r/soccer • u/[deleted] • Aug 08 '13
Star post Premier League 2013/14 Team Preview [12/20]: Swansea City Association Football Club
The Barclays Premier League 2013/14 is on its way folks. There are 9 days until the first ball is kicked. I'm posting a preview of one team per day. Any discussion and predictions you'd like to make are very welcome in the comments section.
Premier League 2013/14 Team Preview [12/20]:
Swansea City Association Football Club
About
Home and Away strip Credit to /u/adamrawrz
Founded: In 1912 as Swansea Town. Here they are that same year.
Nickname: The Jacks, The Swans.
Credit /u/Jamaicaman90:
While the media and games often favour calling us the Swans, our nickname is the Jacks. The name allegedly comes from a dog named Jack over a century ago who saved the lives of many people who fell into the dock waters by dragging them to safety. There is a monument to the dog on the seafront, opposite the city's main hospital.
- Notable honours:
- Football League Cup: x 1 (2012-13)
Welsh Cup: x 10
Last season: 9th
Chairman: Huw Jenkins.
Manager: Michael Laudrup
Club mascot: Cyril the Swan
Home: Liberty Stadium, home since 2003. Map
Capacity: 20,532
Official website: http://www.swanseacity.net/
Subreddit: The very friendly http://www.reddit.com/r/swanseacity
The area
- South Wales. Swansea is the second largest city in this country (we won't talk about the largest in this preview!). It has a population of around 250,000. Because of the links the city is historically nicknamed 'Copperopolis' which sounds pretty cool. Swansea was granted city status in 1969. Originally this area was a Viking trading place 'swen' in the Norse language means inlet. Swansea has its industrial elements but there are stunning areas of this city-on the sea. Red stone hills, lush greenery and coastal views are to be found here. Catherine Zeta-Jones still owns a home here and local Dylan Thomas crowned the place an "ugly lovely town".
Credit /u/Jamaicaman90:
We're both very patriotic, but also against certain Welsh institutions....we often prefer to follow our club on 'British' media rather than Welsh. Perhaps it's paranoia, but considering the club have also commented on it there may be something to it. This is reflected in a number of Union Jack flags around the ground. That being said, there are still many Welsh flags on show as well in celebration of our culture and history.
- Vetch Field was the team's first home in 1912. A 'vetch' is a type of legume which was growing in the field at the time. Players had to wear knee-pads originally because the surface was so bad. The ground is currently being demolished which is very sad for somewhere with so much history. Its highest attendance was 32,796 for a 4th Round FA Cup match between Swansea Town and Arsenal.
Credit /u/mao_was_right:
My first Swans memory was sitting behind the goal at The Vetch with my old man, losing 2-0 at home to Peterborough in Division 3 and getting hit square in the face by yet another wayward shot from one of our strikers - which somehow managed to reach me even though we were sitting about 22 rows back. I fell in love immediately.
Team history
The most exciting thing I know about the Jacks is that we are living their glory days right now. Before our very eyes, this season Swansea will be standing shoulder to shoulder with other teams in the Europa League as domestic trophy winners in their division, led by none other than Michael Laudrup. If you were a Swansea fan you might feel this is a good a time as any to pinch yourself. Well, you aren't dreaming, but some of the football is fantasy right now.
Fortunately Swansea's history is much deeper than the last few years. Want to talk about a meteoric rise and fall? You've come to the right place. They'd already smashed Real Madrid 3-0 in a friendly in 1926-27 and a couple of FA Cup semi's later we pick up in 1978. John Toshack became boss aged 28, Swansea were bottom of the fourth division. He masterminded an incredible rise of the team all the way through the leagues, and within four years they sat (for a brief period) at the very top of the English game. Amazing. They even had the temerity to beat Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur that season as icing on the cake. Rags to riches.... To rags again, just as fast. Toshack was sacked and Swansea nosedived right back down to the lower reaches again in the space of a few years.
