Spirited Swans can be in mix
LIONS WIN SHOWS THEY HAVE HEART
IWITH the international break affording Championship teams a break, I have had a look back on all the action I have seen so far this season and, amongst all the noise, one performance stands out loud and clear.
Swansea produced not only one of the performances of the week but, quite possibly, their 2-1 victory at Millwall last Saturday will go down as one of the best of the season.
Heading to the Lions’ Den is a tough task with 11 players. However to be down to ten men after just five minutes, it appeared as if the Swans were set for a mauling, especially when you consider Millwall had lost just once in 17 league games at home.
However, Graham Potter’s men dug in to stay in the game until half-time and they also had to contend with best player and captain Leroy Fer limping off through injury.
If you had expected the Swans to be all at sea you would have been wrong as Potter shuffled his side around to try and frustrate the hosts.
He changed from his starting formation of 4-3-3 to a 4-4-1 with the Swans players tasked with soaking up the pressure whilst still offering a threat with the pace that his side possess through the likes of the lively Daniel James and Bersant Celina.
James was crucial in the Swansea Under-21 side as they won the Premier League 2 title last season, whilst Celina, 21, decided to leave Manchester City after a six-year spell which included a productive spell on loan at Ipswich last season where he scored eight goals in a struggling side.
Others such as Oli McBurnie and Matt Grimes have had to wait for their chance to play regular football, with both spending time out on loan in the Football League as Swansea competed in the top-flight.
They appear ready for their chance now and with the electric Celina, Potter’s men have craft to cut through most sides.
Their seventh spot in the league is no fluke and their results prior to this game would back that up.
Electric
An opening day away win over Sheffield United was backed up with a 1-0 home victory over Preston and the three points against Millwall have seen Swansea take seven from a possible nine on the road.
Despite going 1-0 down, Swansea never lost their belief in how to play the Potter way, and always carried that threat on the break although they had to ride their luck at times.
Millwall’s Steve Morison was unplayable at times and Swansea youngster Joe Rodon will be better for the experience of trying to stop a league best at winning aerial battles.
Due to the Lions’ profligacy, at 1-0 the game was always in the balance.
It was Swansea’s substitutes who made the difference, with Jefferson Montero assisting fellow sub Kyle Naughton and then the outstanding McBurnie for the winner, which shows the strength in depth they have.
Despite this result, the fans would love chairman Huw Jenkins to splash the cash from the sales of the likes of Alfie Mawson and Sam Clucas.
I get the impression, though, that Jenkins feels Potter might be able to skilfully mould this youthful side into genuine promotion contenders.
If Potter can oversee a Swansea surge towards the top of the league in the run-up to the January window, I feel Jenkins may then entrust his manager with a better budget which would give them a chance amongst the big spenders.