Planet Swans ArchivesThe dust has settled on last night-s 1-0 defeat at Mansfield with the predicted hysteria from some quarters, the constructive views of the fans that made the trip and even the one-eyed views of certain Mansfield supporters that will never forget a game that took place 18 months ago. But facing up to the reality where do we go from here?
Well, taking the positives to start with
- We remain 3rd place in the league
- We remain 5 points ahead of the chasing pack with none of the sides below able to close that gap from their games in hand
- We are the 2nd most in form side in the division over the last 10 games and 4th over the last eight. Add to that 4th over the last six and fifth over the last four.
- Only two sides have scored more goals than us in the division and no-one has conceded less goals than us
- Many managers have commented that we are amongst the best in the division
So taking all of that into account why was there hysteria last night that we lost to a side that are traditionally hard to beat at home and themselves only just outside the play-offs? Some of this will be down to the arrogance that some Swans fans have in that we are a big team and we deserve to beat everyone. Putting it simply, both of these factors are wrong. If we were a big club then we would not be playing in the league basement. We have the potential to be a big club yes but we most definitely are not a big club at this moment in time. Secondly, this is a closely contested division and has been for most of the season. And will remain so until May. We have put together some results that have given us the daylight that we have at this moment in time but that does not mean that sides like Mansfield will just roll over and let us beat them. We have to work and last night we just didn’t work hard enough to pick up the points that we so desperately wanted. I have even seen one comment today that we should now be nine points clear. Of what I am unsure but come on, get real, why should we be nine points clear? Is this the arrogance that I mentioned earlier in this paragraph?
Secondly, we had the comments of we need to spend. “We must have money in the bank so let’s spend it.” I totally agree we should spend it but I am sure that many people forget that if the bid for a player is £75,000, this is not the true cost to the club. Add signing on fees, expenses associated with the move and wages and you can take that figure and add another six digits to it over the course of 12 months. Exactly where are we supposed to get the money from to afford three or four of these signings? Then we get the ‘Thorpe isn’t the answer’ postings based on people seeing the guy now and again. Someone even posted that he wasn’t the answer on the basis he would get 15 goals a season at most. Of course that is a bad thing because we have so many players who get 15 goals by Christmas so why do we need a few more. With one possible exception none of Jackett’s signings have been bad so far so let’s trust his judgement on this one?
Then the criticism started being aimed at the chairman. Some of it from people who just sit back and wait for the chance to knock these people, others because the chairman has been in America. I fail to understand the former but I guess that’s personal and the latter I don’t see an issue with. If the chairman needed to sign contracts in blood there and then then maybe but in the days of phones, faxes, e-mails and pagers does it matter whether he is in America or Aberdeen?
Let’s not go into panic mode at one point out of six? It is frustrating yes but it’s not the end of the world as the points above have proved. We know the squad needs strengthening in certain places and it’s pretty evident to me that the manager realises that as well. However, it is also evident that the manager has a budget to work with and he is not prepared to waste that with inflated bids for players – just wants the players that he feels is right. It’s all well and good demanding “spend £200k for this player and that player” but try agreeing personal terms when you have used your budget in transfer fees? Or maybe the arrogance of the privilege to play for a massive club is enough of a carrot!!??!!
Of course Kenny could easily go out and get a few players here and there to appease those that say JFDI but those same people will then be moaning at the signing of ‘journeymen’ (what does that phrase mean?) rather than the top quality that we should be getting. Ever seen a no-win situation?
As I said at the outset we remain in 3rd place and I remain quietly optimistic that we will reach our holy grail at the end of the season and the manager has done a pretty decent job so far, so let’s continue to trust his judgement and wait to see what he delivers?
