Wanderers v Swans

[Lennon'sEleven]

About time we had an official Swansea thread, methinks.

This is a massive game. Will Muamba be in attendance? It'd be great to see him on the pitch before kick off, and a massive boost for the players and supporters. I'm speculating, but if he's discharged from hospital it's a possibility surely?

Anyway, game time. Got my tickets for this one, and currently have that bizarre feeling of excitement, dread, fear and hope.

It's an absolute must-win, of course. Nothing else will do. It's like Blackburn away, Everton away, QPR at home and Blackburn at home. We had to win all of those - and we did.

Come on you Whites!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Must win. Must win. Must win.

There's three points, right there.

[newboy]

SWANSEA WILL OUT PASS US OUT, OUT PLAY US AND OUT SCORE US. humiliating defeat on the cards 0-4 by a team who's away record is comparable with Fulham.

[ohjimmyjimmy]

That does worry me...the only way to combat that is to accept that they are currently a better team than us and that to beat them we will have to out-fight them and harry them as though we are actually playing a better team - if we just think we can turn up and fanny around and get a couple of chances cos it's only swansea then we're knackered. I dont see why it always needs us to be 2 nil down at home before we decide to up the tempo and the urgency.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

SWANSEA WILL OUT PASS US OUT, OUT PLAY US AND OUT SCORE US. humiliating defeat on the cards 0-4 by a team who's away record is comparable with Fulham.

Cheer up, chuck:

Cisse and Zamora will tear us apart.

[BWFC_Insane]

Swansea is season defining. Win and we'll have a chance-good chance (depending on QPR vs Spurs) of staying up.

Lose and I think the writings on the wall.

Fulham game is a warning for this one.

We have to play with tempo and intensity against a better team than we are. However, all to often despite needing to do this we've looked sluggish and half interested.

Lets hope the Dubai trip has the right effect and that all the players are "at it".

[immaturefanboy]

Come on you whites

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Agree with much of BWFCi says there. This is our most important game so far and could be the hardest game of the season in terms of ground covered.

It's not an impossible task. Again, Swansea have fewer away wins (and goals) than Domed Relegation Certainties Bolton, and are twice as likely to concede on the road than at the Liberty. Until Saturday's 3-0 stroll against a moribund Blackburn they had lost four successive games, shipping 10 goals and only scoring one: Everton 0-2 (H), Spurs 3-1 (A), Newcastle 0-2 (H) and QPR (A) 3-0.

Each victorious manager approached their Swansea games slightly differently but all four winning teams were diligent and hard-working in crucial areas, especially their own third, where they would drop into organised banks. Everton, being Everton, harried them all over the pitch; Spurs also pressed hard for a team who hadn't won a league game in seven weeks. QPR dropped off a bit more and hit long balls when they got possession.

Newcastle also mainly dropped into their own third, except that Papiss Cisse endlessly hassled the centre-backs (a role David Ngog must replicate) and Yohan Cabaye got in the face of Leon Britton, who fulfilled his usual role of passing from deep midfield to keep Swansea ticking over. Their passing game is predicated on everyone being able to pass and move but the pivot is that deep midfielder, frequently Britton, switching the play from side to side to stretch opponents. Teams who have attacked this pivot-point have had success in stopping Swansea, and this weekend Darren Pratley - who has a point to prove to both teams' managers and fans - must be tireless when not in possession, while Bolton's wide men will have to scuttle between their full-back and closest central midfielder.

The Swans line up in the old Allardyce formation with one deep midfielder (the "Campo role"), usually flanked by attacking full-backs with two scurriers in front of him and two wide forwards who tend to join the central striker – although Brendan Rodgers' wingers rarely hit the byline and pull it back, usually opting to cut inside and try to tiki-taka their way through. This means that opposing teams can have success by staying relatively narrow without the ball, plonking two banks of four between the area and centre-circle.

