Wednesday 3 October 2012

6 Week Team Analysis - Swansea

This is going to be my last team review until next week, more important things on the horizon, like GW7!  I'm going to look at Swansea City who have undergone quite a style change under Michael Laudrup.

TEAM FORM


ATTACK
There has been a clear improvement in Swansea's attacking play returning 7 goals compared to just 2 in the same fixtures in 2011/12.  Five of these though were against QPR, which came from just 6 SoT so let's not get too carried away just yet...  not until we look at the total shots on target this season compared to last, 24 to 13, almost twice as many.  The Swan's shot accuracy has been superb so far this season.  Even in games where they haven't scored they've created more than enough chances to do so, with the possible exception of the Stoke game.  They have improved as an attacking outfit this term and whilst there was a lot of clamour preseason to get a piece of Swansea's early fixture list, games against the likes of Sunderland, Everton and Stoke aren't a great source of goals for anyone.

DEFENCE
Whilst it's clear Laudrup has his team playing a more attacking style of football it's apparent also that their defensive standards have dropped from last season with teams getting more chances against them and scoring more easily.  Whilst conceding 10 SOT and 3 goals against a rampant Everton isn't too embarrassing conceding 7 and 5 SOT (for 4 goals) against Villa and Stoke is a little.

Player Form
 
Are we all still in love with Michu?  I think we should be, but don't save your last Rolo for him.  He's not become a bad player over night and is still Swansea's best source of FPL points and has not yet had a bad game from the stats point of view (no yellow!).  I think Danny Graham can be avoided, just 4 SoT from these 6 fixtures is a poor share for a player occupying the striker spot.  He's scored 1 goal in 6 and that's probably what he's good for.  Elsewhere Nathan Dyer is still a cut-price option and fair punt.  Routledge looks to be on his way out though with Hernandez and Ki moving into the lineup. 

Conclusions
Swansea have had a role reversal from last season.  Their form up-front is up there in the second tier of attacking potential alongside the likes of Fulham and Southampton whilst in defence they are doing about as bad as anyone right now in conceding real goalscoring chances.  Michu is still the no.1 and perhaps only FPL target in this team, with Nathan Dyer just hanging on in there due to an (almost) budget price tag. 

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