, Swansea’s get out ball became a sweeping crossfield pass with a winger staying tight to the touchline on either side of the pitch so they could stretch the game widthways rather than lengthways. It sounds very simple, and several teams have copied it since including Blackpool under Ian Holloway, but at the time it was a revolutionary idea for that level. I can still remember Swansea coming to Loftus Road for the first time under Martinez and the ball being on the South Africa Road side of the ground, attracting every single QPR player to the right hand side of the centre spot leaving young Nathan Dyer still standing way out on the Ellerslie Road touchline waiting for that ‘get out’ ball to release him.
After all of this it was sad that Martinez soured his relationship with the club by decamping to Wigan. Nobody could really begrudge him a chance to manage a Premiership side, especially one that he played for, but having previously promised that he would stay with Swansea as long as they wanted him and they might have to carry him out of the place “in a box” the nature of his departure left a sour taste in the mouth. Especially as Martinez then returned for Jason Scotland, Jordi Gomez and numerous members of his backroom team.
Paulo Sousa seemed a natural replacement for Martinez in style and mannerisms but Swansea found the problem with the Portuguese was the same as it had been when he was at QPR previously and Leicester since in that Sousa sees actually scoring goals as a nice luxury rather than a necessity. Swansea just missed the play offs under Sousa – which when you consider it was only their second season in the league and they not only lost Martinez, Scotland and Gomes in the summer but also saw star midfielder Ferrie Bodde ruled out for the season early on is no mean feat. However when you consider that they scored only 21 goals at home all season (only relegated Plymouth got less) and 19 away (Peterborough, again relegated, the only ones with fewer) it can be seen as an opportunity missed. Especially as they lost the final play off spot to Blackpool, who went on to win the whole thing, on the final day of the season when they drew 0-0, for the tenth time, with a Doncaster Rovers side with nothing to play for. Sousa’s keenness to depart South Wales for Leicester at the end of the year puzzled me at the time, and looked even more idiotic when he was been sacked two months into the job at the Walkers Stadium.
But, by way of further credit to a board of directors who should be held up as a shining example of how to run a football club, the progress continued unrelented under Sousa’s replacement Brendan Rodgers. Swansea are proud of their much talked about style of football and seem to deliberately target managers who will keep the ball on the ground – I can’t imagine Iain Dowie ever pitching up in these parts for example.
Rodgers, such a dramatic failure at Reading, enjoyed a tremendous first season in South Wales last term by guiding them into the Premiership at the first attempt and has followed that up with a sparkling debut campaign at the top level.
At very short notice and during a working week Swans fan Abi Davies kindly took time out to give LFW a quick run down on life at the Liberty Stadium. You can read more from Abi in her blogs at Wales Online and match reports on The Ball Is Round.
Did any Swansea fans in their wildest dreams think this season would go this well?
I don't think anyone could have predicted that the season would go so well. Seeing how Swansea have implemented the tactics and passing strategies that served them so well in the Championship to such great effect in the top flight has been remarkable. There were many fears ahead of the season as to whether the step up would prove too much for a number of Swansea players, however all have demonstrated key attributes of the highest calibre in order to prove critics wrong.
What do you put the success of the team down to this season?
I think that having the utmost belief in our philosophy coupled with the unity and willingness from players to do their best for the success of the club have been huge factors. Given the style of football Swansea play, there is no room to carry any players, therefore an outstanding work ethic is essential and required from all. Swansea has never been a club based on big money players or signings, we have an honest group of players who enjoy the game and I feel this is another contributing element to our success.
Are you concerned about other clubs sniffing around your manager?
Naturally, yes … however I feel Brendan Rodgers is well educated enough to see that big money moves do not always work out. Given that he is still finding his feet and adapting to the Premier League, I feel he needs to establish himself and spend at least another year at Swansea before pushing on to bigger challenges.
Who are the candidates for your player of the year award this season?
The whole of our squad have excelled expectations and as a result there are so many candidates. I feel the main contenders would be Vorm, Williams, Caulker, Allen, Sigurdsson and Dyer.
Michel Vorm has been a sublime addition to the squad since joining from Utrecht. Pulling off countless sublime saves to deny some of the world’s greatest strikers, he has firmly consolidated himself amongst the best keepers in the division.
Ashley Williams has been a stalwart in the Swansea back line over recent years and along with centre back partner Steven Caulker has helped us notch up an incredible 12 clean sheets so far this season. His vision and ability to read the game has seen him make vital interceptions and his leadership skills have been invaluable.
Having joined on a season long loan from Spurs, 20 year old centre back Caulker has been colossal at the heart of Swansea's defence this season. He has demonstrated maturity beyond his years, reading the game outstandingly well as well as offering Swansea some much needed height and pace at the rearguard. Caulker has shown confidence to occasionally push forward, making numerous surging runs through the centre and offering the side something different in the final third.
Joe Allen has been pivotal to Swansea's success this season, with a phenomenal work ethic, the 22 year old Welsh international has shown his importance to the side both defensively and offensively.
Since joining Swansea on loan from Hoffenheim in January, Gylfi Sigurdsson has been an exceptional talent and addition to the side. Drafted straight into first team action, he has provided Swansea with everything that they lacked in the first half of the campaign. A set piece specialist, Sigurdsson suits Swansea's style to perfection and has been at the heart of a lot of their build up play, as well as scoring six important goals. Sadly Brendan Rodgers faces a mammoth challenge to try and extend the Icelander's stay in South Wales due to his contract at Hoffenheim.
Last season's Player Of The Year Nathan Dyer is another contender for the award. The winger has continued in the same vein of form that saw him win this accolade in the Championship, enjoying huge success this season. Dyer has added great versatility to his game in order to prove a handful for the majority of full backs. His combination play in the final third has been superb whilst his pace has seen him get the better of or draw fouls from most defenders. A great testament to his form this season has been the call from so many pundits for him to receive an English cap.
