Articles

The Class of 2013 - How the Swans showed class in the Cup Final

The League Cup Final, where Swansea beat Bradford 5-0, was more an event than a competitive match, lacking the adrenaline filled tension of closer games. The quality of the Swans football was superb, and familiar to anyone having the good fortune to watch them this season.

My day was exemplified by winning the sweep on the coach to pick the first goal scorer. However, I have one moment of regret. At around 55 minutes the Bradford fans started to stand and applaud in memory of the 56 people killed at the fire in their Valley Parade stadium in 1985.

I was just about to stand and join them in their applause when at the other end the Bradford goalkeeper brought down Jonathan de Guzman. The goalkeeper was sent off and a penalty was awarded to Swansea. Unsurprisingly, the applause from the Bradford fans faded, the commemoration was lost and the 56 dead did not receive their acknowledgement.

Up to the point that the penalty was dispatched, Swansea had scored four goals in about 59 minutes, at an accelerating rate, by playing irresistible, clinical football. In the next 30 minutes, now facing a side reduced to 10 men, Swansea did not score another goal. Sitting at the end that Swansea was attacking, I could not understand why they were not pressing forward.

Why was there so much passing around the midfield? Why were the wingers who had cut their way effortlessly through the Bradford defence in the first hour now not attacking in the same way? My mind was boggled when one corner was dispatched straight back towards the halfway line rather than into the box or passed short, and the BBC commentator in a highlights programme was equally surprised, saying ‘Now there’s a variation on a theme!’.

Tellingly, though, as soon as the 90 minutes were up, and the fourth official indicated three minutes of extra time, the pace was picked up. Britton surged forward, Michu had a shot well saved, Tiendelli hit both post and bar with one effort before Swansea scythed through the Bradford defence for the fifth goal.

Why the hell, I wondered, hadn’t they done that in the previous half an hour? The following day we found out when Michu was quoted as saying that out of respect for a Bradford team reduced to 10 men, the Swansea players had chosen to pass the ball around rather than look to score. Yet for a half an hour, despite complete domination, there was no hint of showboating and observers did not detect what was going on.

When the match ended the Swansea players immediately went to the Bradford players to shake their hands rather than celebrate with their own team mates as is more normal in professional football. Also, commentators noted the ‘guard of honour’ that Swansea players formed when Bradford players came back down the Wembley steps after collecting their medals. Neither practice would be considered out of place in rugby union, as some of its old values still remain. But such sporting conduct is not often spotted on a football field.

The Swansea manager Michael Laudrup has brought dignity and bearing to Swansea City Football Club. At Wembley his players showed that they too have class. Not just in their skills and technique, which they have in abundance, but in the way they approached the game after the Bradford keeper was sent off. In maintaining possession but avoiding humiliating their opponents, they brought a dignity to a game where it is not always evident, and displayed characteristics that would have sat comfortably with Swansea’s greatest player, that sportsman Ivor Allchurch.

While fans of the two clubs did not get the opportunity to commemorate the victims of the Bradford fire in the 56^th minute, due to the untimely awarding of the penalty, the manner in which the Swans choose to play the game after the 56^th minute and the way they saluted the Bradford players at game’s end was fitting. It showed the class of this team of 2013. 

The Palace view of Jazz Richards

Our friends at the Crystal Palace website Flying High Mag has kindly given us a few words on how he thinks Jazz has faired in his loan spell at Crystal Palace

Jazz Richards - My View

Jazz Richards' arrival was greeted with a fair amount of enthusiasm from Palace fans, his highly-rated reputation preceded him and with the team pushing forward and scoring for fun, the attacking full-back was someone who could slot in and help continue that form. With first choice right-back Joel Ward out injured and last year's Player of the Year Johnny Parr not convincing on his wrong side, Jazz was thrust straight into the mix.

He has been good at going forward, and with Holloway pushing his full-backs up the pitch, there has been plenty of opportunity for Jazz to play to his strengths in that respect. In fact it was his bursting forward run that saw him score a great goal at Selhurst, latching onto a neat pass from Glenn Murray before seeing the linesman flag, wrongly, for offside.

Another stand out moment for Jazz was a sublime pass from just inside the opposition half which bisected the Charlton defence and landed plum on Glenn Murray's foot and led to a winning goal. Moments like these certainly show his promise and explain why Laudrup has seen something in him to offer a contract extension.

However, after a couple of promising games where his link up play with our flying wingers, Zaha and Bolasie, looked impressive, Richards' form faltered a little.

His defending is what lets him down and his hesitance to put a tackle in has seen a number of crosses fly in and cause havoc that could easily have been cut off in the build-up. Unfortunately he has made a few mistakes that led to goals being conceded, such as the televised game against Watford where he hit an easy clearance straight to the opposition winger who went on to score.

We have been lucky with full-backs over the years and Richards has come into a spot that was dominated by Nathaniel Clyne in recent times, so perhaps we expect a lot from them. That being said, with Joel Ward coming back into the team against Barnsley and Palace securing a clean sheet for the first time in a while, it might be that Jazz's time is up.

He is by no means an awful player but if he's going to make an impact, he'll need to improve his defending most notably by putting a boot in instead of jockeying all the time.

Do you agree or disagree?

This is the view from one Palace fan. Are you a Palace fan who disagrees with the views above? Are you a Jazz Richards fan who has seen a lot of his games and thinks Sam is wrong??

Comment in our Forum or send us your article to jim@scfc.co.uk and we will look to share it on the site

Want to have a look at other articles Flying High have produced? Click on the links below for their site and to follow them on Facebook and Twitter

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Flying High - All Palace Everything.

£9m for Ashley Williams? Don't make me laugh. Add a 1 in front of that number Brendan!

So here we go again with the daft rumours! Those in the ‘know’ are reporting that Liverpool are closing in to sign Ashley Williams this summer and that the reds are confident of getting their man for around £9m. Well what a load of old cobblers. Vultures, speculators and critics once again speculating about us as a club.

It’s not surprising I guess. We play a fast, passing and attractive style of football which is as equally liked for its defensive stability and work rate as it is for its excitement going forward. Pundits and commentators across the world drool over the style of play with the UK’s most liked pundit Gary Neville highlighting us as the ‘team he would pay to watch’ when asked who excites him in the Premier League.

We are in the top 10 of the hardest league in the world and we have finally added real silverware to go with our attractive game and lofty league position. Add to this the fact that we make a £15m profit each year, live within our means, operate a ‘performance’ based pay structure and have fans in the boardroom and owning 20% of the club and it means Swansea City is quite rightly lauded all over the world as an example club both on and off the pitch. Our brand new state of the art training and academy facilities should be ready in just a few weeks’ time and these will provide players of all ages with the perfect facilities to develop their football skills and with a fan base who are patient, supportive and devoted to the club’s players, life in South Wales is good. Plus planning for the bigger Fairwood complex is on the horizon.

Achieving success like this can be done in 2 ways. A) with a potful of money and a ‘who cares what it costs me attitude’ or b) a careful, planned, thought out and rigorous approach where the small amounts of money are looked after as well as larger amounts.

For those that don’t know much about our club (but who like to speculate from London newspapers and media sites) then I can assure you that Swansea City is in camp B. We have a board of directors each of whom treat money as if it’s their own and we also have some strong willed characters who work day and night for the right deal for the football club. Many an agent and company has left South Wales with a flea in their ear after being told to go away and think about their exorbitant fees or salary expectations and whilst the club is happy to pay good money for the right players and services, we will not be taken for mugs.

Liverpool should know that Swansea won’t be bullied and they should remember what happened with Joe Allen. I remember someone laughing at me on Twitter when I said that a) we didn’t have to sell as a club if we didn’t want to and b) if we did sell it would be on our terms. When the figure of £15m for Joe was bandied about, people laughed and said we must be joking. They said we would have to come down from that price but we stuck to our guns and said ‘if you want to buy the people we have under contract’ then you need to pay what we want. If you don’t then in polite terms ‘piss off’. We wished Joe Allen (and Brendan Rodgers and Scott Sinclair for that matter) well when they left but just to be clear, they left when the deal was right for Swansea City. If it had not been right, they would still have been here. Fanciful thinking some might call it but I call it facts.

So, this leads me onto the current ridiculous rumours. Apparently Brendan wants our team captain Ashley Williams, the Wales captain, a strong, injury free 28 year old ball playing centre half who is probably one of the best centre halves in the Premier League for the pricely sum of £9m!  Not only is Ashley Williams one of the best centre halves in the Premier League but he is a great man with a real hard work ethic who understands how privileged he is to be a footballer and is a true leader on and off the field. He has played every game bar 2 (Fulham away last year because of a virus and against Liverpool this year as we had a major cup final to win the following week) in our last 2 Premier League seasons and has won countless admirers for his strength, attitude, hunger and passing skills.

Why only £9m? Liverpool have paid £20m for Stuart Downing and £18m for Jordan Henderson and so what makes them think they can try and get a leader like Ashley Williams for £9m!!! The reality is that big clubs (like Liverpool) like to think they can bully so called ‘smaller clubs’ like Swansea. They think that any money is good money and that when the figures go past £5m, we will start salivating like rabid dogs at the thought of seeing our bank balance credited with that amount of cash.

So let me state this.

a)      We don’t need to sell or want to sell. Ashley Williams is our team captain and integral to our club. He signed a long term contract last year and is contracted to play with us for another 3 ½ years

b)      If he was to go (and that is a massive IF because he is happy and well remunerated at Swansea) then it would be a lot more than £9m. If you added a 1 to that figure you would be close but my gut feel is that it would be around the £20m mark and it would only occur IF the player stated he wanted to go.

I have written this not because I want to add fuel to the fire but because I want to make it clear to the speculators that whatever you might think Liverpool could sign him for, then you are wrong. Swansea City will do what is right for us and we will not be held to ransom by any player, agent or executive from any other football club that thinks they can nick our best players (and manager for that matter) for tiny fees.

Laugh if you want but if and when players do leave (and many have seen how De Vries, Pratley, Sinclair etc have progressed since they left us and so are well aware that the grass is not always greener) it will be for a price that we are happy with and on our terms.

If you don’t like that take your attentions elsewhere and start to unsettle someone else’s club or a club that is desperate to make a quick buck. Swansea City has achieved great success this year and I know for a fact that everyone at the club feels that with our stadium plans and other initiatives we can continue to grow for many years to come. Yes, the competition in the Premier League is tough but we will continue to operate in a way that has brought us success and those in charge at the club will continue to fight for the best deal for us.

So in summary. £9m as a valuation for Ashley Williams is laughable and is a value that if brought to the club will make our board laugh. If you want quality then you have to pay for it and Ashley Williams, Ben Davies, Michu, Chico Flores, Michel Vorm and all our other star performers are performing to the highest standard in the Premier League each and every week. They are happy at Swansea City and are looking forward to playing in Europe next season. So do us all in Swansea a favour and go and bother other clubs with laughable transfer rumours and speculation. We will do what’s right for us and if you don’t like it then…..

So who will join us in the Premier League next season? Our view on the Championship Promotion Race

Seeing how we are safe and having looked previously at who is likely to go down, with less than a fifth of the season left to play in the Championship I thought the timing was right to see who is likely to replace them. 

I’m going to focus on the current top six and then take a quick look at those below who will be hoping one or more will slip up. Starting at the top of the current table and working our way down:

Cardiff City

Surely it will be their time this year? Even Cardiff City can’t blow a nine point lead over the play off pack with a game in hand at this late stage of the season can they? Well no they can’t, despite the fact that it would be very, very funny if they did. So welcome to the promised land my friends. You finally made it.

Under Malkie Mackay Cardiff are a strong, organised team who do not concede many goals. Unlike previous incarnations they do actually play as a team, rather than as a collection of individual egos and this is the key to their current success.  However despite some flair in Whittingham and Bellamy they are a pretty workmanlike team and you’d struggle to name many of their players. Certainly not Welsh ones anyway of which, Bellamy apart, there simply aren’t any.

Next season will be a challenge for them and they will know they need to strengthen if they are to survive at our level. How much of their new found riches will go towards the team and how much towards the debt remains to be seen. You would like to think they will be sensible and use the money to financially restructure the Club and put it on a firmer footing. It’s unlikely though and what we will have a Welsh media circus fueled by BBC Wales and the Western Mail as Cardiff get linked with every player from Aaron Ramsey to Pele. On top of it all you can guarantee cameos from Sam Hamman and Peter Ridsdale who will both use Cardiff’s promotion to try and maximise personal gain.

