The consistently inconsistent Swans - Interview Friday, 20th Jan 2023 09:21 by Clive Whittingham Russell Martin's Swansea can win six games out of eight, and then none of the eight immediately following that, leaving Phil Sumbler from Planet Swans at a bit of a loss to pin down exactly what his team is all about. How's the season gone so far for Swansea? Up and down is the only way to describe it. We had a great September and October and then went eight without a win. The best phrase really is consistently inconsistent — we seem to do better the lower our possession. You can work that one out. Swansea league results so far… A lot of draws lately, big win over Watford, comeback at Coventry... how are you playing coming into this game? It’s difficult to say. Last weekend’s win at Sunderland was a good one but it will also be said it was against a side who played the majority of the game against ten men. We have probably played better than the results suggest but sometimes we can just dominate a game but forget to get shots on goal. Again, consistently inconsistent. Assessment of Russell Martin's performance? He has his fans and he has his critics. Probably broadly in equal measure with a group in the middle who will adjust depending on the last result. He has a plan and a belief in how the game should be played and we all want him to succeed because that means the team is doing well. If he can turn consistently inconsistent into consistently consistent then all well and good. The Obafemi situation seems a bit of a mess, I though him and Piroe were going to be hard to stop this season, what's the latest there? Obafemi doesn’t want to be here it seems but teams that want him seem short of our valuation. Definitely is a case of us needing to move him on - there’s a definite talent there but problems seem to follow him around ,that tells you a story. Piroe is just hitting form and with Liam Cullen looking like he is developing an understanding with him then Oba who? Aren't you in danger of hanging onto a player who doesn't want to be there right the way down to the end of his contract when you could have had some cash? Yes, but I do think we will do business on Obafemi this month. Summer Ins >>> Harry Darling, 22, CB, MK Dons, £2m >>> Nathan Wood, 20, CB, Boro, Undisclosed >>> Joe Allen, 32, CM, Stoke, Free >>> Matthew Sorinola, 21, LB, Union SG (Belgium), Loan >>> Luke Cundle, 20, CM, Wolves, Loan >>> Armstrong Oko-Flex, 20, LW, West Ham, Loan >>> Summer Outs >>> Flynn Downes, 23, CM, West Ham, £9.5m >>> Korey Smith, 31, CM, Derby, Free >>> Yan Dhanda, 23, AM, Ross County, Free >>> Ben Hamer, 34, GK, Watford, Free >>> Morgan Whittaker, 21, RW, Plymouth, Loan >>> Josh Gould, 25, GK, Released >>> Jordon Garrick, 24, RW, Lincoln, Loan >>> Kyle Joseph, 20, ST, Oxford, Loan Winter Ins >>> N/A Winter Outs >>> Jordan Garrick, 24, RW, Forest Green, Undisclosed >>> Nathanael Ogbeta, 21, LB, Peterborough, Loan >>> Brandon Cooper, 22, CB, Forest Green, Loan Ryan Manning in running down contract shocker - how's that gone down? Better than it has done with a few others who’ve done it. He’s done a good job for us and the thought more seems to be that maybe we could move a bit in both directions to meet in the middle. Apart from that, any other January business to report? Everybody seems to want Morgan Whittaker... apart from Swansea. Stand out performers and weak links in the side? Ollie Cooper as a stand out performer. Weak link — goalkeeper Steven Benda has had a couple of poor games but wouldn’t say a weak link as such. However, there is more than one position that needs strengthening, that tells you the answer. Expectations for the rest of the season? If we can push above mid table towards the play offs then I’d be delighted but where we are is broadly where I expect to finish. Links >>> Official Website >>> Planet Swans — Blog and Forum >>> Swansea Independent - Forum >>> Wales Online — Local Paper >>> The Jack Army — Forum >>> SOS - Fanzine The Twitter @loftforwords, @swansnews Pictures — Action Images Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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