Swansea City have nine games to play before they see the month of November out. The fixtures cover some of the better sides in the Championship, but also offer Michael Duff an opportunity to get some decent points on the board. For many the end of November will be the time to make some judgement on the Swans season, and on Duff as well.
We’ve taken a look at the fixtures.
We often hear of complaints that the Championship is Saturday - then midweek and it’s a hard slog. Obviously not doubting that one bit, it takes a lot out of those players who actually put the effort in for their clubs. However, it isn’t all that bad for the Swans despite two more international breaks. November doesn’t present them any midweek games at all, and for the whole of this month and next there’s just two midweek fixtures. In fact five games in October then four in November looks comfortable for the Swans. Yes, there’s under 21 call ups, and plenty of them, plus full international duty, but those Swansea players called up don’t always feature in those games.
And they continue their training in different environments, so as we say it isn’t all that bad.
In October moving in to November there’s two midweek games, the first tomorrow against Norwich City, the other Watford, and both are at home. The Swans won’t see another evening kick off until December.
Three of the next four are at home, Norwich, Leicester City and Watford. Nobody is saying all those games will result in wins, but when at home you simply mustn’t lose. Well, that’s the theory. Some will give the Swans a free hit against Leicester City, but by that point we expect the side to be performing at a higher level than they are currently at. Against Leicester, and the form they are in that really does have to be the case.
Looking at November the four fixtures present a difficult tie against Leeds United away, and Ipswich away as well. Those two games along with the Leicester fixture will be exceptionally hard. However, Sunderland and Hull City at home, and potentially Blackburn away could deliver some positive news.
We expect eight points minimum from the fifteen on offer over the next five games this month. After that there’s the four in November, and six from the twelve points on offer is another minimum requirement. That’s fourteen points from nine games which actually offer twenty seven points overall. That shouldn’t be difficult, even if the likes of Leeds and Ipswich away with the added tasty ingredient of Leicester at home - they do look very tricky fixtures. That would put the Swans on around twenty three points come the start of December, a month which gives Swansea seven opportunities to reach the end of the year on that golden marker of around thirty six points. That’s twenty five games played as the new year turns with twenty six to play. Mid thirties points wise has to be the target.
We polled our thoughts here at the Indy and the general consensus was the Leicester, Leeds and Ipswich ties could well produce zero points. Norwich is an odd one, we felt we could actually win that and get a draw at Plymouth. Leicester as suggested could be a loss, but Watford don’t like coming here at all. That’s the eight points bagged with Blackburn Rovers away to finish off October. We are due a win there for sure. Eleven points would be a clear statement of intent. The four games in November are trickier, and our thoughts again fall down on losses against Ipswich and Leeds, both away. That leaves the two home games against Sunderland and Hull City, and yes we expect to win both of them.
That’s six points going in to December where we have seven games, three at home and four away. Remember we need to get to the mid thirties points wise come the new year. Four wins and a draw could tip the season in our favour. That would indeed give the Swans thirty six points. However four games are away and three at home. Bar one game we have t really factored in draws, but being positive the tougher games could throw up a few surprises for us.
Of course it’s all possible, what were you worrying about ? This is Swansea City nothing is ever as easy as the game we have just played on paper. And anyway, with your nerves soothed and your fears allayed go and put the kettle on, You should have done that before all this started, and let us know what you think below, or on the football forum.
Cheers.