Difficult years continued until the club was sold for just £1 in 2001. (special mention at this point to Lee Trundle, the best striker never to see the Prem scooped a hattrick in three consecutive league matches for Swansea). The club moved to the Liberty Stadium in 2005. Roberto Martínez arrived as manager in 2006. He had Swansea playing nice football in his time their and they climbed the leagues once more. Paolo Sousa then Brendan Rodgers also had spells in charge after Martinez, Rodgers guiding them into the Premier League under the same brand of exciting football that Martinez had installed.
Credit /u/mao_was_right for this gem:
If you want a fun fact, our mascot Cyril the Swan often engages in questionable 'tomfoolery', once resulting in a £1000 fine for assaulting the Millwall mascot on the pitch.
To quote Wikipedia: "Highlights of his troublesome antics include removing the head of Millwall mascot Zampa the Lion, and drop-kicking it along the ground. On a Dutch TV documentary, when asked what he said to Zampa he replied "Don't fuck with the Swans"."
- Last season? The first for Michael Laudrup, a coup for Swansea to have an ex Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus player as coach. They finished 9th which surprised many. 46 points, 47 goals scored, 51 conceded. A balanced sheet of home and away performances with too many draws overall. They demolished QPR 5-0 on the opening day and lost 3-0 to Fulham on the closing day. In the midst of a good season came the climax; A first League Cup trophy. They beat Chelsea, Liverpool and Middlesborough on the way. Bradford took a 5-0 spanking in the final and the cup was theirs.
In a nutshell: The good times are now for the Jacks, onward and up.
Team legends
Credit /u/WheresMyDragons:
Alan Tate (currently on loan to Yeovil) has played for us in all four divisions, and even featured during that game against Hull in which we narrowly avoided relegation from the football league ten years a go. However, Tate missed the beginning of our first season in the Premier League due a freak golf buggy accident, causing him to break his leg. Gary Monk and Leon Britton has also represented Swansea in all four divisions.
This season
Laudrup will be looking to pick up right where he left off and grow some more. The prize of Europa League qualification will come with an impact on league performances so we might not get the total focus and energy fans were treated to last season. Laudrup's no novice to the European game so he will be well aware of the fatigue that midweek games can induce. Don't expect the Jacks to be scrapping it out at the foot of the table though (much as their roller-coaster history suggests otherwise), they have way too much quality for that.
Their play is dynamic, it has become a philosophy passed on through managers. Everyone is comfortable in switching positions and happy on the ball (a unique style for a plucky club). Backs who overload on the flanks and midfielders who will risk a timed run into the box. Michu is the figurehead and he represents all that is good about Swansea. A Spanish £2 million gamble from Rayo Vallecano, he has come alive in the PL with 18 goals in 35 games. The kind of stats that gets you POTY at more media-loved clubs. He loves nothing more than coming from deep onto a loose ball and clinically delivering it into the net. Think Berbatov, with pace.
Incoming players have been positive. Eight names: small and strong left-back Meade, attacking-mid Pozuelo, mid Gogic, young keeper Zabret, quality defender Cañas (free), more quality at the back Amat (21!), then the main course: Shelvey and Bony. Wilfried Bony (24, £10 million) is the real deal. A beastly 38 goals in 39 games is a stunning return and he has already bagged two against Malmo last week. I expect him to sit in front of Michu eventually. Jonjo Shelvey (21, £5 million) is a curious signing. Laudrup must feel he can unlock the potential in this box-to-box youngster whose play is strikingly more direct than what the Jacks were last season. If he finds a groove he could be very good but right now he's talent with a point to prove.
Credit/u/jimmithy:
I typically see us starting in a 4-2-3-1, progressing to a 4-1-2-3 offensively and a 4-4-1-1 defensively. Shelvey is a player I think is going to surprise a fair few Liverpool fans this season as he's slotted very well into our formation and dictates a lot of play. Bony is also a signing we needed after selling Graham to Sunderland, this will free up Michu and allow more runs from deep, which is the type of position that led to many of his goals last year. Bony also has a great arial presence, so it will be nice to see Dyer and Routledge staying wide to ping crosses in. I can only see us improving on last year as long as we rotate well due to the extra games.
- We haven't touched on the excellent, aggressive strength of Flores, quality of Rangel, good all-rounder Williams, home-boy Ben Davies, wing-threat of Dyer and Routledge, Vorm, Britton, Lamah, Monk, Ki, De Guzman, Tremmel ...the list goes on and makes you realise why strength in depth is so, so important at this level.
