Swansea City

Manchester City welcome Swansea City on Saturday for a Premier League matchup.

Manchester is currently undefeated in the Premier League with a record of 5-3-0, while Swansea is 3-2-2.

Manchester is coming off a tough 3-1 loss in the Champions League against Dutch Ajax. Swansea won their last game 2-1 against Wigan Athletic on October 20.

Despite the separation in standings, Swansea have fared well against Manchester. The last time they met, Swansea defeated Manchester 1-0 in their debut season.

However, Swansea have two losses and only one win away this season. Manchester are 3-1-0 at home.

In their last two home games, Manchester scored four goals, while Swansea haven’t scored a goal in their last two away games.

With the top three spots of the Premier League only separated by four points, this weekend could shake up the standings.

Where: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England

When: October 27, 12:30 p.m. EST

Live Stream: Live Soccer TV

Manchester City Must Focus After Loss

Man City look to bounce back after losing 3-1 to Ajax.

Manchester took an early 1-0 lead off a Samir Nasri goal in the 22nd minute. However, Ajax tied it up at the 45th minute. Ajax continued the attack with two more goals in the second half.

In an interview with BBC, Man City manager Roberto Mancini said, “It's my fault, because I prepared badly for this game."

During the match, Mancini varied his tactics, which left defender Micah Richards questioning his manager’s approach. "Playing three central defenders is something we have not worked on very much,” Richards said.

Manchester still have a good offense led by striker Edin Džeko and forward Carlos Tévez, who have eight goals on 43 shots combined this season.

Man City are tied with Manchester United for second place with 18 points. Man U have a tough game against Chelsea, and a loss could bump Man City to sole possession of second place.

In order for Man City to win, the club and Mancini must brush off this loss and focus on Swansea.

Confidence Will Lead Swansea to Victory

Swansea midfielder Leon Britton believes his club is more confident now than they were last year.

Looking back to their first trip to Manchester, Britton said it felt like a big matchup for Swansea: “Last year going to Manchester City was a bit like a cup final for us,” he said according to This is South Wales.

They now have the experience to play at this level. “We know it will be tough, but we will treat it as just another game,” Britton said.

Miguel Pérez Cuesta, better known as Michu, has two goals in the last two games and six on the season.

With a little over a season of experience, Swansea City look to prove themselves in the Premier League. Along with Michu, Swansea boasts offensive power with Pablo Hernandez and Chico Flores, and could upset Manchester City again.

Prediction

I believe this will be another close match between these two clubs. Swansea City will take an early lead towards the end of the first half. Man City will tie it up mid-second half. Michu will score the game-winning goal in stoppage time, leading to a 2-1 victory for Swansea City.

In the recent 3-0 defeat to Everton, Swansea City played like eleven individuals, not a team. Not my words, but those of defender and 10-year Swans veteran, Alan Tate.

“So, what of it?” may come the question; surely just a bad day at the office? Definitely a bad day—but is this generic excuse a little too comfortable a brush-off for the current state of affairs at the Liberty Stadium?

One only has to think back two weeks—pre-Everton implosion—to find reasons to ask the same question. For an unbeaten away team to arrive at Villa Park, where the home side were winless in 13 EPL outings, was scarcely akin to Daniel into the lions’ den, rather the hamster cage, to be frank. And yet the team bus that headed back to South Wales contained a team that had given a performance as tame as the aforementioned fur-ball.

So, what’s at stake at the heart of the Liberty?

Understanding requires a Spanish inquisition.

Roberto Martinez recruited very selectively to reinforce the squad template he inherited, choosing to reinforce specific gaps in what was already a competent existing core. Even Paulo Sousa followed suit, with Brendan Rodgers adding the nuggets of Danny Graham and Scott Sinclair to smooth the final ascent to the promised land of the EPL. Once there, the same unshakeable team ethic made it a first season to remember amongst the elite.

Naturally, football being football, there were exceptions along the way—the nine-man Carling Cup debacle against Scunthorpe under Sousa, the Championship drubbing at QPR under Rodgers are rare examples—but overall, across the past five years Swansea City has been built and shaped and nurtured on a four-letter word: T-E-A-M.

But once again, at the weekend against Stoke, that was glaringly not the case. Since arriving at the club, Ladrup has made a raft of signings at a total of roughly £15 million.

