That’s the bare truth of the matter this morning, and despite the deserved criticism of Russell Martin after another demolition job on his Swansea side on Saturday - That’s where we are going in to a seriously tough game tomorrow evening.
Despite the pick me up games, and there have been a few this season, Bristol City being the last effort, this swans side hasn’t displayed any type of real continued form this season. Now coming up against Bournemouth tomorrow, a side that dipped out of their clash on Friday due to the bad weather against Nottingham Forest. The visitors now find themselves able to close the gap on top of the table Fulham. Have no doubt any side seeing the way Swansea play will fancy the points in any fixture, home or away. Bournemouth will most certainly fancy this one.
The cherries have a squad packed full of talent and are not hanging about in financing their return to the premier league. Jamal Lowe and Ethan Laird we all know about but their striking options are impressive, despite Kieffer Moore currently being injured. The options in midfield have been bolstered, and indeed across the squad. Todd Cantwell looks the most impressive of those signings, on loan from Norwich he has now played two games for the cherries since signing on deadline day.
Russell Martin is relying on Hannes Wolf to make a quick return after missing Saturday’s game, and as he has already stated he has limited options. That aside, he has taken the defeats of late away from home on the chin, and responded positively to criticism. It is only that home win against Bristol City that is keeping Martin from the increasing number of swans fans who are asking questions. In response he can only say "We are working with what we have and the guys have given us some incredible moments and they are showing bravery to play the way we want them to”
That’s fair enough, we know he is working with limited resources, players have gone to trim the wage bill and players have been missed out on in early January. There has to be a more realistic view on Martin’s first six months.
Talking in general terms regards this season Martin does make some valid points.” I have said all the way along that it is going to take time for us to play a certain way, we are playing against teams who are physical and athletic, and in some cases have a lot of Premier League experience and that shows at times. There was a big difference in the make up of the two teams in terms of the physical profile” I can see that and where he is coming from, and those shouting very loudly need to listen as well. Crucially Martin has experience of a similar process at Norwich with Daniel Farke. ”You look at the squad and there are a lot of players who are 23 and younger, there’s only a handful who are experienced campaigners. There are young players in this team and this squad who will benefit so much from this season and what they are learning. I was a part of a process at Norwich where Daniel (Farke) came in and it took time. There were a lot of young men who grew during a first season where it was difficult, but the second season they just took off”
The pain of losing is hard to take, and another defeat is more than possible on Tuesday evening. It could even run to next Monday away at West Bromwich Albion. As has been highlighted continuously there’s no point in changing anything. Russell Martin has been promised a season to rejuvenate and rebuild at Swansea, it has clearly been as tricky off the pitch as it has on it, but that’s what change does. Unless the ownership group in the USA decide otherwise, and that would be disastrous for the club, or indeed Martin gives up on his project, this is the path we are on.
Something or anything is what Martin will hope for tomorrow evening, the swans support will agree, we just need a spark. It may or may not come against Bournemouth but you can be assured there will be plenty of effort to turn the tables on a side who do display some frailty at times. We can see below the cherries last six games, those losses came against Luton 3-2, and surprisingly at home to Hull City 1-0.
Bournemouth last six
By comparison the swans have enjoyed two home wins against Blackburn and Bristol City, a home loss to Luton and defeats away at Hull, Stoke and of course Sheffield United.
Swansea City last six
Those weaknesses exposed by Hull and Luton will be known to Russell Martin, he is desperate for something as we have said, the game is being talked about as a score draw. Would that be enough for now to keep the heat off Russell Martin’s back ?