It may well be that the news of the trust and the club settling their differences brought some moments of clarity for some yesterday. However, the real business for any fan comes on the pitch. The next three fixtures this month will not define Swansea City’s season, and won’t decide Russell Martin’s longevity as Swansea manager, but they are big games, and a very exciting prospect.
Saturdays game away at Sheffield United is the start of possibly the toughest run of matches the swans have faced all season. Not least two of the three games are away at teams chasing promotion. The home one is possibly the hardest fixture out of the three. The trip to Bramall Lane will be tough on many fronts. The Yorkshire club have definitely turned a corner this year. In the last six games they are undefeated winning four and drawing two. Manager Paul Heckingbottom has the blades in great shape. The have drawn their last two games 0-0 so the swans will take some solace from that. Heckingbottom’s side are currently eighth in the league on forty seven points and looking upwards.They certainly will view the swans as another three points. Anything less and they will be very disappointed.
It doesn’t get any better when come next Tuesday AFC Bournemouth are the visitors to the swansea.com stadium. The 4-0 battering the swans took on the south coast earlier in the season is still raw. Bournemouth seemed to have bought up the majority of the desirable players available across the league with one clear objective. Get back to the premier league, and get back quickly. Again, anything from this game for the swans will be viewed positively. The cherries are fallible though, losing away to Luton and at home to Hull City last month in the league. Whatever happens between the Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest on Friday night they will come to Swansea in second place in the league.
To make matters more complicated West Bromwich Albion are up next after that, a fixture moved to a Monday night at the Hawthorns for television. You can probably guess who had air tickets bought for the original date. I really should learn. Never really a happy hunting ground for Swansea City, and after games against Sheffield United and Bournemouth a trip to the baggies for a night game isn’t the best antidote. With their manager Valérien Ismaël now sacked and Steve Brice at the helm there will be an air of positivity about the palace for sure. The game at the Hawthorns won’t be as easy as other teams have found this season. However these are three mouth watering ties to see out February. Russell Martin must be really inspired at the prospect of seeing his style of football up against three very different managers.
The swans manager has some degree of confidence he has a decent defender in Finley Burns after an impressive debut in the victory over Bristol City on Sunday. The swans coach was delighted the day after the game. "We have got a really exciting prospect on our hands and now it is up to us to develop him and make sure he understands every detail. He has only been here for three weeks, and we have had a lot of games in that period of time. With more time on the training pitch he will get better and better. He is fitting in so well into the squad as a character, which is so important. We are really, really happy with him and hopefully today will give him a springboard to really kick on from.”
Maturity and confidence. Finley Burns on his swans debut
It’s odds on the defence will be tested thoroughly during these three games so an extra intelligent mind to put in the selection box is important. Finley seemed happy as well post match "I have felt welcomed here and it was a brilliant feeling to make my debut. The aim is to try and earn a regular place in the first team, there were a few mistakes in my game that I know I need to learn from and correct for the future to get better. I just want to get as many games under my belt and get the team moving in the right direction.”
He and his team mates are about to embark a seriously tough run of matches over nine days starting this Saturday. We hope they come out of it if not completely successful then inspired by this league and playing for our club. Swansea City have some seriously testing games coming up and we haven’t mentioned Fulham yet either.
Three wins then, no problem.