How will Swansea City perform under Michael Laudrup next season?
Where will your side finish in 2012-13? With the season just one week away, our pundits have put our heads together to give you a comprehensive set of predictions.
Opinions and analysis on all 20 Premier League clubs are given here by 12 of our writers and pundits here at HITC Sport. On the basis of the predictions from our ‘daring dozen’ we have calculated how the table will look come next May.
How does it work? All the predictions are totalled together, the team with the lowest score will finish 1st, and the highest will finish 20th. Here are the predictions for your club.
Verdict – Swansea will finish in: 14th
Highest prediction: 11th, Lowest prediction: 19th.
Dan Coombs: 19th; It would be devastating for Swansea to be relegated, but there is no denying this will be a tricky season for the Swans. Michael Laudrup is a relative unknown without experience of the Premier League, and it could be a gamble which does not work out. With Allen gone and question marks over Sinclair, the future is far from secure for the Welsh side.
Vic Daniels: 16th; A bit of a struggle this term, with survival the name of the game.
Mathew Nash: 19th; Star Player – Michu. Top Scorer – Michu. Can’t see Swansea staying up this season, especially after losing Caulker, Sigurdsson and now potentially Allen and Sinclair. Laudrup will struggle with his inherited side and despite a standout season for new signing Michu and the impressive Michel Vorm I can’t see Swansea surviving a second stint in the Premier League.
Tomo Taka: 14th; Swansea were the surprise pack of last season’s promoted teams finishing 11th. They have lost Brendan Rogers but have made a shrewd appointment in Michael Laudrup who will implement a similar style of football as his predecessor. They look set to lose Joe Allen but have already signed Michu as a superior replacement. For 22 year old Scott Sinclair, this new season could be his breakout season where he could fulfil the potential that Chelsea once saw in him. Some reports have even suggested that Manchester City are monitoring his progress. Challenge: how they deal without Rogers and how adept Laudrup is in managing the exertions of the Premier League. Their last few games could be potentially dangerous. 3 of last 4 are to Chelsea, Man City and Manchester United. Swansea fans should be wary that should they not be safe by the start of the run of these games, they could find themselves embroiled in a nervy relegation struggle.
Jake Lane: 16th; The Welsh side will not do as well as they did last season. To say they will miss manager Brendan Rodgers will be an understatement and this will take some readjusting. If the Swans take their time to find their feet under new manager Michael Laudrup and become frustrated then they could be in real trouble – the Danish legend must get them playing the “Barcelona football” Rodgers was able to last term. Could still be set to lose key players so in for a tough season.
Nigel Owen: 11th; Many are predicting second season blues for Swansea, especially with Brendan Rodgers departure to Liverpool, but Michael Laudrup is a smart appointment. His experience in Spain has allowed him to bring in some players from there who will further enhance Swansea’s results and style. In three La Liga seasons, Michu has scored 25 goals in 63 games, and could prove a steal at just £2m for the 26 year old. Expect his goals to shoot the Swans to a top half finish.
Surya Solanki: 11th; Despite starting losing the influential figure of Brendan Rodgers, Swansea could be heading in for a decent second season in the top flight. Michu, signed this summer from Rayo Vallecano will be Swans’ most important player and could very well determine how they will perform this time around.
Paul Moore: 12th; Another team with a change of Manager and may take time. I doubt Laudrup will make a lot of changes. Scott Sinclair ais vital for them.
John Aggrey: 11th; It’s right now not hard to predict how Swansea will play. Tiki Tka should still be the theme with Laudrup at Swansea, the shoes should be big to fill but just like his predecessor who came, saw and conquered, one thing I’m so sure of is that Swansea will not be relegated and at the same time will not be in the top ten. Their star man should be Vorm for me. Do you know Michel Vorm? Sure I know you do. Brilliant shot stopper I must say, I was excited when I heard Arsenal wanted him. Biggest Challenge; I think this should be a question to the new man at the helm of the team. Laudrup should be able to implement his own style just like the style the whole EPL came to relate to Rodgers while he was at Swansea. The Swansea Chairman sees this club like a project and really not a silverware minting business and being in line with this vision should be a big plus/challenge for Laudrup.
Naveenan Thanendra: 15th; Everybody had a soft spot for Swansea last season, their free flowing style of football was a joy to behold, and they got the attention they deserved as a result. The problem is, it was probably a little more than they would have hoped for. As a result, they lost Brendan Rodgers to Liverpool, with Joe Allen possibly following him to Anfiield in the near future. While these losses have been addressed by the addition of Michael Laudrup as manager and Michu as the driving force in the middle of the park, the transition will certainly take time to bed in. The signing of Jonathan De Guzman also adds real strength in depth to their attack. However, it is replacing Caulker that they have yet to address and it is a challenge they must deal with before the end of the window if they want to finish further up the table.
Keval Shah: 14th; Michael Laudrup seems like the perfect fit for Swansea after the departure of Rodgers and will be expected to continue the attractive, free-flowing possession football adopted by the Swans last season. Danny Graham will again be required to provide the goals, and with the presence of Michael Vorm in goal and the young British duo of Taylor and Sinclair, I foresee no problems for them this season. They will however be missing a creative link of Joe Allen with the young Welshman set for a move to Liverpool.
Khiam Barry: 15th; Swansea will be looking to stay up again this season. Joe Allen has moved to Liverpool which is a big loss. Scott Sinclair enjoyed good performances for Team GB at the Olympics and will be an important player for Swansea.
Connor Jipps: 14th; Swansea’s impressive debut Premier League season has come at a cost with Brendan Rodgers drawn away from the club by the lure of Liverpool. New manager Danish legend Michael Laudrup will therefore have big boots to step into. Losing Glyfi Sigurdsson and Steven Caulker also will have hurt the Swans with both players excelling in their loan spells at the club and Sigurdsson’s goals in particular will be missed but Swansea have compensated for his loss by purchasing attacking midfielder Michu, a player who will chip in with his fair share of goals. Whilst Caulker was a loss to the Welsh side, one of Swansea’s greatest strengths is the defensive side of their game with Angel Rangel, Ashley Williams and Neil Taylor all performing to an excellent standard last season. Rumours suggest Spurs may look at loaning Caulker back to Swansea but should this not come to fruition Monk and Tate are both solid pro’s able to step in, with new signing Chico said to have the X Factor. Many have been quick to write off last season’s surprise package but Laudrup is no stranger to total football and players with the abilities of Swansea’s stars will make sure that the team book their place in the Premier League for the 2013-14 season.
Full predicted table: (1) Manchester City, (2) Manchester United, (3) Chelsea, (4) Arsenal, (5) Tottenham, (6) Liverpool, (7) Newcastle, (8) Everton, (9) Fulham, (10) Sunderland, (11) Aston Villa, (12) Stoke, (13) QPR, (14) Swansea, (15) West Ham, (16) West Brom, (17) Norwich, (18) Reading, (19) Wigan, (20) Southampton.
Where do you believe Swansea will finish next season?
image: © joncandy
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