Is Alfie Mawson The Man To Solve England’s Defensive Woes?

To say Alfie Mawson has been the standout player for the Swans this season would be an understatement. He’s proved a shining light and has been a key man in the Swansea revival since Carlos Carvalhal took over as boss back in December.

With the season almost up, he’s legitimately being talked about for a place in the England squad, ahead of the likes of Gary Cahill and Chris Smalling. But is he the man to sit in the very heart of England’s squad?

Well, Swans fans certainly think so, even if it is strengthening the chances of Gareth Southgate’s men.

He’s in the squad for the upcoming friendlies with Holland and Italy, and will almost certainly get his chance alongside Burnley’s James Tarkowski.

Carvalhal is certainly tipping his man with the 24-year-old the “perfect” fit according to recent reports.

He’s put in some stellar performances this season, so much so he’s being eyed up by Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs. It’s thought that Southgate will play with a back three this summer and Mawson would be an ideal fit having become comfortable with that formation throughout the domestic season.

To do that, concentration and communication with your partners is key and Mawson has had little trouble with that at any point. He’s been calm, calculated and proven he has all the attributes to really excel in an England back three.

Carvalhal said of his centre half, “He has the concentration, he is very good one to one, he is very strong, good in the air, he has the agility to play on the sides.”

His professionalism will be massive for England and as a player who just gets on with the job, he could be a real blessing for Southgate. That sort of temperament is what’s needed in football and England could well be brimming with strong, quality football if the manager is bold enough to select Mawson and Tarkowski.

He’s said he’ll only pick players who are playing regularly and are in form. While that can certainly be said of Mawson, it can’t of Gary Cahill or John Stones who have found themselves getting further and further down the pecking order at Chelsea and Manchester City.

He’s the form man Mawson, and having done things the hard way, he thoroughly deserves his place. It’s almost like another Jamie Vardy story. A progression beginning with non-league Maidenhead United. With that you get a man who’s dedicated, works hard, and one that really does put everything on the line. It’s a perfect fit.

The Greatest Swansea Players Of All Time: We Have Our Say

With the international break looming and no games to look forward to for two weeks, we got thinking about the greats to have put on the white shirt over the years.

There have been plenty throughout Swansea’s rise to the Premier League and since their arrival in the top flight, there have been a number of exciting footballers at the Liberty.

Alfie Masson is perhaps the latest to really impress in a Swans shirt and could earn his first England cap in Friday’s game against the Netherlands.

But which players have already made their mark on the club? We run down our favourite Jacks over the years…

Leon Britton

While not a one club man, Leon Britton is Mr Swansea having played for the club at every level from League Two upwards.

He’s been at the club since 2002 with only a brief spell at Sheffield United (2010/11) breaking up his 452 appearances.

Now 35, he’ll go down as an all-time great for the club and was instrumental in the midfield during their promotion to the Premier League.

Lee Trundle

Lee Trundle brought some real class during a desperate period for the club. He was brought to Swansea back in 2003 by Brian Flynn and instantly endeared himself to the fans.

Known for his trickery, he scored 91 goals for Swansea and was a key man in their promotion to League One. He never played above the Championship throughout his career despite continually being linked to Premier League sides. A true cult hero among Swans fans.

Alan Curtis

A Swansea City without Alan Curtis isn’t worth thinking about. He played 437 times for the club and is the current Loan Player Manager having been in the staff at the club since 2004.

He scored one of the club’s most iconic goals, scoring their first goal in top flight football against Leeds.

He’s been with the club through both th good times and bad and will force be lauded as a true City great.

Gylfi Sigurdsson

While Gylfi Sigurdsson didn’t play for the Swans for too long, he made just 131 appearances in all, he did help cement the Swans as a Premier League club.

He brought class, creativity and goals to the club and is perhaps the closest the club have ever really got to world class.

It’s a shame a team couldn’t have been built around the Icelandic for years to come but we can’t help but acknowledge what a fantastic player he really was.

Ashley Williams

Ashley Williams was a real leader during his eight years with the Swans. He played 351 times across League One, the Championship and the Premier League, barely missing a game along the way.

His performances for the Swans brought him the captaincy for both club and country and he’s since gone on to earn 76 caps.

Another who perhaps should have stayed to further his legacy, but he was a player who really did help cement Swansea’s Premier League status.

A Key January for the Swans: The Players to Help Keep Them in the Top Flight

It’s been another rough start to the season for Swansea City. The Welsh club sit uncomfortably in the relegation zone having won just two in 13.

Paul Clement still believes he’s the man to take them forward, and the board are seemingly sticking with him. Tony Pulis has been rumoured to be interested in the job and Clement is the favourite amongst football betting teams to be sacked next in the Premier League.

Either way, work in the January transfer window is needed, and rumours are flying about who could make their way to the Liberty Stadium in the new year…

Santiago Arias

The full back areas are definitely in need of improvement at Swansea and they seem keen on making a move for PSV right back Santiago Arias.

The 25-year-old has been plying his trade in the Dutch Eredivisie since 2013 and has notched up 134 appearances for his club.