And of course  it will all be played out against the background of shirt colour; badge and possibly name changes. Only Cardiff could turn promotion into the Premier League into such a depressing prospect for their supporters.     

Paul’s verdict – they’re going up, probably as Champions and we will have a summer of stories of how they will be targeting Champions League football in three years and how this is great for Welsh football (despite them having virtually no Welsh players). It’s all going to be very dramatic on and off the pitch and they will, of course, go straight back down.   

Hull

Steve Bruce is one of those managers who moves to a club, gets sacked but seems to have no problem in picking up another job. However in fairness to Bruce he’s done a good job at Hull since taking over and their promotion push has been boosted by the clever signing of a number of Egyptian players whose domestic league has been disrupted by the internal problems in their country. It’s an ill wind and all that I guess.   

Paul’s verdict – it will go to the wire but I think they will secure the final promotion spot behind Cardiff.

Watford

The Watford “experiment” seems to be working at the moment as a team seemingly made up almost entirely of foreign loanees (mostly from Udinese) are playing well under the guidance of Gianfranco Zola. Whether you agree with the morality of what they are doing is another matter of course, but it is legal.

Paul’s verdict –  Despite Zola working miracles I think they will miss out on an automatic promotion spot and make the play offs in fourth.  

Crystal Palace

I’ve got friends who are Palace season tickets holders and as we sat together in the bar after Swansea’s comfortable 3 0 victory at Selhurst Park two seasons ago they could see nothing but struggle ahead. So it’s great to see them having a successful season and losing their manager to Bolton doesn’t seem to have put them off their stride. Under Ian Holloway they will play good football but despite his experience in getting Blackpool promotion and the inspired loan signings of Jazz Richards and Stephen Dobbie I suspect they don’t yet have the strength to get automatic promotion and will just miss out in third.

Paul’s verdict – play offs only and another year in the Championship beckons.    

Leicester City

Cardiff have Malaysians, Leicester are backed by owners from Thailand. There is a similar expectation of success and Leicester have spent heavily over the last few years. Despite hanging on in the top six they have been less than inspiring in recent weeks however and seem to have gone off form at exactly the wrong time.

Paul’s verdict – they will scrap into the play offs and another year in the Championship beckons. Expect manager Nigel Pearson to pay for this perceived failure with the sack.

Nottingham Forest

It’s not often a club that is on their third manager of the season are in the running for promotion. However Forest’s re-appointment of Billy Davies looks as inspired as their previous choice of Alex McLeish was poor. Six consecutive wins have pushed them into the last play off spot and as we know it’s often the team with momentum that does best at the play off games.

Paul’s verdict – Play Offs and they will go up via this route and take the third promotion place. 

The Chasing Pack

There are some big clubs in the Championship as we well know and the beauty of this league is that it is always so tight and there are a whole raft of clubs who will still feel that they have a chance a sneaking a play off place. It’s not an easy League either, as last year’s Premier League teams Blackburn; Bolton and Wolves would no doubt agree.

Of the chasing pack I can only really see Brighton threatening a play off spot. They play football the right way and with the momentum of their new stadium and previous promotion I expected them to be right up there this season. However it hasn’t really happened for them lately and I don’t think they will even make the play offs.

So there we have it. I believe the current top six will remain so for the rest of the season with a little switching of positions and my top six league table predictions look as follows:

Team                                        Points              

Cardiff                                      88         (Champions)

Hull                                           84         (Promoted)

C Palace                                   80

Watford                                     78

N Forest                                   76         (Promoted via play offs)

Leicester                                  72

Agree with me? If not then why not post your own views.

Arsenal Match Preview - This is why we love the Premier League, so be careful what you wish for

You're allowed to read this twice if you want - this Saturday, we stage our latest Premier League fixture against Arsenal FC. Yes, that's right - the Gooners ; serial winners (though not of late) but a Club that has legitimate claims to not only occupy that fiction of the EPL (the "big" 4 ),  but has an history and past that puts it realistically amongst the upper echelons of world football.

Quibble all you will, the Deloittes list and others of equal repute always place them in the top 10 European Clubs, so when they come to town, I always get a buzz on.

Listen - in 15yrs time if we've each year finished in the top ten of the PL, having meantime won the odd Capital One Cup and regularly appeared in Finals (various) all the while being entranced by the style of play (as we are), imagine how content the vast majority of we Swans will be.

The Gooners have done a little more than that.

In the last 15yrs, Arsenal have in every season qualified for the Champions League (via a top 4 finish at the least),and reached a Champions League Final, won the PL several times, and the FA Cup several times also, including the double, the League Cup as well, won various other trophies including the Community Shield and achieved countless other awards whilst all the while playing by far the most attractive football in the League.

Oh, and they had an Invincibles, unbeaten season too.

Oops btw I forgot, they've done this whilst moving from the Iconic Highbury Home  (at 36k a little small) to the fantastic Emirates Stadium (60k plus) and doing it, moreover, without putting the sort of debt onto the Club as the Glaziers have done at ManUre. Without also a potentate of sorts as has happened at Citeh and Chelski.

If you're going to be a "BIG" club, seems to me that the Arsenal route (as at Barca and Bayern) is more one to be admired than envied and criticised.

Despite this level of achievement, Arsenal, it's suggested in the more rabid Tabloid Press and TalkShite style phone-ins, are having yet another "poor" season with Arsene Wenger, their increasingly belegured but permanently cultured Manager having "lost the Plot" and worthy of the Big E, a feeling reinforced from the mounting grumblings of their own supporters, and those of we Swans who were blessed to be at the Emirates as Miguel Michu stroked in the second goal in the last minute to cement our 2-0 victory can't fail to have noticed the resounding boos for the home team, however ill deserved we percieve them to be.

So, what's gone wrong? Not a great deal, I'd suggest. Some perspective, please.

You'll probably have heard this one - but please, bear with me if you haven't.

George Best was one of the top 10 footballers in the World - ever - but he was a bit of a rascal, a sort of Gazza with 10 times more talent - but an equal propensity to self destruct.

All but the very young still reading will have heard the possibly apocryphal but defining tale of George Best - the British Messi of his day (he was THAT good, trust me), being delivered  a room service tolley by a waiter at the Ritz, serving Champagne to him and the then current Miss World in bed on a Friday evening prior to a game against Chelsea at the Bridge the following day.

Whilst the purported waiter gazed at these two semi naked beautiful young people locked in a passionate embrace on a bed scattered with roses, petals  and £5 notes he, the waiter, is reported to have involuntarily (almost) said.................. " Oh George, George, where did it all go wrong??????".

Now I may have gone over the top in attempting to draw a parallel between Best, Gazza and other talented but wayward talents and the travails of the modern Arsenal (when compared to other Clubs) but you'll forgive me if I remind those Gooner critics who are demanding Wenger's replacement for his plethora of late non-achievement.....................be careful what you wish for!

We who've spent the majority of our hundred year existence down amongst the dead men of the Football League are, not surprisingly, a little more enthused to celebrate our recent successes (Carling One Cup amongst them) and our performances in this unforgiving League against what the red tops still lazily call "the Arsenals of this world" (as if there were loads of them - there aren't) with a little more equanimity. Regular success, it seems, breeds complacency - and we, along with lots of clubs, are a long long way from that.

So, again, a little perspective, please.

Despite reports to the contrary, Arsenal currently sit in 5th place in the PL on 47pts and we in 9th on 40pts.

We've achieved our principal aim this season ( staying in the division) and been treated to a blissful Capital One Cup run that saw us secure Europa League involvement next year in our 5-0 mauling of Bradford City in the Final.

Still, as ML has pointed out, our next target is to see how high we can get. He's suggested 50pts is achievable before season's end and that seems to me to be realistic.

In our 2-1 defeat last Saturday at WBA, our first half performance (and late late wrong goalscoring denial by the officials) suggested we at least haven't switched off - Steve Clarke agreed - and our players are not thinking of the beaches just yet. That, at the very least, is how we MUST mean to go on.

As for them, you wouldn't bet against them achieving yet another top 4 finish just yet, but with just 9 games left it's becoming progressively more difficult, and we'll seek to add to this problem for Monsieur Wenger.

Earlier this week , prior to their CL fixture at Bayern, TalkShite, via it's resident Bulldog Adrian Durham, and the well known "Bring on the Wall" presenter and fat ex-Cricketer Darren Gough, spent a whole couple of hours radio slinging mud at the "cowardice" of Wenger for putting out a reserve side against the German Champions in the upcoming tie.

At which point, of course, the Arsenal gaffer did no such thing. He picked a near full strength side that proceeded to win 2-0 and almost drag the tie back from the dead.

So , how will that impact on us?

My point, as I've said above, is that we should all within football be careful what we wish for. The game has a regular habit of kicking us in the nether regions by regularly surprising us.

The Gooners are without Jack Wilshere it seems, the young English Maestro being protected after feeling tender in the shins after his long layoff and many games of late.

Lucas Fabiansky looks likely to keep the GK spot in front ofWojciech Szczesny, and the back 4 at Bayern paired Per Mertesacker with Laurent Koscielny at Cb, with Carl Jenkinson at RB. The English qualified but Finnish born FB signed from Charlton had a very good game, but at LB, Nacho Monreal, signed from Malaga in January should replace Kieran Gibbs who was injured again.

Thomas Vermaelen, the Club Captain, is set to deputise shouls there be any changes in these areas.

We'll maybe get our first look at Santi Cazorla, one of the very finest of the many current crop of Superb Spanish Midfielders along with another Spaniard, the hard working Mikel Arteta who has never been able to get into the all powerful Spanish squad.

Up front maybe Olivier Giroud, the increasingly successful Frenchman acquired from Montpellier, and maybe Lucas Podolski, the hard shooting German all but-record Capholder.

And then there's the option of Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain wide (or narrow in Walcott's wish).

From these few names you'll see that there's a huge amount of both quality and experience. Thus, the game will not be easy, and any points gained will be gratefully received by me, at least.

That's not to say we shouldn't hope and play for better - for the win.

This will be a game where we know that the opposition will at least not to kick us off the field, and the ensuing outcome threatens to be one of the better adverts for the EPL, since we, just like them, like to and can play a bit.

After having dominated the first half against WBA last week, the team seemed to me to me to feel the full impact of the loss of a key cog, namely Leon Britton, but I'm encouraged to think he'll be fit by ML this week allowing Mark Gower go to Charlton on loan (and good luck to a decent servant).

Moreover, the rest of the team is fairly settled, the only 3 questions being these.

1) If Chico is still not fit who partners Ash. Personally I'd like to see Bartley, particularly after his decent cameo against the Arse in the home FA Cup tie draw.
2) Like Moore up front again or a reversal to the false-9 Michu. I opt for the latter.
3) This option leads on from the last - please can we play the three wingers again - I just think it improves the full flow of our game.

So, there you have it. We have a month of these sorts of quality fixture to look forward to at the Lib - next up come Tottenham and last year's Champs Man City.

Don't you just bloody LOVE being a Swan in these fantastic times. My guess is we ALL do.

Onward, Swansea City.

The new SCFC2 Forum - Sign up now!

I am always trying to do things to improve the site and allow Swans fans from all over the world to share thoughts and views on our great club.

The guestbook has been in operation for some 15 years now and is a great way for fans to share views. We have a lot of people who post and a lot of people who ‘lurk’ but in recent times we have also had some issues with ‘spammers’ who are very difficult to remove from the board.

I have also had a number of emails from fans across the world who like the guestbook but want a more modern style forum that they can use.  Jacks everywhere have asked for a way in which they can share their thoughts, like posts by others and comments on key articles and paper stories!

So, we have added a range of new things today and I look forward to you all getting stuck into the new functionality we have!

What we are adding in

New Forum – The forum is a new way in which to post thoughts and comments about all things Swansea City. Registered users will be able to

o   Create topics

o   Like posts made by other fans

o   Share topics with other fans through email, Twitter and Facebook

o   Upload your pictures and create your own albums for other fans to see and view

o   Chat online with Swans fans – Ideal for match days

o   Post your profile and more about your Swans history for others to see

o   Comment on SCFC2 site articles, papertalk and site rumours

o   Message other fans to discuss tickets or meeting points

And this is just the start! More will follow and I am happy to take feedback from everyone on what they would like to see! Register now and get involved!