Swansea will probably dominate possession. This should not provoke cat-calls and claims that Bolton players don't care as much as those lovable heroes at Blackburn and (this week) Wigan: "get into 'em and f*ck 'em up" doesn't work if they pass round you and score. Calmness, diligence and discipline are needed, from players and fans.

There will of course be nerves, and it's as imperative as ever that we score first. Only the champions have a better average points return than us when deadlock-breaking, and Swansea have lost 13 of the 16 times they've conceded first. Although only United and City have kept more clean sheets than Swansea's 13, the Welshmen's results fall off a cliff once they concede: they've only won twice of the eight times they've conceded a single goal (by contrast our record when conceding one is W6 D1 L0). It's always a bad idea to go behind to a team with such good possession stats, but recent results show that the opposite is becoming true too: it's a quarter of a season since Swansea got anything after going behind. Draw your own conclusions as to how much they're up for it if we, a team in trouble, score first.

We can win. With respect to Rodgers' pleasing passing football, we should win. We have to want it more, and with a bit of intelligence we can do. A win would take us out of the bottom three and pile pressure on QPR for their teatime to-do with Tottenham (even more so if Blackburn beat Norwich at home to draw level on points with the Hoops).

But if we play 4-4-2 from the off we'll get f*cked.

[Lennon'sEleven]

Agree with much of BWFCi says there. This is our most important game so far and could be the hardest game of the season in terms of ground covered.

It's not an impossible task. Again, Swansea have fewer away wins (and goals) than Domed Relegation Certainties Bolton, and are twice as likely to concede on the road than at the Liberty. Until Saturday's 3-0 stroll against a moribund Blackburn they had lost four successive games, shipping 10 goals and only scoring one: Everton 0-2 (H), Spurs 3-1 (A), Newcastle 0-2 (H) and QPR (A) 3-0.

Each victorious manager approached their Swansea games slightly differently but all four winning teams were diligent and hard-working in crucial areas, especially their own third, where they would drop into organised banks. Everton, being Everton, harried them all over the pitch; Spurs also pressed hard for a team who hadn't won a league game in seven weeks. QPR dropped off a bit more and hit long balls when they got possession.

Newcastle also mainly dropped into their own third, except that Papiss Cisse endlessly hassled the centre-backs (a role David Ngog must replicate) and Yohan Cabaye got in the face of Leon Britton, who fulfilled his usual role of passing from deep midfield to keep Swansea ticking over. Their passing game is predicated on everyone being able to pass and move but the pivot is that deep midfielder, frequently Britton, switching the play from side to side to stretch opponents. Teams who have attacked this pivot-point have had success in stopping Swansea, and this weekend Darren Pratley - who has a point to prove to both teams' managers and fans - must be tireless when not in possession, while Bolton's wide men will have to scuttle between their full-back and closest central midfielder.

The Swans line up in the old Allardyce formation with one deep midfielder (the "Campo role"), usually flanked by attacking full-backs with two scurriers in front of him and two wide forwards who tend to join the central striker – although Brendan Rodgers' wingers rarely hit the byline and pull it back, usually opting to cut inside and try to tiki-taka their way through. This means that opposing teams can have success by staying relatively narrow without the ball, plonking two banks of four between the area and centre-circle.

Swansea will probably dominate possession. This should not provoke cat-calls and claims that Bolton players don't care as much as those lovable heroes at Blackburn and (this week) Wigan: "get into 'em and f*ck 'em up" doesn't work if they pass round you and score. Calmness, diligence and discipline are needed, from players and fans.

There will of course be nerves, and it's as imperative as ever that we score first. Only the champions have a better average points return than us when deadlock-breaking, and Swansea have lost 13 of the 16 times they've conceded first. Although only United and City have kept more clean sheets than Swansea's 13, the Welshmen's results fall off a cliff once they concede: they've only won twice of the eight times they've conceded a single goal (by contrast our record when conceding one is W6 D1 L0). It's always a bad idea to go behind to a team with such good possession stats, but recent results show that the opposite is becoming true too: it's a quarter of a season since Swansea got anything after going behind. Draw your own conclusions as to how much they're up for it if we, a team in trouble, score first.