Where are the weak links in the team? Where would you like to see additions in the summer?
I feel the main weak link has been on the right wing. Angel Rangel, so crucial to our success in the Championship, has not quite adapted to the demands of the Premier League and so often leaves himself exposed due to some poor positional play. There have also been question marks surrounding how clinical we are this season, as far too often Swansea have delivered dominant displays yet been punished for a lack of conviction in front of goal. Therefore, strengthening our strike force in the summer will be important.
What are the aims for the club in the medium and long term?
I think the main aim is to establish ourselves in the top flight. After this, hopefully Swansea can challenge for a European spot and pick up trophies in domestic cup competitions.
That he was preferred to Malky Mackay, who had a wealth of first team experience behind him and had done a fine job as caretaker manager in difficult circumstances, showed how much Watford rated him – especially considering what a good manager Mackay has since blossomed into. The Hornets were rewarded for their faith when Rodgers kept them up with points to spare, even turning Tamas Priskin into something resembling a professional footballer in the process.
He had originally made his name in footballing circles coaching in Reading’s academy, and then later at Chelsea where he learned from the Portuguese man in the Matalan coat. Watford gave him his chance and he seized it with both hands before dumping them at the first possible opportunity to re-join Reading as their manager.
Now there’s a fair bit of luck all round in the story here really. Luckily for Watford Malky Mackay wasn’t too bitter about being overlooked the first time and took the job on – he has since kept Watford up despite a balance sheet that looked like it had been put together by Bob Diamond and Trader Jones during a late night pot party at Charlie Chalk’s hampering his progress. Mackay has since left for a difficult job at Cardiff which he is succeeding in despite numerous limitations.
Luckily for Reading their decision to appoint Rodgers for a long term rebuilding job following relegation from the top flight and an end to their parachute payments didn’t damage them too greatly when they then sacked him after three months of dreadful results on the pitch. Brian McDermott came in to replace him and has been an unlikely success despite sounding like that desperately dull man with the never ending list of pointless anecdotes and information about rare Red Kites and the type of points used on the West Coast mainline that I always seem to get sat next to at weddings. Reading’s knack of coming home with a wet sail looks set to promote them back to the Premiership this May.
And luckily for Rodgers he landed on his feet at Swansea who he promoted into the Premier League at the first attempt via the play offs, beating Reading in the final. His stock is soaring, and he was right to turn down the hiding to nothing that is the Northern Ireland job at the start of the season. Swansea are the success story of the Premiership season and Rodgers is hotly tipped for the Manager of the Year prize which would be richly deserved because not only has he kept a newly promoted team up with weeks to spare but he’s done it without compromising the football philosophy that previously won them so many friends in the Championship.
I remember a West Brom side managed by Tony Mowbray winning promotion to the top flight four years back playing excellent football, only to find that quite a lot of Premiership teams were somewhat better at the same attractive style they favoured and they were therefore relegated immediately. Swansea have never swayed from their beliefs and have had a superb season.
Swansea’s style of play has been spoken about to death – in a way it’s a sad indictment of English football that a team which uses a cross field pass to an unmarked winger as it’s ‘out’ ball rather than a percentage punt down the line in behind opposing full backs to turn them round is so newsworthy.
Even when winning promotion last season Swansea never really seemed to find a man they were happy with in the lone striker role. Backed by Dyer and Sinclair it didn’t really matter but for the Premiership they spent £3.5m on Danny Graham and after a slow start (no goals in his first six) he has since found his feet and bagged 12 goals in 33 performances. I saw him play, and score, against Wolves away in a match they really should have won and again against Villa at home in a 0-0 draw. QPR know all about his finishing, strength in the air and hold up and lay game after the Watford match at Loftus Road last season where he scored twice in a 3-0 win that ended our 19 match unbeaten start to the season. But watching him closely as a neutral in a televised game it’s his movement that really strikes you. Given the way strikers like Suarez and Bendtner have gleefully been able to manoeuvre as much time and space in the QPR penalty area as they could ever possibly need in recent games that’s a real concern. He’s never still, always thinking, and often in space against better defences than ours.
The previous problem, prior to Sigurdsson’s arrival, was that he was often totally isolated in that attack. He has scored six goals in 13 matches to show the value of an extra supporting attacker and the Swans have beaten Arsenal and Man City at home and won three away matches since he arrived when they’d managed just one beforehand.
Graham is also a pretty tall guy (6ft 1in officially) which is a big thing for Swansea who, apart from Ashley Williams (6ft officially) are a very small team. Against Wolves they struggled to defend set pieces, and constantly worked short routines with their own because routine crosses into the area were a waste of time. Williams incidentally has started more than 170 consecutive matches for Swansea – avoiding injury and suspension throughout. When they do put a cross in from a corner, watch out for him sneaking around the back post area, and from free kicks he will start in an offside position but jump back in line in time to get involved if the ball is delivered. He’s a massive player for them in more ways than one.
A key thing for the supporters to avoid on Wednesday is getting to annoyed at Rangers not rushing out of the line to make tackles when Swansea are popping the ball around on halfway. They key, as shown recently by Spurs and Newcastle, is to press in shape as a team and remain patient when not in possession. Wolves, under heavy encouragement to do so from their notoriously fickle supporters, lost all shape in an ill-advised attempt to close out a passing move that was actually going nowhere – Swansea quickly sprung into the gaps left in behind and scored a fine goal through Graham. Tempting as it may be, don’t rush out and give them the opportunity.
With three consecutive defeats on their card coming into this game perhaps the Premier League has belatedly found the Swans out after all.
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