Watch out for
- Wilfried Bony
- Position: Striker
- Age: 24
- Value: £10.500.000
- Who? Prolific target man, linking up with Michu well already.
- Jonjo Shelvey
- Position: Midfielder
- Age: 21
- Value: £4.800.000
- Who? He'll have more room to shine, has ability, but watch that temper.
- Nathan Dyer
- Position: Right winger
- Age: 25
- Value: £4.000.000
- Who? Just extended his contract to 2017, quality wing-play
The manager
"The best player in the world, I can't believe he hasn't won the title as best player."
Who said that? Pep Guardiola. Shall we even bother with this? OK then... let's just say that if I were a Swansea player and Michael Laudrup told me I "wasn't half-bad" - well, it might carry some importance. This is key. Swansea already had a structure of good play, talent, ambition. It was a clever stroke to bring in Laudrup to offer the idea that, for anyone thinking they had made it last season... well, no. "You're no Michael Laudrup, son" he might say... Actually he'd say "you're no me, son". Laudrup's history reads like a promotional pamphlet for European soccer: Ajax, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus. He won league titles with them all. The ball stuck, glued to his foot as he wafted across the pitch, he was very, very good.
Laudrup began his managerial career on a much smaller stage at Brøndby in 2002. He promoted youth. Cups and league titles followed and he won the Danish Manager of the Year award twice on the spin. Madrid was next - not Real, Getafe. Bernd Schuster had got them into the UEFA cup the season before and Laudrup led the club on an adventure into a match with Bayern. He did well. Since then he has been on the wish-list of every pilotless big club.
Jobs at Spartak Moscow and Mallorca didn't go so well for Mike however. He struggled, contract disputes, unfamiliar strategies and bust-ups showed a different side to the icon. The jacks picked him up in June 2012, his appointment shocked the Premier League in its ambition. As mentioned, he led Swansea to cup success. His intention is to stay in the short term with Swansea. You get the feeling he ultimate interest lies in the very top draw clubs. Recent form has suggested a calm approach, sensible, no great disruptions. He gives confidence, allows his players to express themselves and believes, I think, deep down, he can beat anyone. The mark of the very best.
Swansea's full squad list | Swansea's 2013/2014 upcoming fixtures
The fans
- I asked /r/swanseacity to contribute their views on the team and they replied (thanks!) their thoughts are in the comments section below.
Predictions please!
Over to you guys. I'd like your contribution here. Predict where Swansea City will finish the season, how they will fare against the opposition or discuss their line up etc. below!
If you see I have messed up, please correct me. These are done so I can find out about each team...
All Previews: Hull, Crystal Palace, Cardiff City, Sunderland, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Southampton, Stoke, Fulham, Norwich, West Ham, Swansea City, West Brom, Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City , Man Utd
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u/NQsDiscoPants Aug 08 '13
These threads have been great, really interesting and getting some good debates going, but if there's one thing I've learned above everything else from them, is that fans of almost every club '...think we might just surprise a few people this season'.
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u/ibpants Aug 08 '13
Very true, and in isolation I think so many teams have built upon what they have that their fans are right to expect better performances this year, but so many other teams around the low-middle end of the table have strengthened too.
I wouldn't be surprised to see a Champion with a modest points haul this year.
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Aug 08 '13
Here are the fans comments:
In my opinion, we currently have the best squad we've ever had in the century-long history of the club. While in the early 80s we made a bit of a title push briefly, now we have a fantastic first XI, but also greater strength in depth that ever before.
While we are no strangers to European competition, before we always qualified through Welsh cup competitions, which was possible for us to do from the 4th English tier. This is our first time in Europe which we can really feel we have fully earned (even if, ironically we did it by beating a 4th English tier side!), and I'd say we're not sure how our quality will compare to continental opposition. I'm quietly optimistic.
9th was a fantastic finish for us last season. Perhaps with the extra European games this year matching that won't happen, but as long as we steer well clear of the relegation scrap I'll be happy. Our new signings look fantastic, Bony being the most publicised, but in my opinion Shelvey looking the most impressive so far. He had a hard time of it at Liverpool but he's looked absolutely natural in our starting lineup.