How can you get involved?

• ·         Just register at this page and once you have confirmed your email address is valid (so that we can get rid of some of the spammers) then your good to start posting!
• ·         If you have a user name that you want to use (and have used on the guestbook) then don’t waste any time! Click this link and ensure your user name is registered for the new forum
• ·         If you have any questions then drop me an email at jim@scfc.co.uk and I will be happy to answer any questions you have!
• ·         If you have any suggestions for how I can improve this area of the site then please also let me know. There is lots we can do with this forum and so get the ideas in!

What happens to the guestbook

The guestbook will continue to exist and be used by a range of users I am sure. It will continue to be monitored and updated by me in addition to the new forum. If in a few months time I find that everyone has moved to the new forum then I may ‘retire it’ but it will stay for the rest of 2013 as a minimum! I know many love the guestbook style format

If you have an existing user name and password for the guestbook then this WILL NOT work on the new forum. It will still enable you to post on the guestbook but you will need to register again to post on the forum and comment on articles etc

The rules of the forum will be the same as the rules of the site. Please try and be courteous to other users and don’t start posting things which are libellous or slanderous! Topics or Posts which are will be deleted!

So, get started now and let me know what you think!

cheers

Jim

Take me up...... - WBA v Swans Match Preview

Like many Swansea City fanatics, given our recent, rewarding and justified  good press and "big up" in the National Media I've been much given on reflecting from whence we came - but - truly, as Harold McMillan once said - "We've never had it so good ".

Just as curiously, when asked why things could go wrong for him, the then PM and his party, he presciently replied ... "Events, dear Boy, events". (He was an Old Etonian after all, a sort of truly upper class Cameroon).

Let me tell you a secret - midway through our first season in the Premier League - last season since we forget - we WestStanders were having a pre match Pint in the Concourse when one of my compadres said that if we lost today.....,,,,,, " it'll be your bloody fault since you've had a haircut and a shave ".

I must confess I had, indeed, turning from Razputin/Worzel Gummage into a 60yr old Borstal Boy.

Needless to say, we proceeded to lose ( the 3-1 Norwich City game) since you ask.

At that point, unsurprisingly, I vowed it would NEVER, EVER happen again.

So this season started with me as a recently shorn, clean shaven skinhead, and progressed through the months with my developing hirsuteness, all the while stipulating that there'd be no change prior to our making those 40 "magic" points.

I'm here today to tell you that after last week's convincing win v Newcastle, the Fu Man Chu is trimmed, again, and the fading Barnet is neater than before.

WooHoo.

Here's a question for you, and please, be honest when you answer in your own head.

How many of us, myself included, would have said pre season we'd win the Capital One Cup and be safe on 40pts some 10 games from season's end. Wished, certainly. Hoped, fervently. Believed, perhaps, but not a large number, I'll presume.

The above , of course, doesn't pre-suppose that we expected our side to struggle or do hugely worse - but I feel we were all a little nervous again given we'd gone through yet another Managerial change. As it happens, we'd be hard pushed to argue that on the contrary , it couldn't have gone a great deal better than it has, and we're indeed witnessing our proud Club's best ever year, in this, our centenary season.

Results, and their effects (events, dear boy) are paramount, of course, but all of us who've been there to see, for instance, the first half against West Brom at Home, Michu's 2 goals at the Emirates at the death, or the bizarre 0-0 at Sunderland when we played them off the park will always remember individual occassions over a Seasonal outlook, within limits.

Bloody hell, we didn't half play well and look good, and that's a major source of pride in itself.

Moving on what this means without any caveat is that we're a seriously achieving Club with a seriously resultant outcome from this best of Seasons and, if we continue to perform at the level we're capable of, there's no reason to think that it'll be any different from now on in.

We've learned from Michael Laudrup, our justly esteemed Gaffer, that it's possible to follow stellar performaces with yet another, and also it's feasible to bounce back from disappointing ones to go better again.

This charming, serious, grounded Manager has taken the PL by storm, part of his charm being his culpability in admitting his limitations (shock,horror) and his few wrong turnings being equally accepted with his many and more various successes. It would seem that his fantastic, World Class playing career has given him nothing other than a sensitive and friend winning personal charm. Just watch him being interviewed in ANY situation and tell me you don't feel proud that he's in charge of our Club. Respect, Guv'nor.

So, as ML has pointed out, you motivate players by setting them new and different targets, and he's concentrated our players' minds by pointing out that this weekend's visit to West Brom is our chance to establish supremancy (or not) from the 2 teams percieved to being the "surprises of the season" in their performances. It'll be hard, we know, but part of the ongoing motivation will surely include what my compadre and ST fellow Jim voiced in a conversation with me today.

His theory was this - having already achieved stability, and won some serious silverware to boot, there will be many eyes cast our way. For the players what a chance to prove a) they can be good enough to be here next year b ) for some, what a chance to showcase their talents and move on to bigger (if not better) things and c)   if you weren't in either of those 2 categories, here's a chance to get in.

Laudrup, he insists, is likely to have made them aware of all of these possibilities and MORE, so we shouldn't think that we're going to complacent. It seems to me to be a vaguely compelling argument, so we can genuinely hope for more decent things out of this smorgasbord of a season.

Last year to the Hawthorns was a stunning, snowy trip , where Gylfi Sigurdsson's double saw us come away with a 3-1 win in a superb and classy passing Away performance, so a repeat of that would be highly acceptable. Still, as some things change, some remain the same.

Albion are still a hugely competitive opponent, and whilst their squad hasn't changed radically, there's an argument to be made it has improved. Here it is, currently,...................

1 Ben Foster GK, 2 Steven Reid Def, 3 Jonas Olsson Def, 4 Goran Popov Def, 5 Claudio Yacob MF, 6 Liam Ridgewell Def, 7 James Morrison MF, 8 Markus Rosenberg Str, 9 Shane Long Str, 11 Chris Brunt MF, 13 Boaz Myhill GK, 14 Jerome Thomas MF, 15 George Thorne MF, 16 Scott Allan MF, 17 Graham Dorrans MF, 19 Luke Daniels GK, 20 Romelu Lukaku Str, 21 Youssouf Mulumbu MF, 22 Zoltan Gera MF, 23 Gareth McAuley Def, 24 Peter Odemwingie Str, 26 James Hurst Def, 28 Billy Jones Def, 30 Gabriel Tamas Def, 32 Marc-Antoine Fortune Str, 35 Romaine Sawyers MF, 36 Adil Nabi Str, 38 Saido Berahino Str, 40 Liam O'Neil Def, 43 Isaiah Brown MF

Rather than go through the squad one by one, some players I'd suggest have been hugely influential in this fine team's progression, and you'll excuse me if I start at the top.

The Manager, Steve Clarke, although previously a no 2 at Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool has always been considered a first class Coach, so although it may have seemed like a risk when he replaced England Recruit Roy Hodgson , he immediately asserted his presence on the Training Field, and even that odd beast "the modern football player", can't fail to have been impressed. Albion's players weren't , and their early season results were exceptional. They've since hit one or two blips, but ask their fans what they think and there'll be a large proportion happy with where they are.

Talking of England's Mr Hodgson, as the previously employed WBA Manager, he was perhaps well positioned to persuade Ben Foster, Albion's keeper to come out of his self-imposed England exile, and the suggestion is that the Baggies keeper, who's having an outstanding year, is likely to be called up Nationally soon.

In MF the key performer is Claudio Yacob, a much underrated Argentine defensive MF'er who's ball winning and control is as important to them as our own Leon Britton.

Up front, the Man/Boy Romelu Lokaku, on a season long loan from Chelsea, continues to show the form that should make Fernando Torres doubters at the Bridge take a chill pill - here comes the new Didier Drogba. Chelsea's loss this year is Albion's gain.

Looking through the list, the other outstanding performers are the sublimely skilled Chris Brunt, a sort of Jordi Gomez with attitude and application ; Zoltan Gera, the flaky (Hungarian) MF'r- veers from the divine to the ridiculous and Peter Odemwingie, the QPR player manque, famed for his transfer deadline day faux pas, but dangerous on the field. I also admire James Morrison, the Scot another product of Middlesbrough's underrated Academy. Shane Long, ex Reading, can sometimes be a buzz saw nuiscance to defenders, and has great heart.

I've hinted above what I think ML's mental approach might be (albeit simplistically) to the Players, so I'm perfectly content to go with whichever team he sees fit, though, if Chico is still unfit (and we KNOW what GM can give us ) it might be interesting to see how Kyle Bartley copes at the back.

Anyway, enough from me.

Given that our next two games, at Home as well, are against Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur and the delight that this evolving team and season continues to give us I can only wish you as much hapiness as I'm getting. We are living a rather more structured dream than some in the recent past. Enjoy.

Onward, Swansea City.

£8m for Ashley Williams? Add a 1 in front and you're getting close Arsene!

So, only a week after the Swans secure the first trophy in our 100 year history and a chance to compete in Europe for the first time in over 29 years, the vultures have started to circulate around our manager and some of our best players.

It’s not surprising I guess. We play a fast, passing and attractive style of football which is as equally liked for its defensive stability and work rate as it is for its excitement going forward. Pundits and commentators across the world drool over the style of play with the UK’s most liked pundit Gary Neville highlighting us as the ‘team he would pay to watch’ when asked who excites him in the Premier League.

We are in the top 8 of the hardest league in the world and we have finally added real silverware to go with our attractive game and lofty league position. Add to this the fact that we make a £15m profit each year, live within our means, operate a ‘performance’ based pay structure and have fans in the boardroom and owning 20% of the club and it means Swansea City is quite rightly lauded all over the world as an example club both on and off the pitch. Our brand new state of the art training and academy facilities should be ready in just a few month’s time and these will provide players of all ages with the perfect facilities to develop their football skills and with a fan base who are patient, supportive and devoted to the club’s players, life in South Wales is good. Plus planning for the bigger Fairwood complex is on the horizon.

Achieving success like this can be done in 2 ways. A) with a potful of money and a ‘who cares what it costs me attitude’ or b) a careful, planned, thought out and rigorous approach where the small amounts of money are looked after as well as larger amounts.

For those that don’t know much about our club (but who like to speculate from London newspapers and media sites) then I can assure you that Swansea City is in camp B. We have a board of directors each of whom treat money as if it’s their own and we also have some strong willed characters who work day and night for the right deal for the football club. Many an agent and company has left South Wales with a flea in their ear after being told to go away and think about their exorbitant fees or salary expectations and whilst the club is happy to pay good money for the right players and services, we will not be taken for mugs.

Liverpool found this out last year. I remember someone laughing at me on Twitter when I said that a) we didn’t have to sell as a club if we didn’t want to and b) if we did sell it would be on our terms. When the figure of £15m for Joe Allen was bandied about, people laughed and said we must be joking. They said we would have to come down from that price but we stuck to our guns and said ‘if you want to buy the people we have under contract’ then you need to pay what we want. If you don’t then in polite terms ‘piss off’. We wished Joe Allen (and Brendan Rodgers and Scott Sinclair for that matter) well when they left but just to be clear, they left when the deal was right for Swansea City. If it had not been right, they would still have been here. Fanciful thinking some might call it but I call it facts.

So, this leads me onto the current ridiculous rumours. Apparently Arsene Wenger wants our team captain Ashley Williams, the Wales captain, a strong, injury free 28 year old ball playing centre half who is probably one of the best centre halves in the Premier League for the pricely sum of £8m!  Not only is Ashley Williams one of the best centre halves in the Premier League but he is a great man with a real hard work ethic who understands how privileged he is to be a footballer and is a true leader on and off the field. He has played every game bar 1 (Fulham away last year because of a virus) in our last 2 Premier League seasons and has won countless admirers for his strength, attitude, hunger and passing skills. He was also rested against Liverpool as we had a major cup final to win the following week.

Why only £8m? They paid over that for Mertesacker and Monreal and some £10m for Koscienly when he was an unproven centre half in the French league. The reality is that big clubs (like Arsenal) like to think they can bully so called ‘smaller clubs’ like Swansea. They think that any money is good money and that when the figures go past £5m, we will start salivating like rabid dogs at the thought of seeing our bank balance credited with that amount of cash.