BetInf.com outlines the changes at Swansea:

Spanish midfielder Pablo Hernandez from Valencia for a fee of 7m; South Korean midfielder Sung-Yong Ki from Celtic for a fee of 7m; Forward Jamie Proctor from Preston; Defender Kyle Bartley from Arsenal for a fee of 1.3m; Israeli forward Itay Shechter on loan from Kaiserslautern; Spanish midfielder Michu from Rayo Vallecano for a fee of 2.6m; Spanish defender Chico from Genoa for a fee of 2.5m; Canadian midfielder Jonathan de Guzman on loan from Villarreal.

At the same time, essential promotion cogs like Garry Monk, Stephen Dobbie, Andrea Orlandi, Mark Gower and others have been sold or sidelined, and now goals have dried up, while the traditionally mean defence and string of clean sheets already seem to be disappearing over the horizon. 

Naturally, every manager needs to extend and deepen a squad, particularly in the Premier League environment. Previous Swansea bosses had taken their purring limo to the garage and perhaps added a higher grade of oil or state-of-the-art tyres.

Following three such pallid consecutive defeats, one begins to think that with hindsight, Laudrup’s gone to the wrecker’s yard. Names such as Chico and De Guzman that were talked about with such reverence after early victories over average QPR and West Ham sides are justifiably now having a harsher spotlight shone upon their endeavours.

What’s behind this wobble from a man who, as a player, saw glory with Real Madrid and their Catalan foes? It’s perhaps worth dwelling on an article about Laudrup on the Real Mallorca website.

Certain portions of the copy may strike a familiar, even uncomfortable note with the Swans’ faithful even this early in the campaign...

With no Cavenaghi, no Ujah, and several other players who were marginalised by the Dane–Mallorca went on to face the rest of the season with what they had. But Laudrup just couldn’t pick the squad up. Deflated and playing without confidence, Mallorca only managed to pick up 17 points from 19 games in the second half of the season. On 2012 results alone, Mallorca finished in 19th place. Including 2011′s results, things weren’t much better.

Despite entering May 2011 with the real threat of relegation looming over their heads, Laudrup’s team could only pick up 2 points from a possible 15. They were saved on the final day of the season by results from elsewhere, as they themselves lost.

So despite being credited with "keeping Mallorca up," did Laudrup keep Mallorca up? Or did other teams spare his blushes?

Relations between Laudrup and the Mallorca Board were badly strained after months of bickering. The club wanted Laudrup out but couldn’t afford to sack him (the press weren’t too keen either).

So, with that brief history, back to the shores of South Wales: Three straight defeats, with no goals scored and seven conceded doesn’t chime with the Swansea City legacy. This cannot be a story that’s allowed to run and run.

The Martinez foundations are under pressure—let’s hope all concerned pay careful heed to what’s happening sooner rather than later.

With reports linking Michael Owen with a return to the England squad after a gap of four years, one has to ask, "why?"

Surely, it is time to address the elephant in the room, calling up players from so-called “unfashionable clubs.”

Last year, Fabio Capello was considering calling up three Swansea City players. The news was a welcome breeze blowing through the creaking post-2010 infrastructure of the England set-up.

Sadly though, it was a falsely optimistic, as no Swansea players were selected.

Now with Roy Hodgson as coach, England is deploying a younger team. Additionally, the squad has been hit by injuries. Alas, it’s time to look again to the Liberty Stadium. Here are three players that should get a look from Hodgson.

Danny Graham

The former Watford front man had doubters aplenty when ex-Vicarage Road boss Brendan Rodgers brought him to Swansea. Did he have the pedigree? Could he score in the top flight? Both were answered in a ringing affirmative by the confident Geordie.

He tallied 14 goals on the season, a goal roughly every three games. That goal-scoring ratio ranks among elite company: Danny Wellbeck, Daniel Sturridge and Andy Carroll.

However, a call from Hodgson has yet to materialize.

Nathan Dyer 

Having been recruited by and rescued from some troubled times at Southampton by Roberto Martinez in 2008, Dyer has seen his career rise steadily.

In the Championship, his ability to link up with Scott Sinclair helped provide the goals for Graham and others to fuel the promotion campaign to the EPL.