He’s highly regarded in his home nation of Colombia and a move to the Premier League is high on his agenda.

The Swans were put off by a £12million price tag in the summer, but times are a little more desperate now.

Jonathan Viera

Speaking of desperate, the Swansea attack is in dire need of talent. Having lost Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fernando Llorente in the summer, they’ve not really replaced their goals.

The return of Wilfried Bony has failed to set the world alight, so a new face, or a few, will be vital in January.

It’ll be make or break for the man in charge when it comes to buying new attackers. Jonathan Viera of Las Palmas seems the most likely man to turn to.

He was called up to the Spain squad recently but a £30million release clause could prove to be a sticking point.

The 28-year-old was linked with a move in the summer but nothing materialised, will it be a case of same again?

Vincent Aboubakar

Another player who was linked with signing for the Swans in the summer is Vincent Aboubakar.

The Porto man is dead set on a move to England and his form will make him a wanted man this January.

The Cameroonian forward has 14 goals in 16 games for the Portuguese outfit, goals that’d be vital for Paul Clement’s men.

He’s shown an interest in the club, the club now need to go and get him. 

Which Swans manager has the best Premier League win ratio?

Paul Clement's job is edging closer to being untenable according to the majority of Swansea City fans, despite his heroics at the back of end last season.

Saturday's disappointing display in the 2-1 loss at Arsenal enraged many fans as the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea assistant manager refused to make positive, attacking changes.

Clement's defensive approach has been very much hit and miss this campaign, resulting in successful results against Southampton, Crystal Palace and Spurs, but the Swans still only sit narrowly above the drop zone on goal difference.

After delving deeper into the complete statistics, we discovered that Paul Clement's 35.71% league win record as Swansea manager actually makes him the second best Premier League manager in the club's history at the time of writing.

But who tops the list?

Well, no surprises for assuming who's in last place! That prize goes to American boss Bob Bradley, who managed a dismal 18.81% league win ratio in his reign of terror in 2016. He may have been given a weak hand and very little time, but performances and results were truly awful and it's still rather baffling how he got the job in the first place.

Ironically in the fifth place, the Europa League spot, is Michael Laudrup. The Dane made history by winning Swansea's first ever major trophy in 2013, battling for Capital One Cup glory and earning the Swans first venture into Europe in 22 years. Domestically however, Laudrup's record was somewhat underwhelming.

Laudrup's ninth place finish in 2012/13 actually only saw 11 league wins in total. Just five more than that Capital One Cup campaign! The distraction of trips to Spain, Russia and Switzerland in the Europa League certainly didn't help his cause, but his accrued league win percentage stands at 27.41%.

In fourth spot is the man who brought the glory days back to Swansea. Brendan Rodgers led the Jack Army to their first top flight appearance since 1983, doing so with an easy-on-the-eye footballing style beloved by neutrals far and wide. That unique pass-based gameplan gained plenty of plaudits as the Swans earned a surprising 11th place finish - but how many games did Brendan win at the helm?

On the whole, Rodgers left with a superb 44.79% win ratio. In the Premier League, however, his total 12 wins from 38 earns him a disappointing percentage of 31.57%.

Marginally behind Paul Clement in second place is the man who began last season in charge - Francesco Guidolin. The experienced Italian was granted just seven games in the dugout before the hierarchy got rid last season, in spite of a hard-fought 12th place finish in the season previous.

It's a controversial decision to this day - Guidolin had seen far too many of his key players moved on in the transfer window and the Swans fans had a lot of time and respect for him. Nevertheless, it is what it is.

So here we are. Most fans will have already worked it out, but it's true. Swansea City's best Premier League permanent manager since 2011 is club legend Garry Monk!

His role in helping the Swans recover from a dreadful first half to the 2013/14 season was pivotal, restoring the positive vibes in the dressing room. In his only full season at the helm, Monk led the Swans to their highest Premier League finish of eighth, bringing in highly successful signings Lukasz Fabianski and Gylfi Sigurdsson that season.

Despite seeing positives from his signings of Bafetimbi Gomis and Andre Ayew, Monk was moved on in December 2015 with three wins from 15 league matches.

Nonetheless, Monk's complete combined league win record of 35.82% remains ever-so-slightly better than Clement's current record of 35.71%.

Monk's sacking was deemed harsh by many at the time - would sacking Clement get the same kind of response?

Arsenal 2-1 Swans - Abject Swans cling on to 'positives'

For 30 minutes at least, Swans fans astonishingly began to believe that a near-impossible win at the Emirates was on the cards. As ever, that dream was shattered limply in the space of 10 minutes in the second half.

It could have all been so different. Should Jordan Ayew have squared the simplest of chances to Tammy Abraham when he dispossessed Per Mertesacker inside the Arsenal penalty area with minutes left until half-time, it really could've been game over.

Instead, we're left to hear the same old soundbites. Paul Clement claimed that 'a good performance is just around the corner' midweek, while citing plenty of improvements and positives after another failed good performance on Saturday.

