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

Ki & Shelvey partnership? now i'm intrigued.... I have painful memories of Shelvey & Adam or Shelvey & Henderson partnership

 

Well the main objective is to stay up in the division, but at the moment I think we'll finish in the top half.

We still have got work to do, and we do need to improve in terms of depth in the full back area. I think we're fine with Chico, Williams, Amat and Bartley as our four centre backs. Chico and Williams do need to improve from last season though.

Bony already replaced Michu's goals from last season, and on top of that we have Gomis and Sigurdsson. If we're going to have problems it's not going to be in the final third.

Our team's a lot more rigid in terms of a system, the wingers stay out wide rather than drifting outside and Sigurdsson will be a pivot as opposed to the free roaming Pablo/Michu. I still think primarly it will be a 4-2-3-1, although 4-4-2 is an option and Bony and Gomis were tested today as a strike partnership.

Shelvey's improved a lot since he's left Liverpool, especially in terms of intelligence and ball retention.

Ki would have to be the deepest midfield, as there's little other option there at the moment. Besic went to Everton, Britton's injured, Fulton's injured, Canas is leaving.

 

The challenge for monk based on what I've seen is finding plan B when normal swansea possession isn't enough.

 

Ki deepest?
Goddammit

 

I'm sure Ki will play deepest of the 3 but considering he is "soft" and Shelvey isn't known to be defensive stout.... I'm intrigued how they will fair when they don't have possession or go up against quality sides. Btw, didn't majority of Shelvey's good game come as CAM last season (with his occasional crackers from distance)?

 

We did get the best out of him in attacking midfield, but he played a lot of last season in the box to box role and he's strong enough in the challenge to play there.

The big question really is on Ki in terms of that partnership, there's no doubting his ability to retain possession and to dictate the pace of the game but is he good enough defensively to play so deep?

Well we've got plenty of different options, including 4-4-2 with Bony and Gomis together.

I don't think that having a plan B is the be all and end all though, it's just solving the problems that can occur with our possession. Usually it's a case of not having enough creativity to break teams down when they put 10 men behind the ball.

We just don't really have another option at the moment, but that isn't to say that will be the case all of the season.

We've been linked with a couple of holding midfielders, and I think our interest in Besic seemed to be genuine so there's a good chance we'll bring in another holding midfielder to allow Ki to play further forward.

 

i think it's on both. Ki can be regista type of DM but not a classic DM. Ki & Shelvey average about 2 defensive action per game. Anyways, for this partnership to work.. Shelvey better elevate his game like Henderson (he does a great job of covering Gerrard with his work-rate) but Shelvey can be lazy when it comes to defense.

http://www.squawka.com/players/ki-s...e#8#season-2013/2014#64#all-matches#1-38#type

http://www.squawka.com/players/jonj...e#8#season-2013/2014#64#all-matches#1-38#type

edit: and this is Britton from last season..

http://www.squawka.com/players/leon...e#8#season-2013/2014#64#all-matches#1-38#type

 

I don't think its a formation issue as much as tempo issue. Laudrup identified it but didn't know how to change the meter outside individual pushing from say Michu.

Anyway, will be interesting to see. I think having shelvey and Ki more even could bring some unpredictability to their game but would certainly be straining on their back line.

 

http://www.southwales-eveningpost.c...tory-22018071-detail/story.html#ixzz38xHSGma7

 

Nice. For both goals, Ki had the pass leading to the assist. Seems like Ki's having a pretty good preseason.

 

Already signed for Everton.

 

I know, the point being that our interest in Besic means that we could well be after a holding midfielder.

 

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jonathan-de-guzmans-swansea-city-7524559

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...h-united-todays-transfer-gossip-30471216.html

 

Don't really believe that story to be honest. Don't forget it was the times that believe Ki was in Birmingham speaking to Aston Villa a few weeks ago.

None of the London clubs really suit him, he hasn't earned a move to the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham whilst QPR, West Ham and Crystal Palace aren't really a step forward. He seems very keen to join us, and whilst he might not join us it's much more likely that it will be due to Villareal wanting too much more money then him not wanting to stay.

 

That's probably true but QPR & West Ham could offer more in wages.

 

Was telegraph iirc. Maybe guardian

 

I didn't see the Plymouth game and it wasn't streamed, but since the game I've spoke to a few people who went and all felt Ki was one of the best players on the pitch.

Reading away today at 3pm GMT, looks like most of these players will play all 90 minutes.

Fabianski
Tiendalli - Bartley - Williams (C) - Taylor
Shelvey - Ki
Routledge - Sigurdsson ....................
Gomis - Bony

Not quite sure what the shape of the team is, but that would be my guess with Routledge roaming all over the pitch and Sigurdsson staying central. Very attacking, will be interesting to see how we get off.​

 

Won 3-1, two goals from Routledge, one from Gomis and a missed Bony penalty. Only a few subs made from the starting line up and Ki played the full 90.

Ki again impressed based from the radio feed who pointed him out as one of the three best players on the pitch.

Looks like a certainty to start the league campaign.

 

Thanks for the reports from the ground. This season looks to be a bright one for our KPA's. Can't wait!

 

So quite a clear out with Chico next up to go to the desert.

 

Yeh, he was in our plans but like Pablo he wanted to go to Qatar. I think Pablo, Laudrup and Chico share the same agent Bayram Tutumlu who doesn't get on well with the club at all.

Virgil Van Dijk's reportedly being lined up to replace him from Celtic, whilst we've been linked with Adam Matthews and Kyle Naughton at full back, had a bid rejected for Ramon Azeez at holding midfield and are still in talks with Jonathan De Guzman.

Looks like our new squad might take some time to settle in, but it looks like we'll go in to the new season with a strong squad nonetheless.

 

http://www.espnfc.com/club/swansea-city/318/blog/post/1977549/spanish-swans-set-sail-for-exit

 

We'll see, we'll definitely bring in some players and I'd be surprised if we didn't bring in at least one central midfielder. Ideally this will be a holding midfielder, which would put some defensive pressure of Ki.