And, having arrived in the top flight, he’s continued to garner plaudits from across the board. Dyer has even added scoring to his game. Can the same be said of either of Hodgson's recent call-ups, Adam Lallana or Raheem Sterling?

Leon Britton 

As England fans wait patiently for the return of Jack Wilshere, the diminutive Britton could easily be the man to grace the unwelcome midfield gap.

Schooled at two homes of footballing artistry, Arsenal and West Ham, the diminutive midfielder’s been with Swansea for almost a decade. From the brink of toppling out of the Football League through promotions from the fourth, third and second tiers of the British game, Britton has graced the Swans midfield with the exception of a stint at Sheffield United.

Britton’s always had an eye for a pinpoint pass and rarely loses possession. His pass completion rate last season frequently rated higher than the much vaunted stars of Barcelona.

The October Internationals are coming and the Swansea troops stand ready and alert, but will General Hodgson issue the call towards these players from an “unfashionable” club?

Swansea City's promotion and survival in the Premier League was not luck; all you had to do was watch them to see why.

Swansea, or Swanselona as they became known, had a beautiful passing game which adopted Barcelona's style of tika-taka football. With technical players of the likes of Leon Britton, Joe Allen, Nathan Dyer and Ashley Williams, Brendan Rodgers put together a team that could out-pass anyone on their day.

Scott Sinclair proved to be a fantastic player for the Welsh outfit, scoring 19 goals in 43 games for the club in the Championship and nine in the Premier League (counting the goal he scored this season).

Now just two years on and things have changed. There's a new man at the helm, ex-Barca and Real Madrid star Michael Laudrup, and a shake-up has occurred.

Key players such as Joe Allen and Scott Sinclair have left the club, for £15 million and £6.5 million, respectively, whilst a Spanish invasion has taken camp: Michu, an attacking midfielder with a good passing range for a bargain £2 million, Chico Flores for an initial £2.2 million and Pablo Hernandez, a very exciting dynamic winger (much like Sinclair) for another great deal at £5.5 million.

Other players brought in by Laudrup include Kyle Bartley, Itay Shechter and De Guzman on loan and pass-master Ki from Celtic. Whilst new players have been brought in, Laudrup has tweaked Swansea's passing game, making them pass higher up the pitch in the opponent's half. 

This has worked wonders for the Welsh side, allowing Michu to have a free role behind Danny Graham and De Guzman and Britton having more space to pick out the correct player. The squad look very dangerous in front of goal, scoring 10 goals in three games in the league, with their new Spanish midfielder scoring four of them himself.

Laudrup has to be universally praised for his work at the club, evolving the philosophy that worked so well before yet keeping a familiarity and the same dynamics as previous regimes. Fans adore passing and pressing football, and Swansea are experts on the style.

After many key departures, including Brendan Rodgers himself, many predicted Swansea for a relegation dogfight, despite Laudrup's arrival.

Yet the new players (especially the Spanish players, who will be used to playing possession football) have mixed with the old guard emphatically, and with a defensive wall of Chico and Williams, a midfield dominated by Britton, Michu and De Guzman, and an attack of Graham, Hernandez and Dyer, the Premier League future of Swansea City looks to be in good shape.

Assists are never given as much attention as they are ought, although that may change during the still-young Premier League season.

Eden Hazard, Chelsea's 21-year-old Belgian sensation signed this past summer and has already compiled six assists in his first three league games. The winger's blend of pace and dribbling precision have made him the toast of southwest London and, if his form holds, might just make assists more of a household statistic.

The trend is being seen across the Welsh border as well. Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge, Swansea City's starting left and right wingers, have five assists between them in what has been a fantastic debut for new manager Michael Laudrup.

Following Saturday's 2-2 draw at home to Sunderland, in which Swansea twice recovered from deficits and played the final 23 minutes (including added time) with 10 men—after centre-back Chico was sent off for a high kick on Louis Saha (71')—those two players again stole the show.

Routledge's goal in first-half stoppage time—a powerful volley from close range—was assisted by a bit of brilliance from Dyer, who lofted a deft little chip past the Sunderland defense for his teammate to run onto and smash home.

