After a very decent January transfer window and players like Liam Delap getting near to fitness (on loan from Manchester City) Head coach Liam Rosenior has been backed to hilt by owner Acun Ilicali this season , and they are beginning to concern some of those end of season top six places in the Championship.
The top four look pretty much sorted, it now just depends on where they finish come May. That is going to be a grand old scrap, and one the Swans can still influence over the coming weeks. Acumn is described as a TV ‘mogul’ he owns Turkish TV company ACUNMEDYA and he has a net worth well in excess of $100,000,000. He has an excellent relationship with Rosenior, and that seems to have jelled at the right time.
Some will tell you this Hull side are slightly stuttering, but they remain in sixth place and looking upwards. They have won their last two games and before that they struggled losing to Norwich at home and then drawing with Birmingham City. The defeat at Sheffield Wednesday. a 3-2 win against Blackburn Rovers possibly have set some alarm bells ringing.
The Tigers results from November starting when the Swans drew 2-2 with Saturdays hosts - do show some fallibility.
See … it hasn’t been all plain sailing for Liam Rosenior. And when you look at results leading up to this game there is some hope for the Swans, not that many give them any. The two wins recently on Saturday 1-0 home to Millwall, and before that Sunderland away have seen the Tigers back to somewhere near their best. We’ve included the Sheffield Wednesday defeat in the stats below again, just for some hope !
It’s not all bad, Hull have their issues, especially defending. They have brought in Billy Sharp on a free transfer, a missed trick there from the Swans, and striker Aaron Connolly for a reasonable fee. Croatian keeper Ivor Pandur has also signed on a contract until 2027 with an option. Attacking midfielder Abdülkadir Ömür is another decent buy. For this season Hull have a seven and a half million deficit to make up, somewhat worryingly ?. It makes you wonder if this goes wrong where does that leave the club financially and indeed Liam Rosenior regards his job. Jaden Philogene, is another eye catching signing in January from Aston Villa, and he is a game changer. It really does look like the club have gone for it big time in the January window.
To be honest when you look at those results since the last time the clubs met at Swansea there should be some encouragement taken. The Swans now have raw pace and a threat on the wings and shouldn’t look at this game as a free hit. It’s there to be taken if the Swans face up organised and take their chances ! And they will have chances.
Hull City v Swansea City (3pm) is on this coming Saturday.