Facing Potter and clash against Villa
young Swansea squad who are largely flying under the radar at the moment.
CAN MCBURNIE BOUNCE BACK AFTER A TOUGH WEEK?
It is a tough time to be associated with the Scotland national team. They have not been to a major finals in 20 years and counting, and Alex McLeish - far from a universally popular appointment – is the latest man tasked with trying to revive fortunes.
Any such process is not going to be without its setbacks and he has turned to a number of younger players including Swans striker Oli McBurnie.
He may speak with a Yorkshire accent, but anyone who has had the chance to chat with the forward will be fully aware of just what it means to him to pull on a Scotland jersey.
So it was not difficult to feel sympathy for the 22-year-old when – on the back of a defeat to Portugal where there were few stand-out performers – he came in for particularly scathing criticism on social media.
He is a young man still adjusting to the senior international game, and has just six caps to his name. To single him out felt unnecessary and self-defeating.
One thing is for sure, this weekend McBurnie will be back in the colours of a team who fully appreciate him and fans who have taken him to their hearts.
CAN POSSESSION PROGRESS CONTINUE?
They may not have got the rewards they would have liked, but there’s no doubting Swansea have taken a step forward in performances in recent weeks. That has been evident in the manner in which they have been able to control games through possession, a trait that used to be so common for Swans sides until the struggles of recent years.
Having started the season still developing that side of their game, the figures from the last four fixtures tell you everything.
Potter’s team had a 58% share of the ball at Middlesbrough, 64 at home to QPR, 60 at Wigan and a colossal 73 against Ipswich.
Clearly possession isn’t everything – Swansea only emerged victorious in one of those four games – but it speaks of the growing confidence and fluidity with which they are performing and it’s been heartening to see the likes of Tom Carroll relishing the manner in which they are being asked to play.
If they can show similar poise and purpose at Villa Park – arguably as hostile and challenging a ground as there is to visit in the division – it will only highlight a team who currently look to be headed in the right direction.