So let me state this.

a)      We don’t need to sell or want to sell. Ashley Williams is our team captain and integral to our club. He signed a long term contract last year and is contracted to play with us for another 3 ½ years

b)      If he was to go (and that is a massive IF because he is happy and well remunerated at Swansea) then it would be a lot more than £8m. If you added a 1 to that figure you would be close but my gut feel is that it would be around the £20m mark and it would only occur IF the player stated he wanted to go.

I have written this not because I want to add fuel to the fire but because I want to make it clear to the speculators that whatever you might think Arsenal could sign him for, then you are wrong. Swansea City will do what is right for us and we will not be held to ransom by any player, agent or executive from any other football club that thinks they can nick our best players (and manager for that matter) for tiny fees.

Laugh if you want but if and when players do leave (and many have seen how De Vries, Pratley, Sinclair etc have progressed since they left us and so are well aware that the grass is not always greener) it will be for a price that we are happy with and on our terms.

If you don’t like that take your attentions elsewhere and start to unsettle someone else’s club or a club that is desperate to make a quick buck. Swansea City has achieved great success this year and I know for a fact that everyone at the club feels that with our stadium plans and other initiatives we can continue to grow for many years to come. Yes, the competition in the Premier League is tough but we will continue to operate in a way that has brought us success and those in charge at the club will continue to fight for the best deal for us.

So in summary. £8m as a valuation for Ashley Williams is laughable and is a value that if brought to the club will make our board laugh. If you want quality then you have to pay for it and Ashley Williams, Ben Davies, Michu, Chico Flores, Michel Vorm and all our other star performers are performing to the highest standard in the Premier League each and every week. They are happy at Swansea City and are looking forward to playing in Europe next season. So do us all in Swansea a favour and go and bother other clubs with laughable transfer rumours and speculation. We will do what’s right for us and if you don’t like it then…..

Guidance for use of flags at Wembley Stadium

Wembley Stadium upholds the highest standards of Health and Safety. The following guidance is in line with the stadium’s grounds regulations. 

- We know that many supporters like to display flags at football matches and Wembley Stadium will always be as accommodating as possible.

- Flags are not generally confiscated, however the obstruction of gangways, access routes, exits and entrances, health and safety signage and stairways is strictly forbidden.

- In the event of an emergency we must have all access and exit points clear.

- Wembley Stadium reserves the right to confiscate flags if they are very large or may compromise public safety, obscure someone’s view, a camera position or if a flag carries offensive, discriminatory or inflammatory messaging.

- Flags more than 250cm in size at their widest or longest section will not be allowed and flagpoles greater than 1m in length will not allowed.

- Any articles that could potentially be used as a weapon and/or compromise public safety are strictly prohibited.

- Permission must be sought in advance from the stadium and event owner to arrange use of the very large supporter flags that are designed to be passed over people's heads. In such cases the flag must be flame retardant and the organiser bringing the flag into the stadium will need to provide the appropriate H&S certification.

Entry to the Ground shall constitute acceptance of the Ground Regulations. Published by Wembley National Stadium Limited 2007 

http://www.wembleystadium.com/TheStadium/StadiumGuide/RulesnRegulations

Wembley - Pubs and Places to go nearby

Capital One Cup FINAL Sunday 24th February 2013 16:00

Address: Wembley Stadium, Empire Way, Wembley, London HA9 0WS

Telephone: 0844 980 8001

Web Site: www.wembleystadium.com

What Is It Like?

Wembley is a quality stadium. From escalators to transport fans up to the top tier to the landscaped concourse, no expense is spared. There is not a bad seat in the stadium, even seats at the very top of the upper tier have excellent views and with the roof being very close to the crowd a full house can make some serious noise, as heard by our excellent rendition of ‘Hymns and Arias’ before the play-off final.

The top tier (5) is particularly steep, which may cause a few to be short of breadth after getting there, but at least the angle ensures fans are as close to the playing action as they can be.  Not the best leg room between rows of seats, but there’s a good height between rows to allow junior Jacks a decent sight of the pitch.

The catering is always expensive at Wembley, pies are £4.50, pizza slices £4.30, hot dogs are £5.40, nachos £4.50, and chicken dippers at £6. You can get a Pie & Pint for £8.30. The concourses are quite spacious, have betting counters, and loads of TV screens, as well as programme and merchandise stands.

Visiting London

What is there to do in London? Just about everything, from theatres to museums to concerts. There are dozens of musicals, plays and exhibitions available in the capital. Not all will have shows on the Sunday, and with Friday and Saturday being extremely popular, booking in advance is a must. The current top 10 musicals based on ticket sales are We Will Rock You, Thriller – Live, The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, Billy Elliott, Stomp, Shrek the Musical, Les Misérables, Wicked and Rock of Ages.

The X Factor live are next door at Wembley Arena (HA9 0AA) on the Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Saturday night. Tickets are £37.25

One Direction are on at ‘The O2’ (SE10 0DX), with two concerts each on the Saturday & Sunday of the game. Tickets have sold out, but there may be a chance of some ticket returns. The day after the game, The Australian Pink Floyd show is also on at the O2. Tickets are £34.75-£43.75.

Check out www.visitlondon.com/ for loads of stuff that’s going on there.

Pubs and Grub

There aren’t many pubs near the stadium. Nearby are J.J. Moons (HA9 6AA), a Wetherspsoons, the Green Man (HA9 8DF), both near Wembley Stadium station, and the Torch (HA9 9AB), near Wembley Park tube station. They are rammed hours before KO. Most pubs near the stadium will designate themselves for one team’s fans or the other; best to ring them to check if you will get entry.

Most fans will drink in the central London, or by a tube stations on the way to the stadium around Harrow on the Hill, Watford Junction or Ruislip. The good thing is parking out here, after the game you’re heading away from the crowds. Alcohol is sold in the stadium; Carling, Carlsberg, Tetley's (£4.70 a pint), red/white wine (187ml bottle £4.50), Smirnoff Ice (275ml bottle £4.80) and various spirits (pre-mixed £5.50).

Parking and Trains

The stadium is a 'public transport' destination, so very limited parking at the stadium and a residents only parking scheme in the area. Good advice is to park at one of the tube stations at the end of the Metropolitan line e.g. Uxbridge, Hillingdon or Ruislip or at Stanmore on the Jubilee line and take the tube to Wembley Park This means you’ll miss out on the chaos of getting away from Wembley. Train/Tube: The nearest tube station is Wembley Park, a 10 minute walk to the stadium. This is served by both the Jubilee & Metropolitan lines, best to take the Metropolitan as it has less stops. Wembley Central is slightly further away from the stadium and has both rail & tube connections. This tube station is served by the Bakerloo line, whilst the railway station is on the London Euston-Milton Keynes line. The nearest train station is Wembley Stadium, on the to Birmingham to London Marylebone line.

Pubs for Wembley for each side

The Met Police have asked the Football Supporters' Federation to pass on the following information regarding the Capital One Cup final between Bradford City and Swansea City on Sunday 24th February 2013 (4pm KO). Licensed premises in the area of Wembley Stadium have been divided between supporters of both clubs as such.

Bradford City supporters' licensed premises (west side of Wembley):

• The Green Man - Dagmar Avenue, Wembley, HA9 8DF
• Blue Room - 53 Wembley Hill Road, Wembley, HA9 8BE
• JJ Moons - 397 High Road, Wembley, HA9 7DT
• Thirsty Eddie’s - 412 High Road, Wembley, HA9 6AH
• Flannery’s - 610 High Road, Wembley, HA0 2AF
• Innisfree - 30 - 32 Harrow Road, Wembley, HA9 6PG
• Mannions - 313 Harrow Road, Wembley, HA9 6BA
• The Copper Jug - 10 The Broadway, Wembley, HA9 8JU
• Fusilier - 652 Harrow Road, Wembley, HA0 2HA
• Powerleague - Olympic Way, Wembley

Swansea City supporters' licensed premises (east side of Wembley):

• The Torch - 1 - 5 Bridge Road, Wembley, HA9 9AB
• Crock of Gold - 23 Bridge Road, Wembley, HA9 9AB
• Moore Spice - Wembley Retail Park, Unit 2, Engineers Way, HA9 0EH
• Watkins Folly - 1 Empire Way, Wembley, HA9 0EW
• Blue Check Café - 12 - 13 Empire Way, Wembley, HA9 0RQ
• Alisan Bar - The Junction, Wembley Retail Park, Engineers Way, HA9 0EG
• Crystal Club (Silverspoon) - South Way, Wembley
• The Parish - 120 Wembley Park Drive, Wembley, HA9 8HP
• First Class Sports Bar - 125 Wembley Park Drive, HA9 8HG
• The Wembley Tavern - 121 Wembley Park Drive, HA9 8HG
• Cheers Bar - 45 Blackbird Hill, NW9 8RS

The Met Police say all pubs will have door staff on them which is either a condition of their licence or agreed on a voluntary basis. Entry will be gained by the production of a match ticket. There will be no police on any of the public houses checking who enters as this is a matter for the licensee rather a police function.

The above list relates to public houses in the immediate vicinity of the stadium. There are many other pubs that both sets of supporters can use within walking distance of the stadium or a short tube ride away. These pubs may or may not be segregated but this is entirely at the discretion of the licensee.

Other Venues nearby  - Horse and Barge - Denham

Our new venue the Horse and Barge is situated in Harefield/Denham (nr Uxbridge) which is a 35 minute drive to Stadium or quite conveniently a 10 minute train journey from Denham Station to Wembley Stadium Station which is the nearest train station to the stadium. Having been in the thick of busy match days, we understand how frustrating it can be getting quick service, having space to eat and drink and also travelling within the two mile radius of Wembley can be a nightmare with traffic, hence why our new venue will eliminate these issues.

Having run Wembley pubs for over 4 years we have the knowledge and capability of preparing our premises to make it ideal for your fans. Our venue is very well known for our events and events management so we are excited to be involved again in the Pre and Post Match experience.

• Half Acre Beer Garden
• BBQ Patio Area
• Large Outdoor Bar
• Outdoor Childrens Adventure Playground
• Prominent Canal Location
• Two Indoor Bars
• Covered Marquee and Veranda areas
• Live Music from our resident D.J.
• Full Menu Available (inc outdoor BBQ)
• Table Reservations Available
• Experienced, friendly staff with speed!

Most importantly we offer all Swans fans

• Free Parking with purchase of food or drink (free display ticket upon purchase) with pre-booking option also available
• Free Coach Parking with free teas and coffees for coach drivers (with fans using pub) with pre-booking option also available
• Discount Drinks at £3.00 a pint (cheapest you will find on a match day)

Please feel free to take a look at our website

www.thehorseandbargeharefield.co.uk

Wealdstone C.I.U Club

We are a very big club and are about 4 miles from Wembley Stadium. We are 500 yards from Harrow and Wealdstone station where you can pick up the Baker loo line into Wembley high street where you will then have a 3/5 minute walk to the stadium, or you have the choice of a 5 minute walk from our club to Harrow on the hill station where you can get the Metropolitan line and that will take you straight into the stadium itself.

We have parking (Free) for over 400 cars and coaches so it would cut out the cost of parking in Wembley which is not only costly but a nightmare finding somewhere to park. Any coach can drop you off an return to the club till after the game. We have had quite a number of supporters from different clubs over the last couple of years I.E Man United, Man City, and even your rivals Cardiff.

We also have had around 150/200 of Swansea supporters here a couple of years ago when you made the play off's. Swansea  will be more than welcome at our club again. So if this is something you may consider, we will be more than happy to obliged. The only thing we would need (As we are a private C.I.U club) is a list of all that are travelling, that way we can sign you in as a block booking instead of singly. So if you would like to come along please contact me at the details below

Edwkel1@hotmail.co.uk

Details on Parking near Wembley

We are a car park, located just opposite Wembley Stadium. We're considerably cheaper than the official car park and customers get a quicker exit. Please check out our website www.wembleywasp.com  - 07811184843
Email: Wembleywasp@gmail.com

Moving on, Rock on, Bring it on.

