As we enter the November international break, our series of 2015-16 team progress reports continues with an examination of Swansea City’s season so far.
What has gone right?
Swansea fans could not have been happier after only four matches into the season. Gary Monk’s side was sitting in a Champions League qualification spot. All the good things happened in those four matches, when the Swans were unbeatable with two wins and two draws during August. Chelsea appeared anxious against Andre Ayew and Jefferson Montero, while Manchester United could not cope with the robust Bafetimbi Gomis.
The Jacks were swift in attack, pushing forward from every part of the pitch and, most importantly, were unpredictable. Newcastle had no way of stopping Montero on the left-flank and Jonjo Shelvey’s thrilling displays earned him a call-up for England. Even Monk, at the time, was being linked with Roy Hodgson’s position. Ashley Williams commanded well in the defence and Lukasz Fabianski was excellent between the posts.
What has gone wrong?
This is the hardest question to answer for many Swansea fans. After the September international break, Swansea began to fade, drowning into the lake they were swimming in so graciously only a couple of weeks earlier. Poor displays started with a disheartening 1-0 loss at Watford’s Vicarage Road. Draws against Everton and Tottenham were only disguising the increasingly poor situation on the pitch, where Monk’s players had problems finding the net.
Gomis has not scored since the Manchester United triumph and has been goalless for 696 minutes in all competitions. His poor performances linked up with Montero’s uniformity on the left-flank and Gylfi Sigurdsson’s usual invisibility behind the French striker. Swansea continued scoring less and less goals, 12 in as many matches, while being unable to keep a clean sheet, in which they succeeded only twice this season. Monk’s team has won only once in its last eight matches – against the league’s worst side so far, Aston Villa – disappointing for a team chasing a top half finish.
Best Player – Andre Ayew
The Ghanaian winger has been by far Swansea’s best player. Ayew joined the Swans this summer on a free transfer after he left Marseille. Five goals and an assist are great numbers, but Ayew’s defensive work is almost never translated into statistics. He has been magnificent helping out Kyle Naughton or Angel Rangel on the right, though it could have been one of the reasons why Swansea were so poor in front of goal.
Ayew’s late goal at Villa Park was crucial in ending a run of poor results, which again occurred in the following two matches. Swansea’s results would have been even worse if there was no Ayew to help out at both ends of the pitch. Yet, Monk could think of giving Ayew a more attacking role where his creativity could be exploited. One thing is for sure – Ayew must pull his teammates forward if they are to reach the European places.
What’s next?
After poor September results, Monk had October to improve the results and put the team back on track. Now, after the dismal form his side has endured, the manager is rumoured to have one last chance to make things right – a trip to Bournemouth after November’s international break.
After the Bournemouth trip, the Swans take on Liverpool, Leicester, Manchester City and West Ham. With the tricky situation Monk is reported to be in, it is hard to see him entering the January transfer window as the Swansea manager. It is tough to believe that the board will still have faith in him, unless he manages to bring Swansea’s game back to a high level, and more importantly, win plenty of points in the process.
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