Bar a very late change of mind from Russell Martin on Sunday, Jamie Paterson is odds one to start tomorrow’s game against Bristol City. The reasons are obvious with his connections to the robins and of course he is regardless of recent issues one of Swansea City’s top performers.

Jamie Paterson has contributed eight goals this season to the Swansea City cause, and that’s not at all bad when you consider he has had thirty shots at goal this season, an accuracy rate of around one in three. We can see here what really makes Jamie’s game tick with him coming alive in the attacking half of the pitch. It’s no secret this is where his main contributions occur on a match day.

His passing is also a strength and going forwards is where he can affect the game. Over a thousand passes this season and an eighty three percent accuracy rate is exceptionally good, especially when you consider some and the type passes Jamie takes on.

It’s no doubt that the swans are a better team with Jamie in it than not. He is a danger man in attack, and concentrates the minds of the defenders up against him. His record this season is as known within the club as it is outside. The month of January was most certainly a huge mistake by him and his representatives, and that is still a bug bear with certain Swansea City supporters. Mind you on the next point Jamie really doesn't affect the games he plays that much defensively, it’s clear his game is going forwards and attacking. His industry in this part of the pitch isn’t that effective. However defending is a specific discipline discipline so maybe his effectiveness in a defensive tackle is understandable.

Now with the chance of linking up with Joel Piroe against Bristol City tomorrow we can expect a fiery game full of incident and referee Keith Stroud will have a lot on his plate officiating this one. We have to expect Jamie to start, Russell Martin screamed out for more intensity after the game at Stoke last Tuesday. Jamie Paterson will most certainly bring that to this game. Along with Flynn Downes, Ryan Manning and Cyrus Christie the swans have potential match winners, but for us it’s Jamie Paterson who can make that extra difference.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

Swansea City Polls