Yes, the goal was a lovely move, Abraham's perfectly weighted pass was dispatched with calmness and precision from Sam Clucas - but where were the other positives?

Arsenal controlled the game, not just in terms of possession (of which they had 73%), but in terms of the flow and the chances. The first Arsenal goal was a tad lucky with the ball bobbling to Kolasinac rather fortunately, but the second goal was a complete and utter shambles. Ramsey was in acres of space, queuing up with other teammates inside the box, while Kolasinac had all the time in the world to pick the pass.

That second half Swans display was almost certainly one of the worst we've seen all season. The lack of changes, attacking intent and belief in the ranks at 2-1 was disturbing.

Clement said post-match: "It's always going to be a difficult test against an Arsenal side with so many quality offensive players - you have to be so focused for the whole game. I thought we deserved a point."

Words of a man clutching at straws with his job on the line, no doubt. And rightly so after another 90 minutes evidence of regression.

Arsenal v Swansea Preview (28/10/2017)

After last weekend’s result, Swansea City will look to put things right in their upcoming fixture against Arsenal. The 2-1 home loss to Leicester wasn’t what Paul Clement had in mind, and travelling to the Emirates Stadium will be no easy task.

Despite the recent loss, Swansea actually had 56% possession, meaning they had plenty of the ball throughout the game. The Swans had a number of chances, but didn’t prove to be clinical enough in the end.

Still on eight points, Swansea are hovering around the lower part of the Premier League as goal difference is the saviour of the side’s position. The total goals conceded so far isn’t actually too bad at 10, while goals scored has tallied just six. The lads need to be more clinical in front of goal if they are to claim vital points this season.

The key player for Swans thus far has been Tammy Abraham. The youngster currently has four league goals to his name and proves a threat up front. His lanky physique is a great asset to have on the pitch and, if utilised correctly, Swansea have that “go-to” player.

Although we are only nine games into the season, fans will feel a little edgy after the recent loss to Leicester and there is many reasons to be. The main thing on any Premier League fans’ mind would be the security of your own team in the Premier League. Thinking about not being in that bottom three is painful at times.

For now, Swansea shouldn’t need to worry. Despite playing away to Arsenal next, there are five teams currently below them. Plus, those other teams will have to play each other and some of the top sides in the Premier League yet.

Heading into the Arsenal fixture, Arsene Wenger’s side are still missing key players. Santi Cazorla is still out injured; as are Calum Chambers, Skhodran Mustafi and Danny Welbeck. None of these three players will be back for the Swansea game.

The Swans will have four players missing for the trip to the Emirates Stadium. Kyle Bartley of course is still injured. Martin Olsson suffered a hamstring injury and doesn’t have a return date set yet. Rentao Sanches is out until November with a thigh strain and Wilfried Bony has a hamstring problem which makes him a major doubt against Arsenal.

Paul Clement will be having a headache over wanting his strongest side possible but with key players missing he will have to make due. The key now is to focus on the game ahead and hopefully grab something against Arsenal.

The Gunners may have won 5-2 at Everton last time out but they ARE conceding goals. If Swansea head into the game with a positive attitude, they could shock Arsene Wenger’s side. We have already seen them lose a few times this season and there is no reason why the Welsh side can’t beat them this weekend. 

Up the Jack Army.

Loanee must continue firing on all cylinders for the Swans

Now we already know the highest scoring player for the Swans this season is Chelsea loanee, Tammy Abraham. The 20-year-old has looked keen in front of goal and definitely has potential to do great things. But can he score more than enough goals for the Swans this season?

With only six goals scored by Swansea so far, a player like Tammy Abraham is certainly needed. Standing at 6’3, the youngster can use his towering frame to an advantage when taking part in set pieces or jostling for the ball in the air.

Tammy Abraham, or “Kevin Oghenetega Tamaraebi Bakumo-Abraham” as he is known by his birth name, has really taken to a shine at Swansea since joining on loan. He impressed at Bristol City in the Championship last season by being the league’s second top goal scorer. His tally of 23 goals was only beaten by then, Leeds striker, Chris Wood with 27.

At such a young age, Abraham has much potential and a lot to learn even though he is seen as the main threat in Paul Clements’ side. The striker has also averaged a goal for every four shots taken. With a conversion rate of 25% you would bet on the England under-21 starlet to grab plenty more goals this season.

Come the end of the campaign, Tammy Abraham could be crucial in Swansea’s final league finish. With Arsenal being the next opponents, Paul Clement will hope the young forward can cause the Gunners’ defence all sorts of issues.

Arsenal haven’t looked all that great as they have conceded 12 goals already this season. That’s more than one goal per game. Even though they beat Everton 5-2 their defence does look a little shaky. If Abraham can nit-pick his way in the upcoming game there could be an upset on the cards.

When it comes down to attacking threats, Tammy Abaraham is seen as a reliable source. He proved it in the Championship last season and he is starting to prove it this year in the Premier League. Paul Clement does have faith in him and the more time he gets the more confident he will be.

Getting a goal this weekend would be something special for the youngster but even playing any part in a positive result against Arsenal will be gladly taken.