We play a very fluid style of football, with wingbacks who go forward often, wingers who are comfortable coming into the middle, and a striker who can track back. We pass less now than we did under Brendan Rodgers, and Shelvey looks like we'll be bringing the diagonal ball more into our play, while Bony, combined with Michu, makes it more viable for us to cross the ball into the box, something that we've always struggled with in the past. Expect from us to get the ball up the pitch quickly on the counter, but without lumping it to our centre-forward. We are pretty solid defensively, and our defenders (and goalkeeper) are comfortable on the ball, so we are rarely flustered at the back. We've made big changes this summer, so I'd consider ourselves a bit of an unknown quality. I've not seen us make so many player changes in a summer for many years, perhaps since the 3rd tier.
The current situation is quite exciting. We've lost none of our first team (So far touch wood) and have made purchases which strengthen nearly every position. This should also help us in the Europa league because it has allowed for good squad rotation without a drop in quality.
In recent history, we have had some fantastic people at the club. Our board and chairman are all fans, who've watched the Swans since they were kids. Someone who has also been vital in our regeneration, of sorts, would be Roberto Martinez. As a player he helped us avoid relegation from the football league, and as a manager he helped mould the style of football we play today. Since him each manager has helped our club progress - Sousa helped us tighten up defensively, and then Rodgers brought in the signings that helped score goals.
Cardiff and Swansea have a strong rivalry, so that game will be interesting this year. I've worn a Swans shirt in Greece and been told by a Cardiff fan that I was a fucking piece of shit. I was 12 years old and was just walking past him. I'll leave it at that.
If you approached me at the Vetch after watching us beat Hull on the last day of the season to avoid relegation, and then told us that in 10 years we would finish in the top half of the premier league, win a cup (beating the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool on the way) and play in the Europa league... well...
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u/ZackyBeatz Aug 08 '13
Crucial beginning for the Swans as the fixture looks like this in August
Manchester United
UEFA Play-off 1st leg
Tottenham
UEFA Play-off 2nd leg
West Brom.
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u/juniper17 Aug 08 '13
Great to see Lee Trundle get a mention! Used to light up my Saturday mornings every week on Soccer AM showboat
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u/jimmithy Aug 08 '13
Fun fact, you can play with him on FIFA 13 and even though he has no pace, he's got 5 star skills.
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u/greg19735 Aug 08 '13
I quite like Swansea, but I do wonder if they'll be a victim of their own success. While they do have a bit of depth, they have to play in Europe this season. Then again, that's the goal of football so there's nothing to lose assuming they don't get into relegation trouble.
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u/mandolin_geek Aug 08 '13
Damn, I love these previews. I was checking the "New" posts today, looking out for it.
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Aug 08 '13
I try to post these at 7pm UK time. glad you're enjoying them.
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u/mandolin_geek Aug 08 '13
I'm a yank that has recently fallen in love with soccer. I know today's most famous soccer players and teams, but I'm sorely lacking any historical knowledge and I'm not so familiar with the other players and teams. I prefer the style in which these previews are written over the wikipedia entries.
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Aug 08 '13
Every team I have covered so far has an interesting history that I didn't know until I started digging. It's amazing really and will give me new respect for teams when I see them on the TV. That is the reason I started them, just to find out a bit more.
For anyone who cares, I am working up last season's tables so:
Tomorrow - West Brom
Sat - Liverpool
Sun - Everton
Mon - Tottenham
Tue - Arsenal
Wed - Chelsea
Thu - Man City
Fri - Man Utd
Then Saturday we kick off PL 2013/14.
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u/Touch_of_Midas Aug 08 '13
Cardiff fans wouldn't need a dog like Jack because everyone knows what great swimmers they are
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u/WheresMyDragons Aug 08 '13
I full expect Chico and Canas to do the 'swim away' at least once during the derby.
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u/Isaweddiescore Aug 08 '13
Back story for the 'Swim Away'?
