It’s a long break again for the swans until they meet Reading on Tuesday 27th December at the Select Car Leasing Stadium (5.15pm) kick off. Once again a huge Swansea City support will take to the motorways from all directions to cheer on Russell Martin’s side.

We all know that Swansea followers have the furthest to travel in the championship so when we hear of a huge 4,000 away support between Blackburn and Preston as an example (distance twenty seven miles) and much eulogising over the Preston commitment you do have to smile.

However, as we reach what should be the most peaceful time of the year Russell Martin seems to have got himself in a bit of a rut. Five draws from seven games and the other two lost hasn’t pleased a number of swans fans, and there seems to be more of a split at least on the numerous Swansea forums in the faith some still have in Russell Martin.

With eight wins, eight draws and seven losses it is classic mid table form for the swans. The goals scored is two less than the goals conceded and no matter which way you dress it up it’s not what many expected. The swans are in tenth position in the championship with the worst goal difference in the top ten, bar Reading on minus seven you have to look at seventeenth and Stoke City to see a worse goal difference. In fact Bristol City in eighteenth have a better rating by one goal than Swansea.

The indicators are certainly the lack of concentration from the players, seemingly unable to dig themselves out of those on field trances that often lead to the opposition scoring early or late goals. We saw that at Coventry on Saturday with two fairly early second half strikes, and again the week before when Norwich went ahead after a minute in their win at the swansea.com. We’ve seen very similar patterns of performance in earlier games this season as well. Conceding after scoring or letting leads slip when really it should be all wrapped up.

It is exactly half way through the season, the away games at West Bromwich Albion and Watford were credible wins, but before that we witnessed two disastrous performances in the 3-0 home loss to Blackburn and then yet another defeat against Luton. All within a few weeks. Leading up to the Cardiff win at home we saw the swans beat Reading 3-2 and Sunderland 2-1, both games which were so fraught with tension many thought the swans would again throw it all away.

The question needs to be asked now after sixty nine league games in charge of the swans, and that question is ‘Can Russell Martin really get this right’ ? After all these league games we still see a minus goal difference and quite a similar form guide. Russell Martin has a thirty six percent win rate, and that won’t see any team challenge anywhere near the upper echelons of the championship, not even in one as bad as this season is. Martin’s mindset is sound, his desire to play football in a certain way cannot be argued with, but after sixty nine league games the evidence it works isn’t there. To play that type of elite football a coach needs elite players, and the ones Martin has at hand are anything but that.

So, managing what he has, and that’s players who all would hardly ever get a game in the premier league is what he has. Steven Benda could see a future in the premier league, but it’s unlikely that will be at Swansea, Ollie Cooper as well is worth a mention but he is still developing albeit a late developer, he has some hope. I suppose even Olivier Ntcham would believe he could offer a premier league side a game, but it wouldn’t that be often, and some would even point to Matt Grimes, but he is marmite to many.

We haven’t seen Michael Obafemi again, and I don’t even care if it’s taken badly but his absences are so timely you could very easily predict the next time teddies will be seen flying over Fairwood. For me, both he and Joel Piroe have the qualities to take the swans close to challenging in this league, but Piroe as an example isn’t a striker in the true sense. He has a lovely touch, and on his day can display some excellent qualities. Currently as he did on Saturday he is snatching at shots but then off the cuff he showed a deft touch to score the swans first goal.

But both he and Obafemi cannot head a ball.

It’s all a mish mash of opinions after half the season gone, the long record of sixty nine games indicates a side that won’t go down, but really can they even challenge and get on a run and give us all some hope ? The right investment would help, last January saw around seven hundred thousand pounds squandered on a reserve goalkeeper and a player in Nathanael Ogbeta who hasn’t seen much light this year at all. If the current speculation is correct there are three targets that Martin wants in, and several will leave on loan. In fact with contract issues and a potential bid coming in for Olivier Ntcham that could disrupt plans before they start. Possibly even a few cheekier bids for Piroe and Obafemi, but really they haven’t shown the form a big price warrants. Let alone what the swans want. No business turns away offers for a player as the swans did in the summer for Obafemi and then sell him on for cheaper five months later. But maybe he isn’t worth the effort any more ? Let him be someone else’s problem ?

That’s a vein of thought currently.

The defender, pacy winger and striker Martin wants, and the whole business know who they are could well be the cogs Swansea require if they are successful in the January transfer market. Then losing Obafemi and Ntcham would certainly finance a lot of it. That’s speculation for now, but there is currently a stale feel (at times) to the squad, especially when the more fancied players don’t get or start a game.