It was the first assist of the season for the 24-year-old Dyer, who could have felt hard-done by the fact that he was left out of England manager Roy Hodgson's 23-man roster for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Moldova (Sept. 7) and Ukraine (Sept. 11).

When you've scored two goals and provided two assists in three games' time, you've earned the right to expect a call-up. Chances are good—one thinks—that Dyer's name sits very near the top of Hodgson's list at the moment.

As was mentioned during ITV's coverage of the match—held in a Liberty Stadium where sunlight and shadows fought for prominence throughout the afternoon—under Laudrup's guidance, the two wingers used in the 4-2-3-1 formation by Swansea pinch in much more than they had a season ago, when Brendan Rodgers was at the helm.

That means incisive runs into the penalty area and opportunities for Dyer to find himself in the sort of pocket of space where he played in Routledge for his goal.

It's rare to see wingers on the same side of the pitch, but Routledge's run was a good one, and Dyer's pass was almost equal to his finish.

Seven points from a possible nine to start the season is the sort of start any coach would ask for.

While Laudrup may be worried with the way his side conceded the two goals: a bungled back-pass from centre-back Ashley Williams allowed Sunderland striker Steven Fletcher—making his league debut—to slot past keeper Michel Vorm and a poor response to a free kick allowed Fletcher to poke home minutes later for his brace. The response from his charges and, better yet, the way they bossed the final 20 minutes down a man, is the stuff confidence is borne out of.

Swansea have every reason to be pleased with a start to the season that has made them the toast of the Premier League. The fact that Michu got his fourth goal in three games on Saturday didn't hurt matters much either.

Dyer and Routledge have been transcendent, and with new signing Pablo Hernandez sure to cycle into the first team after the imminent international break, they should be immune to fatigue and jadedness.

Something that Swansea's upcoming opponents won't be too pleased to see, surely.

Neil Taylor Fractures Ankle in 16th Minute of Action

Laudrup confirmed, following Saturday's match, Swansea left-back Neil Taylor suffered a fractured ankle stemming from an awkward 16th-minute collision with Sunderland right-back Craig Gardner.

After speaking with a doctor involved with treating Taylor, the Danish manager was unable to reveal the extent of the injury but could confirm that there was at least "one" fracture.

Gardner had landed hard on Taylor, causing the latter's knee to buckle as he was pressed down to the ground. The medical team raced out to help him, and after some furious work to deal with the ankle, Taylor was stretchered out of play.

Six minutes of extra time were added because of the delay.

"Winning breeds confidence," Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup told the club's official website in a Thursday press conference—one that ran the proverbial gamut of conversation topics.

The arrival of winger Pablo Hernandez from Valencia was of particular interest. The Spaniard's signing has quickly assuaged worries over Scott Sinclair's departure for Manchester City, and the Jack Army will be thrilled by the 27-year-old's keen desire to reunite with Laudrup, whom he played for at Getafe during the 2007-08 season in what proved to be the pair's sole campaign in Madrid.

Hernandez is the latest La Liga player to be swept away by the prodigious excitement swirling about Laudrup's project at Swansea, joining the likes of Michu, Chico and Jonathan de Guzman (season-long loan) in making moves to southern Wales.

Keenly aware of the untold importance confidence can exert on both a team and its fanbase, Laudrup noted that he moved quickly to replace Sinclair on the wing with a like-for-like transfer for Hernandez.

"I want a good squad with the right number of players and it was important that if we lost Scott then we replaced him," Laudrup told the official site.

Laudrup has only just gotten his managerial tenure under way, but he has managed to build upon the solid foundation built by his predecessor, Brendan Rodgers, and begin the current campaign with two resounding victories (5-0 away to Queens Park Rangers, 3-0 at home to West Ham United). 

That saw Swansea briefly occupy first place last weekend before settling in second, where they reside heading into Saturday's match against resurgent Sunderland.

The Swans also won their Capital One Cup match 3-1 over Barnsley in midweek, just for good measure.

Swansea are playing some scintillating football, led by new signing Michu, who has been a revelation at attacking midfielder. That forward Danny Graham scored his first goal of the season against West Ham, and nabbed another against Barnsley, will only have bolstered the side's confidence that much more.

The man who made the bugle celebration a phenomenon has a habit of scoring in bunches, and his latest glut augurs well for the upcoming fixture.