We can win. With respect to Rodgers' pleasing passing football, we should win. We have to want it more, and with a bit of intelligence we can do. A win would take us out of the bottom three and pile pressure on QPR for their teatime to-do with Tottenham (even more so if Blackburn beat Norwich at home to draw level on points with the Hoops).

But if we play 4-4-2 from the off we'll get f*cked.

This is in the wrong thread. It should be on the front page, listed under 'articles'.

[TKIZ!]

That does worry me...the only way to combat that is to accept that they are currently a better team than us and that to beat them we will have to out-fight them and harry them as though we are actually playing a better team - if we just think we can turn up and fanny around and get a couple of chances cos it's only swansea then we're knackered. I dont see why it always needs us to be 2 nil down at home before we decide to up the tempo and the urgency.

Spoke to my QPR supporting friend about this, watched their game against Swansea and thought to myself they can out pass us if they like as long as that possession doesn't hurt us. Twenty seven passes in your own half is pretty to watch but if there is no end product then who cares?

We just need to take our chances when we get them, be ruthless where we can.

[Mar]

Agree with much of BWFCi says there. This is our most important game so far and could be the hardest game of the season in terms of ground covered.

It's not an impossible task. Again, Swansea have fewer away wins (and goals) than Domed Relegation Certainties Bolton, and are twice as likely to concede on the road than at the Liberty. Until Saturday's 3-0 stroll against a moribund Blackburn they had lost four successive games, shipping 10 goals and only scoring one: Everton 0-2 (H), Spurs 3-1 (A), Newcastle 0-2 (H) and QPR (A) 3-0.

Each victorious manager approached their Swansea games slightly differently but all four winning teams were diligent and hard-working in crucial areas, especially their own third, where they would drop into organised banks. Everton, being Everton, harried them all over the pitch; Spurs also pressed hard for a team who hadn't won a league game in seven weeks. QPR dropped off a bit more and hit long balls when they got possession.

Newcastle also mainly dropped into their own third, except that Papiss Cisse endlessly hassled the centre-backs (a role David Ngog must replicate) and Yohan Cabaye got in the face of Leon Britton, who fulfilled his usual role of passing from deep midfield to keep Swansea ticking over. Their passing game is predicated on everyone being able to pass and move but the pivot is that deep midfielder, frequently Britton, switching the play from side to side to stretch opponents. Teams who have attacked this pivot-point have had success in stopping Swansea, and this weekend Darren Pratley - who has a point to prove to both teams' managers and fans - must be tireless when not in possession, while Bolton's wide men will have to scuttle between their full-back and closest central midfielder.

The Swans line up in the old Allardyce formation with one deep midfielder (the "Campo role"), usually flanked by attacking full-backs with two scurriers in front of him and two wide forwards who tend to join the central striker – although Brendan Rodgers' wingers rarely hit the byline and pull it back, usually opting to cut inside and try to tiki-taka their way through. This means that opposing teams can have success by staying relatively narrow without the ball, plonking two banks of four between the area and centre-circle.

Swansea will probably dominate possession. This should not provoke cat-calls and claims that Bolton players don't care as much as those lovable heroes at Blackburn and (this week) Wigan: "get into 'em and f*ck 'em up" doesn't work if they pass round you and score. Calmness, diligence and discipline are needed, from players and fans.

There will of course be nerves, and it's as imperative as ever that we score first. Only the champions have a better average points return than us when deadlock-breaking, and Swansea have lost 13 of the 16 times they've conceded first. Although only United and City have kept more clean sheets than Swansea's 13, the Welshmen's results fall off a cliff once they concede: they've only won twice of the eight times they've conceded a single goal (by contrast our record when conceding one is W6 D1 L0). It's always a bad idea to go behind to a team with such good possession stats, but recent results show that the opposite is becoming true too: it's a quarter of a season since Swansea got anything after going behind. Draw your own conclusions as to how much they're up for it if we, a team in trouble, score first.