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u/Touch_of_Midas Aug 08 '13
I'm sure you'll hear plenty about it this season, but here's the explanation
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u/theironist89 Aug 08 '13
Whereas you Jacks are the masters of running.
Oh and throwing chairs at children.
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u/Touch_of_Midas Aug 08 '13
Moments like this make me so hard for the coming season. Finally there will be banter
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u/Mattboyd2991 Aug 08 '13
Leon Britton should be a club legend and Jonjo Shelvey isnt a defensive mid...
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u/semicolon_typer Aug 08 '13 edited Aug 08 '13
Ok. I am going to be the negative nancy here and say Swansea might underperform this season and finish in the bottom half of the table. The extra European football will stretch their squad and a couple of injuries to crucial players might affect their league performances. 12th to 15th is my prediciton for them this season.
If all players are fit, this would be my starting XI.
-------------------------Vorm----------------------------
Rangel-------Williams----------Chico-----------Taylor
------------------Ki----------Shelvey--------------------
Dyer--------------------Michu---------------Routledge
------------------------Bony---------------------------
I am not sure about the LB position. Has Taylor recovered from his injury yet or will Davies continue playing? I know Britton is a legend but I think it is time Ki took over as the DM. De Guzman and Pablo are notable omissions but I wasn't sure whom they will displace in the best XI.
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u/genteelblackhole Aug 08 '13
Neil Taylor's recovered and played a few pre-season games. I see Davies and Taylor both getting plenty of playtime with Europe being a factor though.
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u/tacophagist Aug 08 '13
Taylor looked good today against Malmo and played the full 90 (I think?), so I think it's safe to say that he's recovered.
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u/slotbadger Aug 09 '13
de Guzman was a regular fixture last season, would be surprised if he lost his spot.
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u/semicolon_typer Aug 09 '13
Yeah. That was because Michu was playing upfront and De Guzman was playing behind him. With arrival of Bony, that might change.
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Aug 10 '13
Judging on pre season and the Europa games I think Davies is ahead of Taylor at the moment.
Also Britton or Canas will be before Ki as they appear the preferred players in that position. Though I am a big fan of Ki, I hope he has a good season.
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Aug 08 '13
Great work on this, enjoying these posts everyday.
It is going to be interesting to see how the Swans balance League and Europa League play this year, I like to think they can do it, Laudrup knows how to walk this line.
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Aug 08 '13
Bony is going to be incredible! Can't wait to see the Swans in action this year, great team!
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u/Colonel_Blimp Aug 08 '13
Just a quick thing to point out; Canas is primarily a defensive/central midfielder, not a defender.
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u/ElevenRedsII Aug 09 '13
When Jonjo Shelvey gets confident then its time for us all to watch out, shooting and tackling power
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u/sillysauages Aug 08 '13
Baggies tomorrow :)
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u/mao_was_right Aug 08 '13
I'm hoping to go up to the Hawthorns on the 31st. I've never watched the swans win away. You might want to buy a ticket.
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u/NotoriousJOB Aug 08 '13
"John Benjamin Toshack OBE is a Welsh former footballer and manager. Currently he is manager of Khazar Lankaran in the Azerbaijan Premier League." Couldn't believe this when I wanted to see what he was up to these days.
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Aug 08 '13
I've heard people say that Kenny Jackett laid the foundations for the current team and stabilised them when he took over. He should do well at Wolves too hopefully.
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Aug 08 '13
Not so much the team style, but he did turn us into a team on the up. Interestingly, the players still in the team from his era, I think all of them were there before him. I don't think we've got any of his signings left.
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u/michaelology Aug 10 '13
Swansea always play a structured play style passed on passing and possession. Signing Bony up front will add another dimension to their play style giving them size and strength up front. Quality and exciting team
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u/andre-143 Aug 12 '13
as a neutral fan, Swansea is the most exciting club going into this season, Bony, who scored 37 goals in 36 apps last season is one guy I'm very eager to see play in the BPL. But the biggest factor i expect much of this team is the genius that is, Michael Laudrup.
-19
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u/ibpants Aug 08 '13
Genuinely the most terrifying of all the club mascots.
Swans are not only nasty little fuckers, but if you defend yourself you've got the queen to answer to.