Swansea City face West Bromwich Albion away at the Hawthorns this afternoon in a traditional 3pm Saturday kick off. It’s a great trip for Swans fans, not that far away by comparison to other away days, and a very large away support will be there.

The issues on the pitch are concerning. Swans head coach, Luke Williams has a strategy and tactics that have had a very sterile and mechanical effect on the games we have seen so fear this season. Especially in the League Cup. In those two games the team looked pretty shoddy and conservative, in the Wycombe home defeat we didn’t see one through ball played from some eight hundred plus passes. The league games played so far have brought four points from nine, that’s a win, a loss and a draw. Early days for sure, and in any Championship season just a few wins on the trot can hurl any team into top six contention.

Luke Williams was furious at the input he saw from the eight changes he made from the Cardiff City game on Sunday when his side faced Wycombe on Wednesday evening. “The first half was atrocious. We improved after that, but it’s still not a good performance. There was a lack of energy, lack of intensity, lack of aggression, and lack of quality in a disjointed performance. They’ve certainly been told they can’t come out with that type of lethargic attitude.”

Not sure about improvement Luke, but that game set the bar as low as many have seen in their Swansea supporting life. That obviously needs to change today, but any visit to the Hawthorns generally see’s the Baggies as favourites, even when the Swans are going well. It’s a tough place to go, and especially on the back of recent performances with the head coach screaming for commitment and change. It’s possibly a sad fact that the club and fans would settle for an away point today, by any means necessary as well. We should always be going into games with one thing in mind, a win.

Last season the Swans won at home and the Baggies won at their place 3-2.

New signings, especially Vipotnik, Florian, Eom, Peart- Harris, Franco, Jon McLaughlin and Nelson Abbey should all feature in the match day squad, but caution too as it was some of those players who annoyed Williams after Wednesday. Definitely out are Josh Ginnelly, Sam Parker and Aimar Govea. Franco ( below) has received treatment this week after a knock against Cardiff and wasn’t used for the midweek fixture, but he is going to feature in the squad at this time. Let’s all hope he starts, he can be a major influence today.

From his performance on Wednesday we expect back up to include Kristian Pedersen and Kyle Naughton is in the frame again, he is thirty six in November and a reliable player, but not for the whole ninety. Joe Allen came through Wednesday pretty much unscathed, but he is always having assessments on his body post match, precautionary mostly.

The Baggies have made ten signings this summer, the latest Mikey Johnston from Celtic, he played on loan at the Hawthorns last season, but this time around he is a permanent signing. “This move was definitely something I always wanted to happen. I didn’t think it would be possible. I thought the only way it would be possible was if we won promotion. Now that I’m back, it feels a bit surreal. I’ve kept in contact with everyone and I’ve got a lot of friends here now. That was another big reason why I came back”

One time Everton captain, and still only twenty seven, Mason Holgate is another player who strengthens the home side greatly. He has retuned on loan from Everton, completing the deal late last night. Speaking on that Holgate said, “It’s all happened so fast, obviously deadline day is always so hectic. I spoke with Ian Pearce back and forth over the day to get this move over the line, and I’m excited to get going under the manager. I’m buzzing to get going in front of the fans, too. Last time we came so close to promotion, and it was a great squad to be a part of. Hopefully this time we can go one step further”

The Championship table needs time to settle down but the Baggies have started well, and the Swans sit in ninth position pre match. There has to be a huge shift in performance, mentality and commitment today,. The players, unlike the many who will be there supporting the Swans today aren’t on a local average wage of twenty grand a year. And some far less. That’s commitment.

Swansea City take on West Bromwich Albion at 3pm today and we will have all the latest news and teams later on.

Take pride in that shirt Jacks, it’s your turn.

Photographs licensed from Reuters & Swansea Independent

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