PUNDIT’S PRAISE FOR MANAGER CARVALHAL
THE day Carlos Carvalhal was appointed, Swansea City were rock bottom of the Premier League table and five points adrift of safety.
Fast forward and, after taking 14 points from seven games, they find themselves a point clear of the relegation trap door.
The turnaround has been as dramatic as it had been unexpected and, although there is still a long way to go, Swansea are in a better position than they had any right to expect to be, given how the first half of the season unfolded.
Carvalhal and his players have rightly been praised for the improvement in results, with the latest positive comments coming from Jamie Carragher praising the tactical discipline being shown under his guidance, while adding an increased goal threat.
Here is what Carragher had to say about the Swans revival under Carvalhal on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football... The stats “He has lifted them, I think he has lifted the Premier League with some of his quotes,” said Carragher.
“If you look at the improvement, the win percentage has gone up because they are winning games, the same goes for points, but how have they done it? The shape “With this three at the back you have two sitting midfielders in Ki and Carroll, so the team is almost split in half. Five behind the ball and five at the other end, so you have got that security.
“Then you have got our wing-backs high and wide, and a front three really with Sam Clucas, more of a midfield player. (Nathan) Dyer and (Jordan) Ayew.
“That’s with the ball and that gives them a chance going forward. You get more bodies forward.
“On the transition, without the ball, you have got your back three, the wing-backs are coming back and the midfield two. But what you have is the two attacking players getting back, so what you have with the system is it goes from a 3-4-3 with the ball, to a 5-4-1 without the ball.
“That is one of the reasons why they are a lot better defensively. Transition “So, in that transition you have those players getting back behind the ball. It is difficult to break down and it is difficult to score against.
“Then, they win the ball back and they are now on the attack. If we look at the goal (against Burnley) we can see how it highlights that.
“Abraham has the ball after coming on, the manager having brilliantly said he has “put all the meat on the barbecue”, he put more offensive players, more attacking players on. Organisation “Clucas went to left wing-back and they brought (Martin) Olsson off, but he still kept his back three, he kept the organisation.
“He went more positive, but he did not do so stupidly. You have (Tom) Carroll and Ki (Sung-yueng) behind the ball, who were – pardon the pun – key to this win, not so much the changes that came on.
“So late in the game, the ball is in the corner, Abraham tries to win a corner and the ball comes out. Who picks it up? Tom Carroll.
“You can sustain the attack, you might not score of the first one but the two midfield players are there.
“It’s a great touch from Carroll but, because of the position he has taken up, he can keep the attack going and Burnley cannot clear the ball.
“Then, the man we have mentioned, Ki has not got himself ahead of the ball, he is behind it. He is there on the edge of the box again to do what won them the game. It’s a great strike, 1-0. Focus on the pitch “So, yes, we can love the manager for his enthusiasm, he has lifted the dressing room, but let’s not get carried away with what he is saying in the press.
“It’s great for us and I am sure it makes the dressing room laugh but, more importantly, it’s what he is doing on the pitch not what he is doing in the press conference.”