Phil Sumbler
The Swans look to build on that all important first league win of the season this afternoon when they arrive at the Den to take on a Millwall side who are very much looking up the league table at those teams above them.
It’s a different story for the Swans who look nervously over their shoulder ahead of a very tough looking week for Michael Duff’s side who follow this afternoon up with a home game against Norwich on Wednesday and a trip to the South West with Plymouth next weekend.
As Duff himself said in the week there are no easy games in the Championship and this week proves that to be very much the case especially when those three games precede an international break where many said was the precise moment to judge Duff and his progression (or lack of if it proves to be) as Swansea City manager.
Sheffield Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat at home to Sunderland yesterday evening kept them rooted to the bottom of the table and the only winless club in the division but but the Swans are very much not out of the woods because of a win over that Wednesday side who, let[s face it, look woeful.
Duff has had to deal with three long term injuries this week with Joe Allen and Nathan Wood both out until the New Year whilst Josh Ginnelly has had a season ending injury which he incurred during last week’s win.
Wood’s absence will likely see us go with a back pairing of probably Ben Cabango and Josh Tymon although both Harry Darling and Kristian Pedersen are option within that position. Should he move with Pedersen then Bashir Humphreys will be a likely beneficiary at left back. There is always the chance he could revert to a three at the back position which will certainly then be Pedersen and one of Tymon and Darling.
The bigger question is what he will do up front to replace Ginnelly but his clues I think were in his questions to the press that suggested he will turn to Jamal Lowe to do the work there so we could easily see Lowe and Paterson providing the width to a forward lie that I think will include Jerry Yates back in the starting line up and Liam Cullen.
Predicted line up: Rushworth, Key, Pedersen, Cabango, Humphreys, Lowe, Grimes, Fulton, Paterson, Cul”len, Lowe.
Looking Ahead: Harry Darling “Every Championship match is tough, but we’ll go there with a game plan and hopefully put in a performance.
“It’s been a tough start, we haven’t got the results we wanted.
“Every week we’re building a style of play, and hopefully everyone can see that. We all have responsibilities on the ball, it’s just about building relationships in the team.
“In training, we can see that it’s getting better and better.”
Millwall team news: from the official Millwall site “Matija Sarkic, Shaun Hutchinson, Murray Wallace and Tom Bradshaw will all sit out the visit of The Swans, with the fitness of George Honeyman and Kevin Nisbet will be assessed before kick-off, with both nearing returns. Duncan Watmore started up front at The Hawthorns and could keep his place, whilst there are further options across the XI for Gary Rowett, with the likes of Wes Harding, George Saville, Billy Mitchell, Romain Esse and Aidomo Emakhu vying for starting berths.”
The game at the Den kicks off at 3pm
