Planet Swans ArchivesFulham are one of just five teams below the Swans in the league table and a victory for the away side tomorrow would see them leapfrog their hosts in the table and pile more pressure on Swans boss Michael Laudrup who has seen his side slip down the table in recent weeks.
It is almost two months since the Swans last recorded a league win – a 3-0 triumph over Newcastle at the Liberty – and since that time they have fallen from what looked a comfortable mid table position to one just three points off the relegation places in the division.
What does need to be considered at that point though is that in the last six games they have faced five of the current top seven in the Premier League which puts the run a little into perspective and that many of their seemingly harder games in the division are now behind them for this season.
The next six games were always going to be a bigger test with four of the five clubs below them coming up in the next few weeks with games against Fulham, West Ham, Cardiff and Crystal Palace all coming up – three of which will be at the Liberty Stadium. Wins in those four games and the Swans will be within touching distance of safety – defeats in them and their Premier League place will be under some very serious threat such is the tightness at the bottom end of the table currently.
The importance of the games is not lost on under pressure boss Laudrup who said รขโฌลThe next four games are crucial, starting against Fulham
รขโฌลWe are coming up against direct opponents in the table and throw in the games against Liverpool and Crystal Palace and it is a very important period.
รขโฌลBut we have to go into each game as if they are a final. I hope our wins in the cup, against both Manchester United and Birmingham, can also give us something.”
In the middle of this crucial run of games the Swans also have the distraction of cup ties against Everton and Napoli meaning that there are nine games between now and March 1st which will stretch the squad to the limit hence the addition today of David N’gog and also the advanced talks with Tom Ince that we are holding.
Fulham triumphed at the Liberty last season on the final day but of the other four league encounters to date the Swans have won them all which could and should give us the upper hand tomorrow night.
From our point of view as fans it is time to get behind the team throughout the ninety minutes and become the twelfth man as we look to push on in the league.
We always said this would be crucial point in the season as we were on the difficult run around Christmas now it is time to prove that we are not a bad team just a side who has had a very difficult run of fixtures.
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