Last Saturday's dismantling of QPR at home in our 4-1 win went a long way to convincing most skeptics that City had indeed, not taken their "eye off the ball" by neglecting PL form in advance of the Capital One Cup Final upcoming on the 24th. It reinforced what ML had been saying pre-match, in as much as it was important we didn't devalue PL placement in advance of an upcoming glamorous occasion. He, and the team, were as good as his word.

That the Squad has spent this past week in a pre-booked Mid Season traing break in Dubai should be viewed in the same way.

I've seen some mischievous Press comment that all 5 of the PL teams who are out in the Middle East this week could be construed as having taken their "occular organ off the leather spheroid" by somehow abandoning February's grey British skies for the blue and warmth of the Gulf.

Excuse my dubiety in relying more on ML and HJ's knowhow than the sometime jackals of the British Tabloid press (and its talkSHITE radio equivalent) in determining what's right for our Team and Club but I'd suggest that both we and the other four - Norwich, WHU, QPR and Reading - know what they're doing.

They'll all be back, of course, in sufficent and apposite time for the upcoming fixtures, and ours takes us once again to Anfield .

This rearranged PL fixture is slotted into this FA Cup weekend as a result of both we and the Scoucers being serendipidously available having both been knocked out of said Tourney. As it happens, for us at least, that may be no bad thing.

As far as we're concerned, it's surely more expedient that we've a top class game in the almost 2 week gap between QPR and the COC Bradford City game, potential injuries notwithstanding. The Reds, however, may view this as a game too far, given that following their 2-0 home defeat to WBA on Monday night, this Thursday they're engaged in an awkward trip to Zenit St Petersburg in the Europa League knockout fixture and then have another 3/4 day turnaround before Sunday's meeting against us.

In putting together this week's preview I think you'll understand that I've decided to stray away from the usual format that concentrates on individuals in detail and concentrate instead on the background to the game , taking in, hopefully, some of my perceptions of where both Clubs are.The contrasts are quite enlightening I feel.

Back in the summertime , when we'd lost yet another Manager to a bigger beast, we Swans were understandably nervous. After all, HJ and the Board had done the business on previous occasions but could they do it yet again? I think it's fair to say in retrospect that the answer is a resounding yes.

Moreover, it continued the evidence that each and every of the 5 previous Managerial appointments have improved us, and I include in that the much reviled Paulo Sousa, and I'll happily explain.

The Jury's still out on precisely when the Swansea City transformation began to happen.

I confess that I'm in Huw Jenkins' camp, who's voiced the opinion that the upward trajectory began with Kenny Jacket. Shorthand suggests that he first got us up a Division, and whilst Roberto Martinez undoubtedly was the first to introduce the abiding Swansea Style, post his departure Sousa made us more defensively resilient, and despite all the brickbats took us higher than ever before (in PL era terms).

Consequently , Brendan Rodgers was the Manager who acually presided over our ultimate ascent, and whilst his poaching by Liverpool FC initially seemed limiting for us, there's a strong argument to be made that ML's appointment means that nowadays BR is more limiting for them. Think on this.

How many of us Swans would nowadays argue that we're a better team than we were last year? Most of us, I'd suggest.

How many Liverpudlians would argue that they are a better team this year than under Kenny Dalgliesh last year ? A huge percentage fewer than we Swans I'm certain.

You've only to read various Liverpool FC fansites (The Anfield Wrap, ) etc., to see that there's a large minority who are not yet convinced that his necessarily scary attempt at transforming the Liverpool "Brand" is still, frustratingly, on a knife-edge.

Don't forget that last year they won the Cup that we're favourites to win in 2 weeks time and that they also lost in the final of the FA Cup whilst finishing 8th in the PL. For all that, KD was dismissed and BR poached from us. And are they better? Hugely, and entertainingly (for me at least) debatable.

The most notable features of Liverpool this year seem to me to be these............

1) Pattern. They play nowadays as he (BR) used to set us up in formation terms, ie a 4-2-3-1, but there are many caveats. For example, our wingers under ML play narrower and are much more in the game, allowing the FB's greater license. There are many more, often subtle, differences cf.............license to shoot, tempo, fewer "keep-ball" passes more penetration etc., for us.

2) Individuals. Reina in goal looks diminished, making more errors than previously. The FB's are never seemingly set solid - Glen Johnson plays both L and R, Enrique veers from a free transfer to a key member. At CB, Agger and Skrtel have suffered an apalling lapse of form, leading to the almost retired Jamie Carragher being recalled.  And that's just at the back.

3) Creativity. After his £15m transfer from us, Joey Allen and Steven Gerrard were originally the 2 defensive MF'ers, but Lucas Leiva's return has forced Joe out of the team, and whilst he offers solidity he's knocked the tempo of pass. Plus, there's a large portion of their following who are yet to be convinced by young Joe.The advanced 3 seem never to be settled. After giving up on Nuri Sahin (I'd have him but Dortmund called :) ) and young Suso there is constant flux.

4) Resources.  Limited (early season) options up front. Whilst the elusive and effective Luis Suarez is world class, to go into the season with just him and Fabio Borini as their only options was naive in the extreme. Borini's long term injury (since recovered) made it worse, but even now with him back and the exciting Danny Sturridge recruited in the Window available,
their crowd's dislike of Fabio is worrying, and Sturridge has to do more than play well in a couple of games to convince.

Link all of the above to the lingering doubt over Jordan Henderson, the ongoing frustration over Stewart Downing, the bizarre JonJo Shelvey debate (is he good, or a wally?), the over use of a kid - Raheem Sterling with its concommitant over-hype, the over use of Gerrard (he's played every PL minute), and you can see this is a Club and Team still in a far from settled state.

With a Club as famous and revered as this there are a large number of issues still and we shouldn't be dismissive of the attendant daily pressures. This is a Club that arguably deserves to be called, still, that ubiquitous term in football commentariat a "top-4 side". From recent years it obviously isn't, and whilst we're currently ahead of them in the table, there are several other teams who could claim to be on the same (footballing at least ) level.

And here's what I'd suggest is the ultimate bloody nose - so far, this season, Liverpool, who sit 9th, have not beaten a single club who are above them in the table. Ouch, and double  bloody ouch.

So, let's look to us. What will our line up be given that we've got a rather important Cup Final the following week? Well, here goes, see what you think.

In goal we can confidently expect Michel Vorm, our no1, as Gerhard Tremmel has done all of the COC games and can be sure of playing next Sunday.

At FB I think there's a place for playing Dwight Tiendalli for either Rangel or Ben Davies, but I feel it'll be for Rangel since Davies is a young tyro who is taking everything in his stride.

At CB I expect to see Kyle Bartley partner Garry Monk in an audition of who partners Ash Williams next week. I've assumed Chico, unfortunately, will be unfit due to his ankle injury but if he's not then it's him 'n Ash next week.

MF is the hardest area to predict. Given that our MF 3 next week ought to be LB, JdG and Ki, I'd protect Leon by sitting him down and playing Kemy plus Ki and JdG.

Michu should wrapped in cotton wool and brought out next Friday. Of the wingers, Pablo is the one to sit first and Routledge second, so Nathan Dyer and Roland Lamah must play wide with the line led by Itay Schecter (probably) or Luke Moore (possibly).

My rationale is that whilst I realise the PL is the preference, on 37pts we're all but secure and to secure a possible European adventure by winning the COC neccessitates a somewhat protective line up this week. What do you think? After all, what do I know - certainly no more than you.

We can go to Anfield confident in the memory of defeating them there on our way to Wembley in this year's COC run. Who says we can't do it again ? Not me.

Onward, Swansea City.

For all us pedants (myself included ) here's the full Liverpool Squad...................

1. Jones, 2. Johnson, 3. Enrique, 5. Agger, 7. Suarez, 8. Gerrard, 10. Coutinho, 11. Assaidi, 14. Henderson, 15. Sturridge, 16. Coates, 19. Downing, 21. Lucas, 22. D Wilson, 23. Carragher, 24. Allen, 25. Reina, 29. Borini, 30. Suso, 31. Sterling, 33. Shelvey, 34. Kelly, 35. Coady, 36. Yesil, 37. Skrtel, 38. Flanagan, 42. Gulacsi, 43. McLaughlin, 45. Sama, 47. Wisdom, 48. Sinclair, 49. Robinson, 50. Morgan, 52. Ward

January additions....

Most of us know and have seen Daniel Sturridge, the England forward having spent a frustrating couple of years at Chelsea after his move from Man City. This, to quote BR, is probably his "last chance at a big club" but he's started well and is an outstanding forward talent.

Their other main buy was Phillipe Coutinho, a terrifically gifted if slight MF'er bought from Inter. The next couple of years in this unforgiving league will determine whether this skillful and exciting ballplayer can survive amongst the cutlasses.

QPRROFLLMAO.............

This PL season may well be remembered for many things, many of them positive, but to see a modern Club adopt the "Portsmouth" model of PL survival causes no less of a shock.

Hey, listen, I 've no need to be smug here, but to compare Saturday's opponents, Queens Park Rangers, with our own Swansea City set up is at least bizarre in the extreme. However, let's do a little of it anyway, since it's guaranteed to make us feel slightly more comfortable at the very least.

From the depths of despair some 10 yrs ago we've come a long, and most would say, sensible, way. We arrived in our second season PL adventure as co-tenants with our West London opponents , but, demonstrably different in each Club's set up.

I'm deliberately staying away from some sort of mention of superiority, but I must admit I'm finding it hard. We seem to me to be similarly contingent sorts of Clubs nowadays - albeight it QPR have a great deal more top flight history than we - but the path we're treading is almost in the opposite direction of those at Loftus Rd - and that, surely, will at least make you wonder which might be the more rewarding .

Whilst our own set up, with it's 20% Trust Ownership model gives us a degree of stability but a limited freedom financially, is it really the case that with the Air Asia Supremo Tony Fernandez as Chairman, and a Board that includes Lakshmi Mittal (reputedly the world's 3rd richest man) the "R"'s are any more stable ?? Or in advance ??

Hey, the devil is in the detail, and the numbers will give you a clue.

Now, apart from the obvious distance of 18pts and some 11 places, even the disinterested will have noticed that they were still on the bottom whilst we enjoyed a more top half predicament/placement. How could this be so ????????? The game proceeded to explain.

Here were the teams.......

Swansea City
01 Vorm, 04 Chico (Bartley - 33' ), 06 Williams, 22 Rangel, 33 Davies Booked, 09 Michu (Moore - 80' ), 11 Pablo, 12 Dyer, 15 Routledge (Agustien - 62' ), 20 De Guzman, 24 Ki Sung-Yeung

Substitutes
25 Tremmel, 02 Bartley, 21 Tiendalli, 26 Agustien, 14 Lamah, 17 Shechter, 19 Moore

Queens Park Rangers
33 Julio Cesar, 03 Traore Booked, 05 Samba Booked, 06 Hill, 15 Onuoha, 04 Derry (Granero - 46' ), 10 Taarabt Booked, 16 Jenas (Wright-Phillips - 68' ), 29 Townsend, 40 M'bia, 12 Mackie (Zamora - 46' )

Substitutes
01 Green, 21 Ben-Haim, 07 Park Ji-sung, 11 Wright-Phillips, 14 Granero, 25 Zamora, 37 Bothroyd

Ref: Swarbrick
Att: 20,529

The biggest loss for we Swans may have been Leon Britton's injury and absence, but in this engrossing season we've learnt to trust Michael Laudrup's vision and response, and both Ki and de Guzman again didn;t do anything to disturb that equilibrium.

Co-incidentally, it allowed us to play the three out and out wingers with a roving brief - so at any one time either Dyer or Routledge or Pablo were the no 10, playing behind the sublime Miguel Michu, who again proved that if the Swans have ever made a better buy he would have to be in the Ivor Allchurch class of player - woohoo, what a pleasure to watch.

I'd suggest @Arry had set up in a defensive "let's get a point" formation, with the frustrating but talented Adel Taarabt furthest forward, but despite his occasional displays of classy skill, the limit of QPR's wishes were epheremal.

City took control of the game from the start, and from several probing and concessant ball retension moments started pushing the 'R's further and further back. This culmitated in a "between the lines" moment when Nathan Dyer took control some 30 yds out centrally, and did what most fans love to see - ie - he put his foot through the ball and shot, the
resulting trajectory allowing Cesar in goal only to palm out centrally, and Michu following in managed a flick with the outside of his right foot a touch  that took the ball over the keeper and in.1-0.

