Planet Swans ArchivesThe Swansea City and Wales midfielder started his first league game of the campaign at Coventry on Tuesday and remains in line to keep that place on Sunday against Cardiff.
Although Leon Britton is reported to be returning from injury for the game, Jordi Gomez sits out the game through his one match suspension and Ferrie Bodde is a season long suspension. All that means another chance for OTJ to prove himself in the Swans midfield – in the biggest atmosphere of all.
“For the Coventry game, we were without probably two of our most consistent performers in Ferrie and Leon,” he told the Western Mail
“They are two players that show what we are about as a team.
“But we have talked a lot about squad strength, whoever comes in – like myself at Coventry – has to show confidence and what we are all about.
“And hopefully just being out there and doing that this week has put myself in the frame for Cardiff.
“When you speak to the gaffer, you know he sees football as a game where you have to take the chances when they come. You have to have that confidence in yourself.
“And I think I can do that – this is the chance I’ve been waiting for to nail down a place in the side and it’s up to me to take it.
“You have got to adapt,” he said. “To be tactically aware is something you have to be with Roberto.
“If we didn’t have that then we wouldn’t be at the club.
It’s a big part of the way we play. Whether we play with two in the middle or three, the boys have shown they can deal with whichever way Roberto wants it to go.
“Look, we realise why the supporters are disappointed after Ferrie’s injury because he has shown what a good player he is, and Jordi is proving to be a big player for us because the quality in his play is immense and his goals top it off.
“With the way we play we do need goals to come from all positions and he has done his fair share of chipping in.
“But we had Tom Butler come off the bench on Tuesday night, while Shaun MacDonald was also on the bench, so we have options to come in and do a job.
“It is one of those games where after the game you look back and say you’ve played in a Swansea-Cardiff derby in the Championship,” he said.
“I’m not sure what to expect. Last time Cardiff came out of the traps really quickly and it looked like they would be in our faces all game.
“After 10 or 15 minutes we slowed the pace down. Whether Cardiff were too pumped up I don’t know, but we showed people what we are about.
“It is strange being so close together, but it will probably make Sunday an even bigger game knowing we could go above them.
“That is something the fans would really enjoy.”
