Rob Davies
Football fully returns for the Championship today after the four week break for the World Cup and the Swans host promotion chasing Norwich City.
The break seems to have flown by largely due to the great entertainment we’ve witnessed out in Qatar and the early exit of Wales meant that the three Swans stars who travelled with Rob Page’s team have been back in Fairwood for some time.
Olivier Ntcham’s Cameroon were knocked out a few days later despite beating Brazil in the final group game – the former Celtic man playing a key part in the winning goal – so Russell Martin should have a largely available squad to pick from.
Indeed the month break may have done the team the power of good with Swansea’s form going into the World Cup a little more than disappointing.
One loss and four draws were all Martin had to show from the final five games before the break after such a good run of form had seen the club propelled into the play off positions, only a few points off the automatic slots.
But the restart offers an opportunity for all teams to start again, almost like a new season, with the Swans well positioned in 8th and tied on points with 6th placed QPR. The R’s of course who will no doubt be reeling from the departure of Michael Beale after he declared his loyalty to the club by rejecting Wolves just a few weeks ago.
Team News
The Swans took a trip to Edinburgh during the break in which they beat Dundee United 2-0, allowing vital minutes to a number of fringe players within the first team squad.
I would suggest it’s unlikely that we will see the emergence of any of those players today with the only injury doubts being Harry Darling and Michael Obafemi. Liam Walsh is out until late January.
Ntcham is likely to be amongst the subs as he was the last of the World Cup party to return whilst Joe Allen may make his first appearance for the club since limping off against Hull City in September.
It’s hard to see there being many more changes to the team which drew at Huddersfield four weeks ago although Jamie Paterson scoring at Dundee United may see him make a claim for a starting berth.
Predicted line up
Benda
Cabango – Naughton – Wood
Sorinola – Fulton – Grimes – Manning
Cundle – Piroe – Cooper
Views of the Managers
Russell Martin
On Norwich: “I have never played against them since,”
“I went there in pre-season as a manager when we were at MK [Dons], but that’s very different.
“I don’t know [how it will feel] until we do it. It will be really nice to see a lot of people I know and had some brilliant times with. But I really want to win the game. That’s the be all and end all”
Dean Smith
“We’ve had a chat with the players, we have shown them some things that we think we can do better and what we believe are non negotiables as well.
“They have to be good team mates on the pitch, and the players are fully on board with that as well.
“I was angry (after the Boro defeat) because it was a game that we didn’t deserve to lose. And I don’t like losing games that we don’t deserve to. We gave a poor goal away at the end and I felt we dropped off the pace of it, in terms of winning the ball back.”
Prediction
Swansea City 1-1 Norwich City