The question now is what happens with Russell Martin and his coaching team ?

The swans haven’t got any desire at this moment in time to deal with the termination of any contracts of the immediate coaching staff, that’s a fact and people have to get used to it. I said at the start of the season he could lose the first six and he wouldn’t get sacked, and I will say similar again. They see Russell Martin as the future of Swansea football, and in the majority owners minds a decent championship club. This is what the swans are, a competitive and very good second tier football side. That is a better place to be than a squad in turmoil and managers moving on. If there are any doubters, just look back at Jake Silverstein’s recent comments on Martin. He is firmly in his corner and very supportive of him.

The majority owners will tell you as clear as you like, to have a side like this that competes weekly in most games - set against a side that is falling apart is night and day. This isn’t a rebuild it’s a journey which see’s the Americans with their finances protected, and a manger and staff who are cooperative, helpful and earning the club the finance to keep the big bad Wolf from the door. They give him loans, players like Joel Latibeaudiere, Nathan Wood and Jamie Paterson and still the club remain competitive. You don’t sack a manger who does that, one who signed up long term for the swans and receives the backing from those who matter most. And with all due respects that’s not me and you. No matter our opinions.

And for me here are the reasons why.

Russell Martin has to be given this season to not only complete his plans for the club, but for the clubs vast army of fans to take stock at the end of this campaign. I still maintain this side will see exposure in the top six this season, and will also disappoint when the tide turns, and it will. That’s how the stats reflect the manager and this Swansea City side. We are competitive and we are developing players within the structure explained very clearly in the summer. The club develops players, some to gain financial stability, others to improve the first team. And that can be from the academy or by wise investment. That’s where the owners are looking, losing at home to Norwich is disappointing but it isn’t going to change the owners minds. Five draws and two defeats out of seven is neither here nor there.

We still see the swans competitive and competing in a league which could easily throw up an opportunity for more hope before the season ends. Most fans are still looking upwards, some will always look down, it’s in their nature, that’s a reflection of them not Russell Martin. You see, once you get to grips with the methodology behind the American owners and the fact they are sustainable and can see that continuing, losing then drawing, followed by a few wins won’t bother them. The swans are viewed as one of the best footballing sides in the league, everyone knows the character and ability of this side throughout the country.

Again, not a team rebuilding.

That’s been the ethos since relegation from the premier league, and in that time no Swansea manager has been sacked. The club has proven its worth as a footballing side and how it produces players both from within and from purchasing wisely. The league position won’t worry anyone who makes decisions at the club, and to be honest Russell Martin is possibly the only one who can rock the boat. But why would he ? He has the credentials and the pathway, albeit a very slow one in management as he learns his trade. And clubs love that. There will be a long queue for his services come the day he leaves, because there are many clubs who would love to be where Swansea are.

It’s not just about football, and that’s why he is staying, yes he will go at some point, but shouting from the rooftops is a waste of time, effort and energy. I’ve decided to not even bother, and try and see the best of this situation, and on reflection it’s not that bad. And there’s many clubs as I have said who are in a long queue behind us, just to get a sniff of the daily medicine Swansea take.

Performance on the field against performance off the field, we’ve been there before.

And that’s the crux to Russell Martin’s future. So when we take stock, he’s as successful as he can be with what he has. He is seen as a prized asset, and you don’t pay money to get rid of your assets, they bring you money, and that’s what he does. And will continue to do so.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

Freelander added 05:02 - Dec 21 Well I think myself that RM was never a good idea on having him as our manager did not have enough experience in the championship and look at our strikers who,s idea was it to bring them two to our club Piroe & Obafemi at the moment thyere record speaks for it self in the goals they have scored between them I think that RM should go as he has no plan (B) sticking with the same players all the time and our defence is a shambles and it looks like our defence coach it looks like the players are not taken much notice of what he is teaching them in the way we play we will just be a middle of the championship team under RM and our owners will be happy to see us stay there with no investment coming in typical Levine and Kaplan keeping thyere money in thyere pockets never kept to thyere promises when they bought our club from one Huw Jenkins.

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Freelander added 05:09 - Dec 21 No RM has not got a clue on how to run a championship club we will just be a middle of a championship club under him and our owners will be happy to see us stay there as of what been said by them as Levein and Kaplan would not have to invest money into the club then full of broken promises under them two an easy way to make money from a club .
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