The Lib burst to further life as we Swans took on board just reward for early pressure. Just 9m gone and now any QPR struggle for equality would be harder and harder.

Jimmy, my compadre in G119 remarked that now they'd have to come out a little and would be more vulnerable to counter attack. Jimmy is 82yrs old going on 50, so tends to get more things right than wrong, and again he was on the money.

The goal had come from Dyer and Routledge both assuming positions "between the lines" (as is the modernspeak) and the pressure and second goal followed much the same pattern.

QPR's defensive shield of Derry and M'Bia were consistently going walkabout, so when Routledge picked it up centrally some 30 yds out going right he was immediatelly offered an option by the rampaging Rangel showing Mackie a clean pair of heels.

He advanced and shot, and Cesar's block bounced back to him to sweep a left footed follow up accurately and in. 2-0, and we Oldies bopped along with the rest of the delirious Home crowd.

Comments on the shape and pattern of this half.

Swansea's three wingers had indeed rotated and switched constantly, just as they'd done in the WBA game and were again ripping through the oppositrion by consistently finding THAT space between the putative back 4 and their MF protectors, and that was regularly freeing up space wide for Rangel on the right and Ben Davies on the left. Ki and de Guzman sat
deeper, with the Korean biting into challenges and the Dutchman often gliding away from a nicked ball - all in all a fine substitution for the absent Britton.

Meanwhile, up front, the sublime Miguel Michu put on his no 9 cloak and this week adopted the target man role- as ML later said, he is good enough to perform several roles equally efficiently.

City got to half time at 2-0 without QPR offering any decent threat so we went into the break comfortably.

I suspect in the Rangers dressing room it might have been different, since they came out as if "H" had given them the Fergie hair-dryer treatment, and Zamora (hip inflicted) and Esteban Granero (we'd have him, please) replaced both Mackie and Derry, and they immediately looked more dangerous, further complicated by Ben Davies needlessly giving the ball away within 2 m of the restart.

Taraabt drove for goal and got off a decent shot which Michel Vorm nine times out of ten would have held. This was the 10th time, and he palmed it forward where a muscling Zamora out-reacted Kyle Bartley to drive home a goal. 2-1, and all of a sudden there was an opposition fanbase which, up to that moment had been mouse-like.

It would be unfair to say anything other than thegame was now, bizzarely, open, but within 5m Pablo Hernandez put that to bed.

Receiving on the left from a clever Michu hold and reverse, he turned Onouha one way , another, and a third (inside out is the usual phrase), and drilled a low shot past Cesar again to put City 2 goals in front once more. 3-1 and a passage of play that deserved it.

The final knife to the heart came after QPR, by now desperate, were denied a penalty from a cross that appeared to strike Ash Williams on the hand, and a goal line clearance from Kyle Bartley from the follow up.

Kemy Agustien, another apposite ML substitution, fed through to Pablo H, who put an exquisite ball past Christopher Samba, the £12m pound man, and Michu, the contrasting bargain, ran beyond him and caressed an delightful first time flick finish beyond Cesar and in. 4-1, game over.

The game played out with City content to boss posession, and QPR only able to offer a Wright-Phillips effort that hit the bar. Another 3 pts gathered.

Both Managers summed the game up rather well, and can be found here.............http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21311593

As ML hinted there, the biggest problem was the loss of Chico to an ankle injury that could well keep him out of the COC Final. Let's hope not, but otherwise, this is a season that keeps on giving.

Onwards, Swansea City.

Problem with the Guestbook

All

there seems to be a problem with the guestbook at the moment

I have one of my team looking into this now and I will confirm once its back up and running

Please don't try and do anything yourself or install anything. The issue is at our end

thanks

Jim

Who will be Relegated from the Premier League

So with the transfer window closed and only around a third of the season to go I thought it’s time to take stock and make some predictions regarding who will be going down.

With 34 points in the bag and a Cup Final ahead of us you could argue that I shouldn’t even be bothered about who is in the bottom three and who is likely to be sucked into a relegation battle. I believe we’re safe but I don’t think I’m the only one who will sleep a little more soundly once we reach the 40 point mark. Until then I’m looking down rather than up and with this in mind I’m going to focus on those clubs who face a relegation battle between now and the end of the season.  

For me there seems to be a clear gap between the bottom third and the rest of the table. The relegation places will be between those clubs currently between 20^th and 14^th. Starting at the bottom of the current table and working our way up:

QPR

What can you say about the basket case that is QPR? If ever there was a club that has proved you can’t get success simply by signing loads of players then Rangers have proved it. Mark Hughes signed 12 players in the summer but they were bottom when Harry Redknapp took over. His solution? Sign lots of players; well 5 more anyway. As always money talks and despite being bottom and almost certain candidates for relegation players were queuing up to join them. Loic Remy snubbed Newcastle to join them for £8M and Peter Odemwingie even tried to break into Loftus Road to join. There’s commitment for you.

A team with average gates of £18,000 have just spent £12.5M on a centre back and are reportedly paying Christopher Samba £100,000 a week for the next four and a half years. Redknapp had to have him of course as he had a crisis at centre back with Ryan Nelson leaving for Canada. But he had also let Anton Ferdinand go out on loan when he knew Nelson was off. This was a panic situation created deliberately and Redknapp knew it would put his Chairman under enormous pressure to land Samba – no matter what the cost. He is very brave with other people’s money and if QPR stay up he will be a hero. If not then he will be able to say that the situation was too desperate and he did his best. If they get relegated then Harry will stay for a while and will then move on to the next job. QPR will in all likelihood then become another Portsmouth. It’s the Chairman’s fault as he brought in Harry and is not strong enough to manage him. Would Huw be able to manage him? Pointless question really as Huw would never appoint him in the first place! 

There are signs that QPR are getting it together now and it will be a very difficult game on Saturday for us. This will be a game that they will be targeting three points from as draws are of little use when you’re six points off safety with 13 games to go.

Paul’s verdict – they need around 21 points from 13 games to survive. To date they’ve got 17 from 25 games. It’s a no brainer and they will go down, probably in 20^th place.

Aston Villa

I still can’t get my head around how we only managed to take one point of them over two games. They are a very young, lightweight side and are in real trouble. Their dealings in the transfer window did little to suggest they are likely to pull out of the bottom three. Paul Lambert has clearly been told to reduce the wage bill and has replaced many overpaid players with promising kids. It’s a gamble though and one that looks at the moment that it might well fail. If they are to stay up then they will need Christian Benteke’s goals and they will be praying he doesn’t get injured.

Paul’s verdict – they will do enough to survive but it will be close – 17^th

Wigan

Yet again Wigan find themselves in a relegation battle and I suppose there are two ways to look at it. If you were being optimistic you could argue that they have been there before and both manager and players know what to do to survive. If you were a pessimist you could say that their luck has got to run out some time.

Having lost some quality players like Victor Moses since last season they seem weaker to me and I think this might just prove to be a season so far. They also have some very tough looking fixtures and it’s difficult to see them escaping this year.

Paul’s verdict – their luck will finally run out – 19^th and down.

Reading

They looked dead and buried a few weeks ago but since Christmas they seem to have turned it around and have started to specialize in the art of getting late goals. Usually a sign of league champions it suggests a team that could avoid the drop.

The squad is still thin though and none of their Welsh trio (Church; Gunter or Hal Robson-Kanu) have proved they have what it takes to play in the Premier League. There are a number of other players there who are at best Championship level and  their attempt to sign Sigurdsson for £10M on deadline day show that they recognise this.

Paul’s verdict – Reading have home games against the bottom three and Southampton and this will be crucial to their survival. 16^th.

Southampton

If ever there was an example of a team shooting themselves in the foot then this is it. Having finally found their feet and pulling away from trouble they go and sack manager Nigel Adkins. He was successful and very popular with the fans so that probably proved too much for the owners. His replacement, Mauricio Pochettino, doesn’t speak any English and must be a gamble. So far  they haven’t crumbled but I believe that they will.  

Paul’s verdict – 18^th and relegation.   

Newcastle

Look to have bought their way out of trouble during the transfer window when they added another five French players giving them a total of 11 altogether. I wonder where their scouting system is focused?

Of course quantity does not mean quality but the performances of Yoan Gouffran and Moussa Sissoko against Chelsea on Saturday suggest that they’ve picked up some real gems. 

Paul’s verdict – a comfortable 14^th place.

Norwich

They should be safe with 28 points already in the bag but Norwich have looked shaky over the last few weeks. A lack of goals (two in seven matches since the New Year) illustrate why they were so keen to sign a striker in the window. Is Luciano Becchio the answer? Probably not.  With one away win (against us of course – with 4 goals scored) they’ll be hoping to pick up enough points at home to get them over the line.   

Paul’s verdict – will get the three wins they need to be safe (one of them against us) and will finish 15th.

Fulham/Sunderland/West Ham/Stoke

It will take something pretty extraordinary for any of these four teams to get relegated. There is always the chance that one of them may implode but in truth they all seem fairly stable on and off the pitch and will be okay.   

Paul’s verdict – will all finish lower mid-table and, with the exception of West Ham, will all have underachieved this season.  

So there we have it. It will be close but, with the Swans finishing in 10^th place, my final league table predictions look as follows:

Team                Played                          Points              

Newcastle         38                                 44

Norwich            38                                 41

Reading            38                                 39

Aston Villa        38                                 37

Southampton    38                                 36

Wigan               38                                 36

QPR                 38                                 34

Last season I had us down to finish 12^th but only got one out of the bottom three right. I predicted that Blackburn; Wigan and Aston Villa would be relegated and had Bolton and Wolves finishing 17^th and 16^th respectively. So you could ask what do I know anyway. Well if you reckon you can call it better then why not put your bottom six on the guestbook. 

Next time I’ll be taking a look at the Championship and review who are likely to join us next season. Apparently one team is running away with it at the moment! 

Swans v Sunderland Match Preview

Team News:-  The Swans have a full squad to pick from and coming on the back of their semi final Capital One cup game, they will be full of confidence heading to the Stadium of Light. The team had a weekend off and so the first choice 11 will probably pick itself with the only issue for Michael Laudrup being who to choose on the wings. Wayne Routledge (who has just signed a new 3 year contract) and Pablo Hernandez are likely to start although Nathan Dyer has been pushing Hernandez for a start but Laudrup is likely to choose the Spaniard. He links well with Michu (who will start up front) and with Jonathan De Guzman who sits at the top of a 3 man midfield.

Form:- The Swans are unbeaten in 7 in the Premier League and although a few of these have been draws, when you add in the cup games against Chelsea and Arsenal then its only 1 defeat in some 11 games which is an incredible achievement for a team that was supposed to go through second season syndrome. Most pundits would probably agree that after the Swans win at Stoke 2 weeks ago, the club has secured its Premier League status for another year and this coupled with an appearance in a first ever major cup final will send the Swans in a confident mood to Sunderland.

Head-to-head:- Sunderland are one of only a few teams in the Premier League that the Swans haven’t beaten in the past 18 months and so most Sunderland fans will feel confident of getting something from the game and a majority will expect them to get 3 points especially after they dominated last years game at the SoL and won 3-0. The Swans should have beaten Martin O’Neils team earlier on in the season and barring 2 goals from 2 shots on target (by Steven Fletcher) they would have gone home empty handed. So, the head to head would seem to be in Sunderlands favour although being honest, there doesn’t seem to be a lot between both sides.

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I could be very wrong but I don’t expect to see a lot of goals in this game. The Swans are tough to break down defensively and they have a pattern of playing away which is solid and resilient. With this in mind, a 0-0 full time score at 10-1 are very decent odds I would say.

The Swans have not had one penalty given to them this season (they conceded their first one at home to Aston Villa on Jan 1^st) and so 8-1 for the Swans to score from a penalty during the game also look decent odds.

Michu at 2.80-1 to score anytime throughout the game are too short odds for me but I can understand why they are so short as the man from Spain has been a revelation up front for the Swans.  Wayne Routledge has been on a hot scoring run for the club and so 6-1 seem like good odds for Wayne to get a goal during the game. If your looking for a decent outsider then Chico (14-1) and Ashley Williams (16-1) to score at anytime during the game could be worth a fiver especially as the Swans are due a goal from a corner or free kick

Stats show that Sunderland would be in the top 4 if games finished in the 1^st half and the Swans would be top if games were second half only! So Sunderland at half time and the Swans to win at 36-1 also look pretty good odds to me!

