Phil Sumbler
The Swans entertain Norwich City at the Swansea.com stadium as they return to league action after the month’s break for the World Cup in Qatar and have all four of their World Cup players back in the squad as Russell Martin looks to return with a win.
It seems an absolute age since the Swans were last in league action when they drew with Huddersfield but a short break, some work on the training pitch and two friendly wins in Scotland have left confidence high and belief there that Russell Martin can secure a win over his former side.
And it feels that at the end of a year which has had many problems for one player it is time for him to return and show what he was so capable of at the end of last year. Step forward Jamie Paterson.
Paterson’s form at the start of last season was nothing short of superb and the understanding that he built quickly with Joel Piroe was there for everyone to see with the two linking up and both scoring goals for fun.
Goals have dried up for Piroe this season and Paterson’s year has been hampered heavily by transfer speculation at the start, a period of injury and some enforced absence from the squad for other reasons. All things now that sit in the past and this feels – and needs to be – Jamie’s time to step back into the team and show us what he is vary capable of doing.
Speaking back in the summer Paterson hoped to be back to where he was last season. “There were moments last season when I felt sharp and fit,” he told Wales Online after one pre-season friendly with Charlton.
“I had some good games but, for me, I want to do that even more consistently over a whole season. Hopefully I can improve, get some better stats, more goals, more assists and more wins. That’s the aim really.”
Paterson was clear at the time what the goals were for the side this season “To try and get promotion,” was his prediction then and with the Swans currently just one point off the play-off that dream remains very much alive.
“We just need to find a consistency throughout the season which we probably didn’t have last season for various reasons. I think this year we’re stronger and I think we’ve got a chance if we stick to our game, which we will, so you never know.”
Paterson’s link with Piroe last season was exceptionally creative before the transfer speculation started ahead of the January window last time around and there was more than one occasion where it looked as if he had made his last appearance for the club.
It should though never be forgotten the reasons why Paterson is here in the first place – as Russell Martin said shortly after his arrival “It was very simple for us knowing he was available and, once we rang him to ask if he would like to come and play here and told him what we were trying to do, he jumped at the chance.”
Paterson is a Martin player and one who can add great value to the Swans squad and style of play when he finds his A game. And each of us will hope that the A game is there now after a break, fresh training and a decent Scottish tour of his own.
This is the time. Time for Jamie to show us what we have been missing.