A third league win ahead of next week's international break would instill a palpable sense of confidence within Laudrup's side. Expect them to turn on the panache at the Liberty. 

Lest We Forget, Sunderland Are on a Roll of Their Own

According to Sunderland's official Twitter account, tickets for the traveling band of Black Cats supporters were sold out as soon as Tuesday. Such is the anticipation pervading over this encounter, which promises to see new signings Adam Johnson and Steven Fletcher make their league debuts.

Both played during Tuesday's Capital One Cup match against Morecambe, with Johnson assisting one of James McClean's two goals from a corner kick.

Fletcher, who had seen his preseason interrupted by his protracted transfer away from Wolves, was thrilled to finally get his feet wet this season.

Scorer of 12 league goals last season, Fletcher has glossed about his new surroundings. Like Johnson, who grew up in Easington, the move to Wearside is a step closer to home for the forward.

Effusive in his praise of manager Martin O'Neill, Fletcher has to like the ambition shown by Sunderland this season. They've thrown their hat in the ring for Clint Dempsey while starting their season with an impressive defensive performance away to Arsenal (the match ended in a 0-0 draw).

O'Neill presided over a sea change in the club's fortunes after taking over from Steve Bruce midway last season, and he has instilled an unflappable streak in his side. The defense is set; now, fans turn to the attack, which is getting better and better. 

It Should be a Spectacle to Behold

While Saturday's match doesn't quite take on the veneer of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object, it does pit two burgeoning sides brimming with confidence against each other.

There should be goals and there should be some breathtaking play on both ends of the pitch. Sunderland's approach could make for an interesting plot point—will O'Neill loosen the defensive reins a bit to free up the likes of Fletcher and Johnson?

The likeliest scenario sees Sunderland use an game plan similar to the one used at the Emirates two weeks ago. Johnson can strike at a moment's notice, and Fletcher doesn't need much to thrive up top.

Swansea struggled to cope with another savvy winger in West Ham's Matt Jarvis last weekend, and one would think that Johnson will have sought out that game tape as he prepares for his first league match in his new colors.

The contrast could be striking but if Swansea score early, the game could definitely open up. Both sides have signaled their intentions of not only cracking the top 10 in the final league standings this season, but the top eight.

Saturday could serve as a good litmus test where both teams' aspirations are concerned.

Swansea City are in Premier League dreamland—that can’t be overstating the case as the Liberty Stadium troops sit second in the table after Week 2. It’s certainly a rarefied atmosphere at sea level.

Their record reads: played 2, won 2, scored 8, conceded none. However, as any manager will tell you, it’s important to rebuild a squad while it’s doing well. And a superb start shouldn't put the brakes on the Swans’ focus as they assess areas to address in order to maintain their infectious momentum.

1. Chico Flores

The centre-back with distinct cult hero status is without doubt a formidable player. Co-author of two clean sheets and near-goal scorer with a crunching header against the crossbar at QPR, he’s already easing the disappointment of the admirable Stephen Caulker’s return to Spurs.

But, closer examination of his display against West Ham does bring some food for thought. A referee like Phil Dowd or Mark Clattenburg would undoubtedly have awarded the Spaniard a yellow card far sooner than the more genial Martin Atkinson.

It eventually arrived after a mini-rash of ill-advised tackles, each followed by an indignant and familiarly Continental-style protestation of innocence and self-defence after being pulled up for them.

The concern is that, with different officials and against opponents like Wayne Rooney and Luis Suarez—for whom thundering to the turf at a mere change of wind direction is in their DNA—yellows could quickly become reds with a potentially fatal depletion of resources, especially against the elite teams.

In addition, while he’s willing and hungry to carry the ball out from the back, it’s just possible that his accomplishment in doing so may be just adrift of the act itself. In the opening twenty minutes or so of the West Ham game when the Sky commentators reacted with surprise to the amount of times Swansea were giving the ball away, close forensic examination would reveal Flores as a leading culprit.

While these points may appear to seem a fraction grudging, we need to remember that with many pundits still tipping Swansea to be among those struggling to avoid the drop, every aspect of the Laudrup "golden ticket" needs refining as closely and carefully as possible.

2. Corners

The same hypothetical football pathologist referred to earlier could surely make rich capital analysing Swansea’s use of—and reaction to—corner-kicks against the Hammers.

