Fun in the sun, but no beach boys after fine Liberty fightback
five things we learned from the Swans’ season finale
SWANSEA City ended their Premier League campaign with a 2-1 victory over West Brom at the Liberty Stadium.
Paul Clement’s men climbed to 15th in the final table thanks to goals from Jordan Ayew and Fernando Llorente.
Here, as the Swans faithful marked top-flight survival, we take a look at the things we learned as they finished off the season in style. Swansea not on the beach, and they showed it. The majority of Paul Clement’s squad spent the early part of the week in Ibiza as they celebrated Premier League survival, he promised they would not be on the beach here, and he meant it.
There was a lack of crispness and tempo in much of the passing against a well-organised Baggies rearguard, and too often Swansea failed to make the most of encouraging positions.
But the energy levels and commitment could not be questioned, they kept coming and kept coming even when it looked as though it may not be their day, and they got their reward. Swans fans soak up sun and party atmosphere It was a glorious sunny day at the Liberty Stadium for the visit of West Brom, and the fans and players duly responded.
And given the fact the work was already done, the home fans were enjoying themselves in the sunshine through the course of their clash with the Baggies.
It wasn’t plain sailing against a very solid West Brom side, just what you’d expect from a team managed by Tony Pulis.
But, thankfully, the Swansea faithful were able to enjoy themselves on the final day, knowing that whatever the result, their Premier League safety had already been secured, and they even had a win to mark the occasion with. Hopefully not the last time we will see Gylfi at the Liberty Let’s hope it’s not Gylfi’s last appearance at the Liberty. The Iceman cleaned up at the club’s awards night at the Liberty Stadium a few days before the clash with West Brom, but it’s safe to say on the pitch he is irreplaceable for the Swans.
The midfielder was greeted with a huge roar from the home fans when he took his first corner of the match, and although it wasn’t the most memorable of afternoons for the midfielder, the work had already been done, largely down to his efforts.
It’s imperative that Paul Clement does everything he can to keep hold of his most-prized asset amid interest from the likes of Everton and West Ham. Here’s hoping that wasn’t a farewell appearance from the talisman. A win, but also a reminder that warning signs must be heeded On a day when the Jack Army celebrated survival and having a seventh-straight season of Premier League football to look forward to, there were reminders that a vital summer lies ahead.
Paul Clement has already spoken of the need for Swansea to avoid being cast in the role of perennial strugglers, and that means resources must be made available for him to strengthen his squad in key areas this summer. Swansea have done superbly over the second half of the season, but that should not gloss over a disappointing season on the whole.
There remain issues to address and standing still will not be an option, regardless of whether you deem a mass overhaul necessary or not. A point that will not have been lost on Clement, Huw Jenkins, Steve Kaplan or Jason Levien as they watched on. Kristoffer Nordfeldt has had to wait patiently for what little Premier League action he has had since joining Swansea. This was just the second top-flight appearance for the Sweden international, coming exactly a year after his last against Manchester City.
He was largely solid, made several good saves and a couple of authoritative claims, but he will not want to look back on Jonny Evans’ opener any time soon.
Nordfeldt neither stayed on his line, nor came to claim the corner, meaning he was in no-man’s land as the former Manchester United man nodded beyond him. The goalkeeper was right to question the marking, but his positioning made the finish far too easy.