My gut feel on this is 0-0 as I mentioned but Sunderland 2-1 at 10-1 are also good odds and worth a flutter. My head says that the Swans can get something from the game and my heart says that a repeat of the last time they were in the North East (when they beat Newcastle 2-1) is a decent shout and well worth it at 11-1! Whatever happens, it should be a good game and something for the Sky cameras to enjoy!

Sunderland - The Key Questions Answered

SCFC2 asked our friends at Salut Sunderland to answer a few questions ahead of the Swans trip to the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night. Peter Sixsmith was happy to answer some questions and give his prediction for the game.

He is going for 2-1 and whilst he could be right, I think the Swans will nick a point in a 1-1 draw.

Have a look at some of Peter's answers below. Whats your prediction for the game? Get on the Guestbook and share it with everyone else

Register to post on the guestbook here or login and post here if your already registered

How long have you been an Sunderland fan and who is your favourite all time Sunderland player?

I have been a Sunderland supporter for 50 years. I started going regularly in 1963-64, the year we won promotion to the First Division. We beat Swansea Town 1-0 at home in March ‘64, with Noel Dwyer allowing a cross from Brian Usher to go in at the near post. I switched my allegiance from Leeds RLFC when my father moved us up to the North East because of his job. My first idol was Gorseinion born Lewis Jones – still alive and living in Leeds. I still go to Headingley at least once a season and I find myself being drawn to the game more as the Premier League eats itself.

How would you describe your season so far? Are you happy with current progress

The season has been a tad disappointing as we hoped to push on with Martin O’Neill. But the last few weeks have been much better and he is putting his mark on the squad now. We should have a steady second half and then begin to make real progress next season – although that is not the first time I have said that!!!!!

Martin O Neil seems to blow hot and cold. Are all Sunderland fans still behind him?

Every Sunderland supporter wants O’Neill to succeed and I believe that the vast majority know that he needs time to create his own squad of players. He has brought in top class internationals like Fletcher and Johnson and some promising younger players like Rose and N’Diaye who will hopefully train on.

Martin O’Neil or Peter Reid?

It’s like comparing a fine pint of cask conditioned ale with a pint of John Smiths Extra Smooth. O’Neill is a thinker and a long term planner. Reidy was great fun for a while but was clueless towards the end. 

What are your thoughts on Sunderlands ownership? Do they have the best interests of the club at heart?

The owner, Ellis Short, is an interesting man. He’s an Irish American multi-millionaire who was sold the idea of the club by Niall Quinn at Cheltenham races. So far, he has done absolutely nothing wrong and, although we hear little from him, that can be no bad thing. Compared with the owners at Manchester United, Portsmouth and Blackburn, he is an absolute dream. I would prefer local owners but you can’t pick and choose.

Who is your player of the season so far?

Two candidates for this; Simon Mignolet, an excellent goalkeeper who has grown into the role of a very good Premier League keeper and Steven Fletcher, who is a very, very good centre forward. Danny Rose has done very well but he isn’t one of ours – yet.

Where do you think you will finish this season?

Top half would be lovely. I would settle for 17^th as long as Newcastle were below us. Petty, I know.

Who is the best young player at Sunderland that we should keep an eye out for in the coming years?

Not many “young” players – we have just released a raft of them from the Academy. John Egan is a promising Irish central defender who went on loan to Bradford City and broke his leg, missing out on a Capital Cup Final place against some Welsh team or other!!!! Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford survived a three month loan at Darlington last season and could be a good ‘un.

What will be the team that Sunderland will put out?

I would imagine the same one that won at Wigan last weekend. Martin O’Neill rarely tampers. Keep an eye out for recent signing Alfred N’Diaye, who, according to the song “Came from Bursapor, To hear the Roker Roar”.

What do you think the score will be on Tues?

I will go for a Sunderland home win, but not by many. When you played us last season, we won 3-0 and won comfortably, despite the possession stats. I think you are a better team under Michael Laudrup and play sharper football; still lots of passing, but you have a sharper cutting edge. A lot depends on Johnson and Fletcher as well as our ability to shackle Michu (signing of the decade). I’ll go for 2-1 and hope that you still have a semi-final hangover.

Any advice for travelling fans?

Wear your thermals; the Stadium can be cold on a night as we are near the coast. Your fans have moved from last season and re now upstairs in the North Stand. For a pre match pint try The Isis near the Empire Theatre (Jarrow Brewery beer) and The Kings Arms at Deptford, just across the river from the SoL – but a 20 minute walk.

Enjoy the Capital One Cup Final, but be aware that the entire nation probably wants Bradford City to win it. Look forward to seeing you next season

Swans heading to Wembley - All the info you need

Capital One Cup FINAL Sunday 24th February 2013 16:00

Address: Wembley Stadium, Empire Way, Wembley, London HA9 0WS

Telephone: 0844 980 8001

Web Site: www.wembleystadium.com

What Is It Like?

Wembley is a quality stadium. From escalators to transport fans up to the top tier to the landscaped concourse, no expense is spared. There is not a bad seat in the stadium, even seats at the very top of the upper tier have excellent views and with the roof being very close to the crowd a full house can make some serious noise, as heard by our excellent rendition of ‘Hymns and Arias’ before the play-off final.

The top tier (5) is particularly steep, which may cause a few to be short of breadth after getting there, but at least the angle ensures fans are as close to the playing action as they can be.  Not the best leg room between rows of seats, but there’s a good height between rows to allow junior Jacks a decent sight of the pitch.

The catering is always expensive at Wembley, pies are £4.50, pizza slices £4.30, hot dogs are £5.40, nachos £4.50, and chicken dippers at £6. You can get a Pie & Pint for £8.30. The concourses are quite spacious, have betting counters, and loads of TV screens, as well as programme and merchandise stands.

Visiting London

What is there to do in London? Just about everything, from theatres to museums to concerts. There are dozens of musicals, plays and exhibitions available in the capital. Not all will have shows on the Sunday, and with Friday and Saturday being extremely popular, booking in advance is a must. The current top 10 musicals based on ticket sales are We Will Rock You, Thriller – Live, The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, Billy Elliott, Stomp, Shrek the Musical, Les Misérables, Wicked and Rock of Ages.

The X Factor live are next door at Wembley Arena (HA9 0AA) on the Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Saturday night. Tickets are £37.25

One Direction are on at ‘The O2’ (SE10 0DX), with two concerts each on the Saturday & Sunday of the game. Tickets have sold out, but there may be a chance of some ticket returns. The day after the game, The Australian Pink Floyd show is also on at the O2. Tickets are £34.75-£43.75.

Check out www.visitlondon.com/ for loads of stuff that’s going on there.

Pubs and Grub

There aren’t many pubs near the stadium. Nearby are J.J. Moons (HA9 6AA), a Wetherspsoons, the Green Man (HA9 8DF), both near Wembley Stadium station, and the Torch (HA9 9AB), near Wembley Park tube station. They are rammed hours before KO. Most pubs near the stadium will designate themselves for one team’s fans or the other; best to ring them to check if you will get entry.

Most fans will drink in the central London, or by a tube stations on the way to the stadium around Harrow on the Hill, Watford Junction or Ruislip. The good thing is parking out here, after the game you’re heading away from the crowds. Alcohol is sold in the stadium; Carling, Carlsberg, Tetley's (£4.70 a pint), red/white wine (187ml bottle £4.50), Smirnoff Ice (275ml bottle £4.80) and various spirits (pre-mixed £5.50).

Parking and Trains

The stadium is a 'public transport' destination, so very limited parking at the stadium and a residents only parking scheme in the area. Good advice is to park at one of the tube stations at the end of the Metropolitan line e.g. Uxbridge, Hillingdon or Ruislip or at Stanmore on the Jubilee line and take the tube to Wembley Park This means you’ll miss out on the chaos of getting away from Wembley. Train/Tube: The nearest tube station is Wembley Park, a 10 minute walk to the stadium. This is served by both the Jubilee & Metropolitan lines, best to take the Metropolitan as it has less stops. Wembley Central is slightly further away from the stadium and has both rail & tube connections. This tube station is served by the Bakerloo line, whilst the railway station is on the London Euston-Milton Keynes line. The nearest train station is Wembley Stadium, on the to Birmingham to London Marylebone line.

Pubs for Wembley for each side

The Met Police have asked the Football Supporters' Federation to pass on the following information regarding the Capital One Cup final between Bradford City and Swansea City on Sunday 24th February 2013 (4pm KO). Licensed premises in the area of Wembley Stadium have been divided between supporters of both clubs as such.

Bradford City supporters' licensed premises (west side of Wembley):

• The Green Man - Dagmar Avenue, Wembley, HA9 8DF
• Blue Room - 53 Wembley Hill Road, Wembley, HA9 8BE
• JJ Moons - 397 High Road, Wembley, HA9 7DT
• Thirsty Eddie’s - 412 High Road, Wembley, HA9 6AH
• Flannery’s - 610 High Road, Wembley, HA0 2AF
• Innisfree - 30 - 32 Harrow Road, Wembley, HA9 6PG
• Mannions - 313 Harrow Road, Wembley, HA9 6BA
• The Copper Jug - 10 The Broadway, Wembley, HA9 8JU
• Fusilier - 652 Harrow Road, Wembley, HA0 2HA
• Powerleague - Olympic Way, Wembley

Swansea City supporters' licensed premises (east side of Wembley):

• The Torch - 1 - 5 Bridge Road, Wembley, HA9 9AB
• Crock of Gold - 23 Bridge Road, Wembley, HA9 9AB
• Moore Spice - Wembley Retail Park, Unit 2, Engineers Way, HA9 0EH
• Watkins Folly - 1 Empire Way, Wembley, HA9 0EW
• Blue Check Café - 12 - 13 Empire Way, Wembley, HA9 0RQ
• Alisan Bar - The Junction, Wembley Retail Park, Engineers Way, HA9 0EG
• Crystal Club (Silverspoon) - South Way, Wembley
• The Parish - 120 Wembley Park Drive, Wembley, HA9 8HP
• First Class Sports Bar - 125 Wembley Park Drive, HA9 8HG
• The Wembley Tavern - 121 Wembley Park Drive, HA9 8HG
• Cheers Bar - 45 Blackbird Hill, NW9 8RS

The Met Police say all pubs will have door staff on them which is either a condition of their licence or agreed on a voluntary basis. Entry will be gained by the production of a match ticket. There will be no police on any of the public houses checking who enters as this is a matter for the licensee rather a police function.

The above list relates to public houses in the immediate vicinity of the stadium. There are many other pubs that both sets of supporters can use within walking distance of the stadium or a short tube ride away. These pubs may or may not be segregated but this is entirely at the discretion of the licensee.

Other Venues nearby  - Horse and Barge - Denham

Our new venue the Horse and Barge is situated in Harefield/Denham (nr Uxbridge) which is a 35 minute drive to Stadium or quite conveniently a 10 minute train journey from Denham Station to Wembley Stadium Station which is the nearest train station to the stadium. Having been in the thick of busy match days, we understand how frustrating it can be getting quick service, having space to eat and drink and also travelling within the two mile radius of Wembley can be a nightmare with traffic, hence why our new venue will eliminate these issues.

Having run Wembley pubs for over 4 years we have the knowledge and capability of preparing our premises to make it ideal for your fans. Our venue is very well known for our events and events management so we are excited to be involved again in the Pre and Post Match experience.

• Half Acre Beer Garden
• BBQ Patio Area
• Large Outdoor Bar
• Outdoor Childrens Adventure Playground
• Prominent Canal Location
• Two Indoor Bars
• Covered Marquee and Veranda areas
• Live Music from our resident D.J.
• Full Menu Available (inc outdoor BBQ)
• Table Reservations Available
• Experienced, friendly staff with speed!

