Moving On Up

Sunday's FA Cup win at Cheltenham was impressive in the nature in which it was forged - by all accounts an improvement on the performances that we have seen in recent weeks. It has long been said that a sign of a successful team is one that wins when not playing well and many Swans fans will accept that in recent weeks we have not been at the top of our game and yet we are possibly within 48 hours of returning to the top of the table yet again, and if that happens it will be five points clear of the 4th place side. Not bad for a team not playing well?

Various commitments have meant that I have only seen the Swans in action once since we defeated Leyton Orient on 19 October. Further commitments mean that I will not see them again until Bury arrive on November 27. I had the misfortune of that one game being Wycombe away in the LDV Vans Trophy so hard to pass judgement. However, I of course read what others have said and I also talk to people almost immediately afterwards for after match reaction. Yesterday I took the opinion off someone who I have spoken to immediately after a couple of the other games and he was enthusing about the performance as a marked improvement on recent weeks (maybe suggested so by the scoreline?) That is more encouraging than any place in Round Two of the FA Cup or the second place we currently hold in the league. My viewpoint is simple if we can get where we are by not being at the top of our game, what the hell happens when we do hit top form? The answer to that seems obvious enough.

I sat down earlier on and looked at the fixtures for the Swans between now and the New Year and I was encouraged by what I saw. A list of fixtures that I felt that we could win, and a list of fixtures with several on that we should win. Things could be looking very rosy indeed come January 1st at this rate.

The fixtures in question are: -

Home: Darlington, Bury, Notts C, Boston, Yeovil

Away: Shrewsbury, Oxford, Scunthorpe, Kidderminster

I'm sorry if this sounds arrogant but if we want automatic promotion then we have to be looking at at least 20 points out of the next 27 in the league, potentially even more. Although there is to be no easy game in this division we should be aiming to take maximum points at places like Shrewsbury and Kidderminster and we have to be aiming to win all home games. Achieving those factors alone is 21 points. Sitting atop the table on New Years day with 50 points (assuming we get those 20) sounds a position where we have pulled clear and are eyeing up a championship.

As I said, I don't want to be complacent or arrogant but these are the harsh facts of what we need to achieve. There is no reason why we cannot achieve those results and sides that have serious promotion ambitions will achieve them and maybe some more on top. The games are there to be won and if my opinion gained at the end of yesterday's game is right then we will get these results.

We haven't played at the top of our game - if we get there then I honestly will start to feel sorry for some teams. Let's just hope that we do get there.