Rob Davies
Swansea City return to League action tomorrow after a slightly shorter off season break with a trip to newly promoted Rotherham United – what does this season have in store for Russell Martin and his team?
The Swans finished in lower mid table last campaign but expectations will be significantly higher this term even if the Swans boss himself has ruled out setting targets.
The summer has seen just one of his star players leave with Joel Piroe and Michael Obafemi still at the club (for now at least) and Martin still wants to add further players before the end of the transfer window.
Last season’s opening game saw a 2-1 loss at Blackburn Rovers just a matter of days after Martin left MK Dons to take up the hot seat in SA1.
But after a much talked about full pre season it should see the Swans in a much better place to start well even if the squad is still painfully short in one or two positions.
Predicted line -up:
Fisher
Wood – Naughton – Darling
Latibeaudiere – Fulton – Grimes – Sorinola
Piroe – Obafemi – Paterson
That is the team Martin has seemed to prefer in pre season and one would imagine that once Joe Allen and Ben Cabango are fit they would swap with Jay Fulton and Nathan Wood.
The same would be said for a right wing back with Latibeaudiere struggling on that side in the games against Charlton and Plymouth, no doubt Rotherham will have seen this and target his lack of pace.
Perhaps they’ll utilise Swans target Chiedozie Ogbene on the left side?
The Opposition
As for Rotherham they yesterday recruited former Cardiff City defender Lee Peltier to make it eight new additions this summer – they’ve particularly strengthened their defence with no fewer than six signings at the back.
Their pre season form has been mixed although it’s fair to say it never gives a true indication of what is to come when the season really kicks off.
The Rotherham camp is struggling with a few injuries with Paul Warne admitting there are some players who should have made the team but have been unable to prove their fitness – this is how they are predicted to line-up.
Johansson
Hall – Wood – Humphreys
Bramall – Rathbone – Barlaser – Wiles – Ogbene
Washington – Eaves
It is a side that will undoubtedly be tough to beat but at a ground where the Swans enjoyed a 3-1 win the last time they played there under Steve Cooper thanks to goals from midfield trio Matt Grimes, Conor Hourihane and Jay Fulton.
The pre-match comments
Russell Martin: “We are much better prepared.
“We have a core group of players who have lived it for a year. We have added some players who know what we expect. We are in a better place than we were last year for what we want to do.
“We are probably a couple of positions and key roles away from being really happy with the squad.
“We really believe in the group. We have a core young group of men who have so much potential. It’s our job to try to maximise that.
“If they are able to ride the tough moments, if they are able to overcome the challenges, then who knows where it will take us.
“We have a group of supporters who feel really connected to the team again I think. I think that connection will go a long way to helping us this season finishing hopefully a lot higher than we did last season.
“They (the owners want) what’s the best for the football club.
“Ambition can be really dangerous. You see some of the clubs who have been ambitious – that means spending money – and things have turned toxic and dangerous for the football pretty quickly.
“Their ambition is to have a club that is run in a more sustainable way.
“They want to be back in the Premier League at some point in the future but they also understand that the club is in a different position to what it was two years ago and three years ago, so we are going to have to do it in a different way.
“We are sitting here with probably 12, 13, 14 teams who genuinely think they have a chance of being in and around the play-offs at least. We will see.”
Paul Warne: “It has come around really quick, hasn’t it? I don’t feel as prepared as we have in previous seasons. We’ve had a few injuries during pre-season and we’d still like to get a couple more in.
“We got into the season full of optimism. The lads have been buzzing this week and we’ve trained really well, we’re in a good place.
“I hope the fans turn up in full voice, it is the first time we’ve played in front of them since Gillingham away. I’m looking forward to the fixture.
On the Swans: “They’ve had a good pre-season and played a lot of League One teams. They haven’t lost and won a couple too.
“They’re a really progressive passing team and they want to play out from the back, or they have, they might go completely opposite against us. They have in pre-season.
“I think they are ‘getting’ their DNA. I think they’ll have a really good season and they have a some real goal threats in their team, pace and they play with a real courage.
“It will be a very tough game – as they all will be – for us to come out with anything.
Planet Swans prediction:
Rotherham United 1-2 Swansea City
