With great thanks to our friends over at Vital Swansea, we ask a few questions about the game on Saturday.
With great thanks to our friends over at Vital Swansea, we ask a few questions about the game on Saturday. Kevin answers questions on their new gaffer Michel Laudrup, the Swans’ likely goal threat and his prediction for the game.
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1) Our former boss Brendan Rodgers did a great job at Swansea, do you reckon Michael Laudrup can better his predecessor?
It’s early days yet for Michael Laudrup and so far he’s had a rather indifferent start. It couldn’t have gone much better after the first three games, we looked like a great team – full of attacking threat, but after 3 defeats in a row, we look like eleven individuals with a weak and vulnerable defence.
It’s a big test for Laudrup now to get his players’ confidence back up to where they were in the first few games. He’s arguably done better than Rodgers in the transfer market, but it’s going to be really really tough for him to beat last year’s 11th place finish.
2) Who are the player/s to look out for in your team that could cause us some problems on Saturday?
We need Michu to return to his former self as he has struggled to make any impact recently. He was a big threat in the first 3 games, scoring four goals and hopefully he can add to that tally against Reading on Saturday.
3) You have had a decent start to the season, but have slightly tailed off in the past few games. Where do you think you will end up?
I don’t expect us to finish in the top half, but I do expect us to finish a lot higher than the bottom 3. It would be very disappointing to fall into a relegation battle as I fully believe we had a squad strong enough to avoid it. Anything around 13-15th would be a decent return in Laudrup’s first season in charge.
4) If you could add one more player to your team, who would it be and why?
Steven Caulker. Last season’s loanee from Spurs was a rock at the back and we need him to boost our weak back four.
5) If you could offload any player from your team, who would it be and why?
Thankfully Laudrup did get rid of a lot of players that weren’t good enough and needed to go. As far as I can remember there’s not many players we should look to sell. Not many fans rate Luke Moore, second choice striker to Danny Graham, but we need him as Itay Shechter, a loanee, is our only other available senior striker.
6) How do you expect to line-up for the match?
If Ashley Williams is not fit, we could line up:
Vorm,
Rangel, Monk, Chico, Tiendalli (unless Davies keeps his place)
Britton, Ki,
Dyer, Michu, Routledge (or Hernandez)
Graham
7) What’s your prediction for the game?
I expect an entertaining and closely fought game, but hopefully we can show a big improvement from our recent performances and edge a victory 2-1, but I Reading will make us work very hard for our first win in 5.
