Phil SumblerIt may only have been a performance that shone a bright light in a sea of dismay on Tuesday night but Ethan Laird’s run out against Stoke gives us hope and confidence for the future that there are better performances around the corner.
It would be too easy to have left the stadium on Tuesday night fearing for a relegation battle after we were swept aside by a Stoke side with relative ease and certainly a case where the 3-1 scoreline flattered us more than it flattered them.
But we did have a bright spark of hope (possibly two if you want to include Joel Piroe again) that we could have some of the players who can add great value to our play.
When the board went up to replace Latibeaudiere with Laird it signalled a change in the effectiveness of a right full back and almost certainly will earn the on loan player a start at Ashton Gate this evening.
Immediately the Swans had an outlet with pace and ability to worry a Stoke defence that frankly to that point had not really been troubled by a pass and move game for the Swans that forgot half of that simplistic tactic – the move part.
Laird does not look short of the ability to want to take on his man and also deliver on that desire.ย ย Pace he has and there was more than one occasion where it certainly gave the Stoke defender something to think about.ย ย Start doing that in the earlier stages of games and before we have a three goal deficit and early yellow cards could be a regular occurrence again against the Swans which opens up a licence to attack.
Laird had a busy introduction, making 36 touches in 32 minutes, in comparison to Latibeaudiere who made 24 touches in 57 minutes which adds to the fact that he can bring more to the table then we have seen so far this season.
Laird is clearly someone highly rated at Old Trafford and his move to Swansea will be watched keenly from those in the North West responsible for keeping an eye on their loan players.
Given the early performance he is likely to have plenty of game time ahead of him especially as Russell Martin works and tweaks to find his best team and slots the players he wants into the positions he wants them to play them.
With 11 days of the transfer window left there will be more arrivals at Swansea – and no doubt some departures too – and the judgement of the success of the window will be made from September onwards but if we can find more like Laird then the signs will be good.