Most importantly we offer all Swans fans

• Free Parking with purchase of food or drink (free display ticket upon purchase) with pre-booking option also available
• Free Coach Parking with free teas and coffees for coach drivers (with fans using pub) with pre-booking option also available
• Discount Drinks at £3.00 a pint (cheapest you will find on a match day)

Please feel free to take a look at our website

www.thehorseandbargeharefield.co.uk

Wealdstone C.I.U Club

We are a very big club and are about 4 miles from Wembley Stadium. We are 500 yards from Harrow and Wealdstone station where you can pick up the Baker loo line into Wembley high street where you will then have a 3/5 minute walk to the stadium, or you have the choice of a 5 minute walk from our club to Harrow on the hill station where you can get the Metropolitan line and that will take you straight into the stadium itself.

We have parking (Free) for over 400 cars and coaches so it would cut out the cost of parking in Wembley which is not only costly but a nightmare finding somewhere to park. Any coach can drop you off an return to the club till after the game. We have had quite a number of supporters from different clubs over the last couple of years I.E Man United, Man City, and even your rivals Cardiff.

We also have had around 150/200 of Swansea supporters here a couple of years ago when you made the play off's. Swansea  will be more than welcome at our club again. So if this is something you may consider, we will be more than happy to obliged. The only thing we would need (As we are a private C.I.U club) is a list of all that are travelling, that way we can sign you in as a block booking instead of singly. So if you would like to come along please contact me at the details below

Edwkel1@hotmail.co.uk

Details on Parking near Wembley

We are a car park, located just opposite Wembley Stadium. We're considerably cheaper than the official car park and customers get a quicker exit. Please check out our website www.wembleywasp.com  - 07811184843
Email: Wembleywasp@gmail.com

Rhod Jenkins wins the Swans Books

Our Swans Books competition ended on Thursday evening and thanks to all those who entered.

We had nearly 100 entrants for the competition and some interesting answers to the question we posed which was

Who are the 2 Hungarian Players to have played for the Swans 1st team.

Everyone seemed ok with Tamas Priskin who joined us on loan from Ipswich in the year we got promoted to the Premier League but it was the 2nd player which gave people some trouble!

Zoltan Liptak was selected by many but Liptak never played for the 1st team. He only got 1 game for the reserves and never got offered a contract. A few people also suggested Shefki Kuqi but Shefki is Finnish and not Hungarian,

The other player was John Haasz who played for the club under Trevor Morris in the 1960's! I don't know much about John Haasz but would suggest to anyone that the best way to learn more about John is to buy Colin Jones excellent book which gives a history of every game between 1912 and 2012!

See this link for details on how to buy the book

15 people correctly answered both Tamas Priskin and John Haasz and from that list, Rhod Jenkins was drawn out as the winner! So, its congratulations to Rhod, the books will be on their way to you in the coming week!

We will be launching some other competitions in the coming days and so if you want to be kept up to date on latest competitions, sign up to recieve our e-Newsletter at the contact us section here.

It may be wet, it may be cold, but at least it's not Tuesday

Of late, in the last couple of years particularly, when football pundits consider whether a Continental Import to a Club is likely to do well or not in the Premier League, the yardstick question seems to have become....."Ah, but well, how would he/they get on on a wet Tuesday night at Stoke?".

This Saturday, when Swansea City play our fixture against SCFC (North), at least we get to do so on a weekend, taking out of the equation yet another "Football Cliche" (to go along with Second Season Syndrome) and you never know - Broadcast and Print analysts of the lazy order might have to do some genuine match analysis.

What is certain is that this, just like last year for us and many other Clubs, is a game against these opponents that is never, ever easy. Tony Pulis' marauding band will want to gain an away victory that consolidates their PL pedigree.

We, Swansea City, go into this game in the middle of a run of season-defining fixtures, and our 1-0 defeat at the Emirates in the FA Cup replay really shouldn't dismay us that much, given that it was our first loss in 7 games.

I don't know about you, but for me the way the team is playing keeps me bouncing from week to week, and hand on heart this year is equal to, if not better, than last year for excitement.

Anyway, let's get back to Saturday.

Most of us football fans will have heard the old saw that says ..."Messi wouldn't do it on a cold Tuesday in Stoke - would he??".

I have a suspicion that the answer, of course, is that he he could - undoubtedly - since his talent is that sublime, oh, and btw, he often plays in Northern Spain (in the snow and cold rain), and is equally as good as he is down South.

As far as we're concerned, hey - it's a cold day in January - it must be Stoke City. Here they come, again.

Just like a rash, or a bad cold you last had last winter, the PL's "bad news bears", who nobody likes to play, come down for their annual visit this weekend. Welcome, Stoke City Football Club (SCFC North as is) to the Liberty.

Please don't get me wrong.

Whilst there is still a dated opinion in Football generally that Stoke only play in an antediluvian "long ball" manner, things have changed over the last few years and continue to evolve, to this modern and progressive Club's ultimate benefit.

This is, after all, the Potters 5th year in the division, and they have improved their position year on year , and can nowadays be legitimately considered a "Premier League Club", having both consolidated their year on year position, and, arguably, developed both their style and substance of play by equally evolving the squad whilst maintaining their resilient style.

Coupled with that, this side were good enough to qualify for the Europa League last year, and their decent run in that competition saw them ultimately lose out to a side no less than Valencia - and I think we'd all like to be at that level.

This is our 4th meeting against SCFC North since our return to the top division. Each game has been hugely divisive, with successive 2-0 away defeats interspersed with a cracking 3-1 home victory, and we cognoscenti will lament the absence of Vorm via a virus contributing to our first year away defeat but we can offer no excuses for the mirror 2-0  reverse the second time around. Conversely, in the Home fixture we ripped them apart, with both DG and others exposing the weak heart at the base of their supposedly granite defence.

There seems to be a collective feeling in Football Punditry that Stoke City have got where they are, and remain there too, only because of their limited, one way of playing, ie long ball and bruising. I'm here to offer that it's a little more nuanced than that, and whilst it's stood them in good stead on occasion, the development beyond has been equally as crucial in their continued success.

How far back shall we go ? Well, it seems fair to take in their progress since being promoted to the PL in 2007/08 . In the seasons since then, Stoke have finished progressively higher, which, if it happens to your own Club (as it has to ours), doesn't seem to me to be a bad business model.

In terms of sustained achievement, that is some record.

From talking to confirmed Stokies on successive Away trips not every fan is enamored by the evolving style of play, with many lamenting that they sometimes wish they played a little more attractively (a bit more "like us" was often offered). Manager Tony Pulis has always had that massive get-out-of-jail free card of PL achievement and PL status to keep the natives in check - and why not - in this age of petro-dollar billionaires, Stoke City's family dynasty Coates model seems a little closer to us than the Etihad etc..

At the end of the day, the major criticism of Stoke City seems to me and many others to revolve around their style of play. I wouldn't argue that for the first years particularly of their PL tenure, much emphasis was given to their direct methods, persistently and aggressively "putting it in the mixer" on every opportunity, a style complemented by the astounding value of the now departed Rory Delap's bombing long throws, given occasional echo by the current Ryan Shotton (when selected).

Pulis has always seemed to select big and aggressive athletes in his teams, and the current model is not too far away from that blueprint.

For instance, the team selected for this week's cup-replay victory against Crystal Palace was........

29 Sorensen, 02 Cameron, 04 Huth, 17 Shawcross, 28 Wilkinson (Whelan - 37' ), 15 Nzonzi, 18 Whitehead, 21 Kightly (Jerome - 55' ), 26 Etherington, 19 Walters, 25 Crouch (Jones - 63' )
Substitutes
27 Nash, 20 Upson, 06 Whelan, 16 Adam, 09 Jones, 10 Owen, 33 Jerome

The immediately preceding League game, which had seen them lose the last undefeated Home record in all divisions against Chelsea (yes, I know) had seen this line up step up to the plate...........

01 Begovic, 02 Cameron, 04 Huth, 17 Shawcross, 28 Wilkinson, 06 Whelan, 15 Nzonzi, 16 Adam (Whitehead - 79' ), 26 Etherington (Kightly - 86' ), 09 Jones (Jerome - 78' ), 19 Walters
Substitutes
29 Sorensen, 20 Upson, 30 Shotton, 18 Whitehead, 21 Kightly, 25 Crouch, 33 Jerome

Comparison of both lines-up is quite interesting and will tell you several things. Firstly, manager Tony Pulis was loth to make too many changes to his first choice line up, and  it suggests he thinks that Stoke can both progress and thrive in the FA Cup, just as they've done in the last few years.

First choice keeper nowadays is Asmir Begovic, the Bosnian having supplanted the Danish International no 1 Thomas Sorensen, and Begovic 's stock is rising still, with rumours of even bigger beasts ( Man Utd and others) sniffing around.

Robert Huth and Ryan Shawcross are the first choice CB's , with the giant German Huth (ex Chelsea) nowadays supportive of club Captain Shawcross recently signed to a 5 year deal, and moving on from his controversial break of Aaron Ramsey's leg some 3 yrs back. Andy Wilkinson is a shaven headed bruiser who can play both left and right FB, and Geoff Cameron, the 6ft 3in RB came from the Houston Dynamo in the States, and the dynamic Yank international can play centrally and as a defensive MF'er.

The MF is anchored by the ebullient Steven N'Zonzi, signed from Blackburn Rovers, and the French U-21 cap has thus far resisted overtures from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to play for their national team, as his background gives him dual qualification.

The other premier MF'ers are Glen Whelan, the ROI international schemer, a sort of lesser paced JdG, and Charlie Adam, the one paced (but skillful) ex Livrpool and Blackpool schemer. Excellent alternate choices come from Dean Whitehead and Michael Kightly, who can both play wide or narrow, and Matthew Etherington, who gives a choice of top class left footed wingplay that Pulis often opts for.

Up front the one constant is Jonathan Walters. Signed from Ipswich, this is your quintessential run-all-day grafter, and the fact that he's started some 79 out of 83/4 games tells you he's the one either Peter Crouch or Kenwyne Jones (and occasionally Cameron Jerome - boo, hiss) get to partner. Crouchie's talents are well known, and I've been interested to see us reportedly bid (low) for Jones of late, although there's no doubt the Trinidadian offers more than just muscle. We'll see.

Further cover within the squad is provided by Carlo Nash, a vastly experienced GK'er, the aforementioned Ryan Shotton (long throw apprentice), Matthew Upson the ex England CB, and the seemingly perpetually broken Michael Owen, who, if he's on a pay-as-you-play deal must be pounds out of pocket - because he just doesn't (play, that is).  

Pulis has moulded, over the years, this, and other, collections of seemingly disparate individuals into a series of effective and successful teams, retaining, as I've said, their PL status for the last 5 years. Kudos to him.

Stoke City's fans are a passionate bunch, who make their Home, The Britannia Stadium, an intimidating and fearsome arena, but, as hinted before , I've travelled up the last 2 years and have been made very welcome, with a lot of serious football chat with a great number of their supporters. Just like us, unsurprisingly, they are real football people.

Welcome to the Liberty you Stokies!

As for our lot, what can I say apart from "bloody well done, please keep it up!" ML's squad rotation over this busy period has been excellent, and the team on the pitch has given us some fabulous experiences.

When you consider that our next fixture is the 2nd Leg COC semi final where we're 2-0 up from the first leg I really can't ask for much more than a steady-as-she-goes.

Doncha' just love being a Jack??

Onward, Swansea City.

Swansea City mourn midfielder Geoff Thomas, aged 64

Swansea City are mourning the death of former player Geoff Thomas at the age of 64.

The locally-bred midfielder scored 52 goals in 357 league appearances between 1965 and 1976.

He had captained Swansea Schoolboys en route to the Swans and also spent a brief loan spell at Manchester United.

Following the end of his career he played for Milford in the Welsh League, then North End in the Swansea Senior League.

Thomas took up cricket at Mumbles, where he was also groundsman.

Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins said: "It's always sad to lose a member of the Swans family especially when that person gave so much to the club as a player.

"Having played an incredible 357 league games for the club there's no doubt he was an influential member of the Swans over a number of years.

"He was a well known and loved member of the local community going on to play in the Swansea league when he hung up his boots at the Vetch.

"Our condolences go out to his family and friends."

Close friend John Blyth, of Mumbles Cricket Club, said: "He came to the club after hanging up his football boots and started off playing before taking up the groundsman duties.

"He was a club legend on and off the field, well liked by everybody.

"He will be sorely missed, he's irreplaceable."