Despite heavily monopolizing those set-pieces against, can we genuinely say that the deliveries—generally from Jonathan de Guzman—really caused alarm, confusion or cast-iron goal opportunities?

In the EPL, corners are hard-earned opportunities to put one’s opponents under pressure, and boss Laudrup will be keen to ensure every such chance is seized upon and exploited to the very best attacking extent.

Meanwhile, visiting boss Sam Allardyce will be the first to point to their own openings from set pieces.

One saw Ashley Williams having to hack clear from the line, while another had Leon Britton instinctively changing his assigned position from near post to far at the last moment to do the same, and combined with an inspirational point-blank save from Michel Vorm at similar range, these prevented the game from being considerably more tricky than it proved to be.

Once again it needs emphasizing that the EPL elite would prove far more severe executioners than West Ham.

3. Swansea City Supporters

Laudrup's squad has already benefited from the magnificent Swans fans following both at QPR and the Liberty Stadium, where fortnightly full houses are guaranteed.

However, while aspiration is the underpinning key to EPL life, any danger would lie where aspiration becomes complacency.

If the Jack Army is ever tempted to believe that visits from the likes of Aston Villa, QPR Southampton and this weekend’s visit of a highly capable and threatening Sunderland side bring with them a guaranteed three-point haul, realism and patience may need to be in long supply as this is a league that weekly proves there really is no such thing as a free lunch.

If visiting supporters are left to ponder why Swansea fans rouse their team with a full-blooded rugby song in "Hymns and Arias" every game, and they return home as pointless as Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman, the patient approach will have been richly vindicated

Swansea City are second on the table, and Michu is a big reason why.

The 26-year-old Spanish midfielder has made an immediate impact in the English Premier League, and he has the Swans looking like the class of the league. Considering this is the Welsh side's second year removed from the Championship, Michu has clearly made quite the impression.

Note: Michu's history and statistics will be taken from his profile on Swanseacity.net.

Beginnings

Michu was born Miguel Perez Cuesta in Oviedo, Spain, a capital city in the northern part of the country. He began playing football for the local club, Real Oviedo, before moving to Celta de Vigo B in Segundo Division B in Spain.

After four seasons in Spain's second division, Michu signed a two-year deal at Rayo Vallecano, ready for top-flight football.

One Year in Spanish Top Flight

At 25 years old, Michu was ready to make an impact at the top level. Even though it was his first season at Rayo, it was clear that he was the best attacking player they had.

He ended up scoring 15 league goals, which was the ninth-best tally. Moreover, he was the highest-ranked midfielder of the bunch. His contribution was a huge reason Rayo stayed up, helping them to a dramatic 15th place finish.

After only one year at the club, though, English sides took notice of him, and Swansea City bought him in for £2 million.

Playing Style

Michu is an attacking midfielder who is opportunistic once he reaches the attacking third. His timing moving forward is a thing of beauty, and it's an intricate part to his success.

He has a knack for finding the goal that simply can't be taught. Most successful strikers have this ability, but Michu brings this unique skill to the midfield, and Swansea City have been reaping the benefits.

Along with his goal-scoring ability, Michu is a relentless worker. He tracks back when necessary, and he is all over the pitch moving forward. Given his size, it's intimidating to watch this man fly around the field.

Under Michael Laudrup, a great attacking midfielder in his own right, it's clear that Michu will thrive. Obviously, he won't continue netting goals at such a high rate, but he will create scoring opportunities on a regular basis, which is exactly what Swansea need.

Last year, they didn't have a consistent attacking threat. Now they have Michu. And the Swans are plenty satisfied with him.

Season Outlook

Last year, the Swans were the feel-good story of the Premier League. They were a young, Welsh team that loved to play tika-taka and weren't afraid of the big boys. Once they lost their coach, it seemed inevitable that they would have a sophomore slump.

No chance.

Led by Michu and a stiff defense, Swansea look like one of the best teams in the league. Granted, they beat two teams that will be battling to avoid relegation, but a plus-eight goal differential doesn't lie. The Swans are good, and they will battle for a spot in the top six, despite not looking like they belong.

It will be a fun season, and if Michu remains in form, he could keep Swansea hanging around a European qualifying spot.