Ki Sung-Yong @ Sunderland A.F.C. 2013-2014 Part II [R]

You may or may not be able to watch today's friendly, I believe S4C (the Welsh speaking channel on British TV) are streaming the game although I'm unsure whether you'll be able to pick it up outside the UK and the commentary will probably be in Welsh.

As for transfer news, it's look more and more likely that De Guzman won't be staying here. A move to QPR looks a real possibility and it does seem a case of the player wanting more money, which does surprise me. It's a step backwards for him, at a club that doesn't suit his style of play and so many players have gone down similar roads to PJS at that club.

In more positive news, it looks like we're close to signing Federico Fernandez for £8 million as Chico's replacement. He'd be a good signing for us.

 

or this guy

anyways, you guys have a thin squad. i'm surprised you guys haven't purchased another DM yet considering Britton seems to be out with small injuries often lately.

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...plete-signing-valencias-4025994#ixzz39tpRQKWj

 

#Swans starting XI v @VillarrealCF: Fabianski, Rangel, Bartley, Williams (C), Taylor, Ki, Shelvey, Sigurdsson, Montero, Gomis, Bony.

— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) August 9, 2014

 

hmm.. so far

Ki - okay with his distribution/cycling possession when he drops deep to start an attack. offered next to nothing in attacking positions though...

Shelvey - his accuracy in passing is disappointing (especially when he drops deep to start an attack). much better in forward position as he had one or two passes (didn't connect) that could have been dangerous. btw, he def. improved on his work-rate & tracking back to help out defensively.. although, you still see moments where he slacks/eases off

Montero/Taylor - looks good.. majority of the offense being generated on the left

Sigurdsson - umm, is he playing? anonymous

Bony/Gomis - threat in the air, Bony playing much more centrally with Gomis drifting towards right flank at times

 

wow, that's really pathetic 3rd goal they conceded.

Villareal going through the middle with ease...

 

FT: 3-0 Villareal (should have been 5 or 6-0)

that was pathetic. they look more like classic English team in 4-4-2 (Sigurdsson looking lost as RM) using two brutes up front & pathetic defending in the back.

 

They're going to be embarrassed by Manure... Completely out-thought tactics wise.

Fabianski is a terrible distributor of the ball. Rangel still can't cross. Opposition should leave the entire right side open for him to receive the ball to screw up the cross... Midfield completely overrun playing a narrow 4-4-1-1...

Bony just could care less. Didn't even bother to jump and provide a decent wall for the second goal. Just gave up on decent scoring opportunities.

Bartley was terrible. Amat is just much better. Shelvey has a low footballing IQ despite having the basics to be good. Montero seems to think half decent fullbacks can't match his pace. Wrong.... He does that one move which left him exposed or prone to one bad cross after another... Where was Routledge?

Wow... that was bad.

 

Routledge and Dyer were both injured, we only had the one winger and twelve first team player so had little option to go with an experimental side.

It was worth testing two up top, but that set up was too attacking, left too many holes defensively and I'm sure we'll line up 4-2-3-1 against United even if it involves playing Alex Bray at right wing.

As for Bony, no he doesn't close everything down but that's not what he's in the team for. He was the same last season but was by far our best player, and even though today was hardly a vintage performance from him he was still a threat in the final third.

 

Read more: http://www.southwales-eveningpost.c...-22339010-detail/story.html?478#ixzz3A6H7yIWi

 

Stambouli is what we need, with JDG set to join QPR it looks like Ki will be allowed to play in a more advanced role.

DM: Britton, Stambouli
CM: Ki, Shelvey
AM: Sigurdsson, Emnes

Federico Fernandez looks close to joining form Napoli, he'll replace Chico.

If we can get Stambouli and Fernandez in, I think we'll just need a right back to complete our squad.

 

Fernandez would be a terrific signing, a step up from Chico imo. Only the miraculous revival of form from Demichelis kept him out of the starting 11 for Argentina at the World Cup.

 

Yeh, I'd be very pleased with both of them. That's why I think some of the criticism against Villarreal was a bit soon, as it stands we've lost a lot of players from last season and are close to being able to replace them with some quality.

 

Ki's set to join a new contract with us.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/swansea-citys-ki-sung-yeung-ready-7596924

“I haven’t had a contract yet; they are talking and I just focus on the field.

“But I don’t want to chase money, I don’t want to spend my life just chasing money. I just want to play, perform well on the pitch so that then maybe I can earn moremoney. But the important thing is that I have a great feeling on the field.”

“I’m happy being back here and I spoke to Garry who I know very well and he knows me very well.

“I think I can improve how to play because at Swansea, the way we play, is something I like very much although it is much harder than at other teams because you need to think more. This is not just long ball, you need to pass more and think more.

“But Garry is a very good manager and I think I can learn from him and the team-mates so I think it can be a very good season.”

 

Well I understand what he's saying, he naturally wants to play for a big club where he will earn more money. He feels his best chance of doing that is with us, a team with a manager he likes and a team suited to his style of play. A lot of players, with De Guzman, Pablo and Chico being amongst them, alternatively looking for more money and in doing so are reducing there chances of joining a big club.