We can win. With respect to Rodgers' pleasing passing football, we should win. We have to want it more, and with a bit of intelligence we can do. A win would take us out of the bottom three and pile pressure on QPR for their teatime to-do with Tottenham (even more so if Blackburn beat Norwich at home to draw level on points with the Hoops).

But if we play 4-4-2 from the off we'll get f*cked.

Nicely put, hopefully Pratley will give his best game in a whites shirt yet and really give a good account of himself. It all comes down to how well Reo-Coker and Pratley play in midfield as far as i'm concerned. I know they'll both be well up for it so we should have a bit of faith. Regardless of who we have up front or out wide I think its a case of effort and workrate this saturday.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

(lots)

This is in the wrong thread. It should be on the front page, listed under 'articles'.

Mebbes - it's only a tactical look though, others might wish to do a wider piece. I've parped on enough on that front page. It's easy, just put some words in a line...

[50sQuiff]

Nicely put, hopefully Pratley will give his best game in a whites shirt yet and really give a good account of himself. It all comes down to how well Reo-Coker and Pratley play in midfield as far as i'm concerned. I know they'll both be well up for it so we should have a bit of faith. Regardless of who we have up front or out wide I think its a case of effort and workrate this saturday.

If that isn't suggestive of why we're in this predicament, I don't know what is. I share your sentiments but we're clutching at straws. Neither player is good enough. We're just going to have to want it more against the midtable strollers.

[Worthy4England]

Again, Swansea have fewer away wins (and goals) than Domed Relegation Certainties Bolton, and are twice as likely to concede on the road than at the Liberty. Until Saturday's 3-0 stroll against a moribund Blackburn they had lost four successive games, shipping 10 goals and only scoring one: Everton 0-2 (H), Spurs 3-1 (A), Newcastle 0-2 (H) and QPR (A) 3-0.

An excellent piece Barnet, but I would just point out one or two little snippets.

Swansea's away record (they'll be playing away) is better than Bolton's home record (we're playing at home). They have more points away than we do at home...How we fare away is little to do with the comparison, as we're not away - we have more points away than we do at home.

Away, they've scored three less away than us at home, but they've conceded two less away than we've conceded at home too. So not a lot to choose there.

They have accumulated more points against bottom half teams than us (albeit, they've played more bottom half teams than us)

In any given season, you'd have to back yourselves to beat a team in 12th at home, if you were realistic about staying up, but I don't think Coyle has the wherewithal or tactical nous.

They comprehensively ripped us a new one at their gaff. I'm just hoping they have a really bad day at the office.

[Armchair Wanderer]

Has anyone mentioned that we beat their reserves at home in the cup? If we can beat the reserves maybe we can beat the first team too.

[Wandering Willy]

They comprehensively ripped us a new one at their gaff. I'm just hoping they have a really bad day at the office.

Oh aye - 0-0 until Gardner was sent off.

[Worthy4England]

They comprehensively ripped us a new one at their gaff. I'm just hoping they have a really bad day at the office.

Oh aye - 0-0 until Gardner was sent off.

I can only assume you were doing the Poznan all game and watching the back of the stands.

[Wandering Willy]

Err was it or wasn't 0-0 until gardner was sent off?

My recollection is that we were in the game until that point and were doing well against a team that hadn't (at that time) conceded one goal at home.

[thebish]

as I have said before - our season was pretty much over when Ricky got injured...

[Worthy4England]

Err was it or wasn't 0-0 until gardner was sent off?

My recollection is that we were in the game until that point and were doing well against a team that hadn't (at that time) conceded one goal at home.

It was 0-0. We were doing great. Take that thought with you.

I shall just go and scoff some internet pies, based on most of your other "guesstimates" of how well we do in games.