The Swans have a busy schedule ahead of them in December, it starts tomorrow with a home game against Huddersfield Town. However, after that, and we will include the New Year Day fixture at home to West Bromwich Albion then surely ( we hope ) there will be a massive vote of confidence in head coach Michael Duff.
By the fans at least.
Let’s have a look at the games ahead of the Swans. In amongst them there are a few games supporters of the club will want to see as wins. We assessed that opportunity in tomorrows game earlier today.
That’s below.
The first batch of fixtures are below.
Those fixtures are all winnable, but there has to be consideration to the fitness of Liam Walsh and Yannick Bolasie. The former cannot be be carefully managed forever, his injury record is shocking, over two and a half years at the club he has the following stats -
Inc in Squad: 39, Starting eleven: 5, Substituted in: 13, On the bench: 21, Suspended: 0, Injured: 35.
And that’s recorded as injured, when not in the team because of other reasons isn’t recorded. Liam we know is a special talent, and it would be so good to see him fit, healthy and impacting on the field of play.
Bolasie has shown signs already of his quality, first off he is ‘apparently’ still getting fit, but his cameo at Leeds was interesting. However, relying on players who could well break down or not attain fitness for a few weeks may not pay off, there has to be more concentration up front. Jerry Yates is struggling, however is on target to beat his Blackpool total of last season, if picked.
Swans Indy predict : 4 points from the first three.
The next batch of December games looks like this.
These are all tough fixtures and Southampton away will have an edge for sure. Home games again against Preston and Middlesbrough have to be marked down as wins. It simply isn’t good enough the supporters who Michael Duff acknowledged after the Leeds game are to expect poor performances as we have been seeing of late. And yes, Hull City was a poor performance, ninety plus minutes is the length of an English league football fixture. The same can be said about Leeds away on Wednesday. And a huge shout to those travelling fans, Leeds supporters at the game rate the Jack Army as the loudest and best supporters to have visited their ground this season, And on a Wednesday night at £45 a ticket, and at least £60 travelling costs. And that’s before a watery beer is poured. Some fans stayed over, the costs and loss of two work days can easily be £600.
That’s worth recognition.
The Southampton game could easily end in a draw, but the bookmakers, and that’s dependent on what the Swans do leading up to Boxing Day. If by then it’s still bottom half, and below the thirty five point mark which is the minimum requirement come the turn of the year then we know what the rest of the season will bring.
Swans Indy predict : 6 points.
The final two in this series of games are below.
Once again the travelling Jacks will be in huge numbers at Coventry City, these games are often fiercely competitive with goals. The best the Swans can ask for is a draw ? A full house on New Years Day ? If the Swans can’t attract a nigh on sell out they are again resting on their laurels, they have to target games like this and start being creative to get the fans back in to the stadium.
Swans Indy predict : 2 points.
That’s only twelve points from twenty four, and that’s the minimum requirement. It would put the Swans on thirty two points, and as a comparison that would see the side avoid relegation fairly easily if the rest of the season goes accordingly. However, if there can be a distinct change in attitude and a braver strategy to take games by the neck and wringing them dry then who knows ?
The Jack Army will no doubt be letting the club know between now and New Years Day.