New contributor, Mark Goddard, explores Swansea’s season, recent transfer window and the impact of the new arrivals, as well as how the Swansea Welsh players are going.
Swansea City are having a great season! Easing past table toppers Norwich in a 2-0 Friday night victory was just the latest hugely impressive performance that cements us as serious promotion runners. Consistency has been the key this season but the start of 2021 has seen the team step up a gear and with a very productive January transfer window, momentum is building.
New Energy in Midfield
Our best signing undoubtedly is Irish midfielder Connor Hourihane on loan from Villa for the rest of the season. He has raised standards immediately, scored 3 goals in 3 league appearances and has sparked our midfield into overdrive. And this resurgence of our midfield might prove to be the most crucial piece in our promotion puzzle. We have rightly received plaudits for our mean defence and our front two, Ayew and Lowe who have consistently put in MOM performances but since Hourihane’s arrival our midfield have scored 8 of our last 11 goals. I would wager our central 3 of Grimes/Fulton/ Hourihane is the best midfield trio in the division. This midfield goal scoring activity has also eased the pressure on the front two and allowed the wingbacks more freedom to go forward. If we can keep our midfield trio performing at this level for the remainder of the season I have very high hopes.
The Welsh Swans
There is good news for Wales fans from this Swans team. Connor Roberts is having his best season in a Swans shirt and the 3-5-2 formation we are playing is allowing him to show us what a good wing back he is. The fittest man at the Liberty. Add Ben Cabango who has also hugely benefited from the back 3 formation. He, Marc Guehi (Chelsea loanee soon to be superstar Premier league defender) and old head Ryan Bennet have helped make Swansea the best defence in the league.
Two youngsters for Wales fans to look out for are striker Liam Cullen and midfielder Oli Cooper who between them scored 3 goals v Forest in a recent FA cup tie. Cullen is a feisty striker with good pace and has shown some neat finishing. Sadly he picked up a season ending injury in the Forest game, hugely disappointing for him as his form was coming good. Cooper we have only briefly seen but against Forest I liked his ability to run at defenders from far out. So, both bright prospects brought up playing the Swansea way.
Transatlantic Swans
The window has also brought in two USA stars, striker Jordan Morris from Seattle Sounders and right sided wing back/midfielder Paul Arriola from DC United. Both have been very well received by the Jack Army and it is nice to have a positive transatlantic story given the ongoing fan turmoil with the USA club ownership. We have only seen a few minutes from Morris but already he looks sharp and very quick up front and will cause tiring legs lots of problems late in games. I am particularly keen to see Arriola in action and believe he, like Hourihane, can only help raise standards. He will also allow Connor Roberts a much needed rest at some point during the season. Last mention to our gaffer, Welshman Steve Cooper. He is still only in his 2nd year of senior management but has grown into the role so well and so quickly. I have been hugely impressed with his management this season, his timing of substitutions and his use of the 3-5-2 system that is allowing us to play the type of football our fans love and expect. Long may it continue. Exciting times ahead!
Image via CC license: Author Christopher Elkins from Bristol, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.