Planet Swans ArchivesDespite many reports to the contrary the demise of Swansea City in the Premier League is not just around the corner.
For some yesterday a home draw with Reading was close to meltdown moment. A game that we should have won but didn’t saw us fight back from two goals down (to the only two shots the visitors managed in the first 45 minutes) to gain a draw that – had it not been for a strong goalkeeping display – would have been another 4 or 5 star display from the Swans.
Having a read though of some of the comments on the forum last night you would swear that we had just seen a display akin to a 4-0 home defeat to Kidderminster or a 7-1 defeat to Hartlepool with Alan Tate ending the game in goal.
Of course for some it was not helped that it came off the back of three straight Premier League defeats – a home defeat to Everton came in between road defeats to Aston Villa and Stoke which had dropped the Swans to the ‘worrying’ heights of just 11th in the Premier League.
Contrary to belief yesterday there was plenty to be positive about. The performance of Ki Sung Yeung was one of man of the match proportions and signs that we have finally found a midfield playmaker to replace the much missed Ferrie Bodde. Put him in alongside Leon and Michu and you have a midfield trio that more than matched the one we ended last season with.
The second half performance of Luke Moore was brilliant. Danny Graham is out of sorts at the moment (but we know he will come good, form is temporary and all that) and Luke did enough yesterday to warrant a start against Wigan in a fortnight. He added a dimension to the team that Reading struggled to cope with and they spent most of the second half on the back foot as the Swans pushed forward.
We created chances aplenty and missed more than we would like to with the goalkeeper pushing at least two shots onto the post in a second half that was as one way as you could probably get.
In terms of looking at last season the doom merchants will tell you it’s all bad news this time around as we are yet to play any of the big sides but the logic says that doesnt really matter. We are pretty much in the same position as we were last season had we played the same sides . Only realy difference is this season is we won at QPR putting us ahead of last season but lost at Villa which cancelled that out.
At this point of the season we should not even consider reaching for the panic button as the side (squad) is more than good enough to stay in this division especially when you look at some of the form of the sides at the bottom – QPR, Norwich, Southampton and Reading to name but four. Are we better than them? Absolutely on the evidence of the first 7 games this season we are. And by some distance.
Michael said it at the start of the season that there would be good days and periods where things didn’t go so well but through those we need the faith and keep a reality that anything 17th place or above again this season is the first goal that we should have set ourselves.
So to those reaching for the red button pictured at the top of the article, put your hands back in your pocket and leave them there and take the knowledge that we are bang on track to retain our Premier League status and let’s not throw in the ‘ah well if we can’t beat the likes of Reading…’ comments.
Onwards.
