Acquisitions - moving in the right direction.

[Mole_Toonfan]

 

Jul 2010  James Perch  Nottingham Forest  £TBC Shaky at best in the Prem

 

[Anderson]

There no shade of green bright enough to do Cisse justice.

Also think Santon should move from Amber to Green.

[Stu]

 

Aug 2008 Nile Ranger FWD Unattached 2 year deal tbc Development Squad - knocking on 1st team squad but has character issues

Sep 2008 Francisco Jiminez Tejada "Xisco" FWD Deportivo la Coruna £5.7m rising to £7m Done jack all. Arguably never given/taken his chance. His signing appears to have been the catalyst for the deliberate shift in transfer policy. Fucked off Jan 13. 

Sep 2008 Ignacio "Nacho" Gonzalez FWD Valencia Season long loan

 

 

Contrast that with the 'success rate' of signings under the new transfer policy:

 

Jan 2010  Danny Simpson  Manchester United  £TBC  First choice RB for the club. Has been upgraded by Debuchy.

Jan 2010  Wayne Routledge  QPR  £TBC Effective in the Championship, found out in the Prem

Jan 2010  Mike Williamson  Portsmouth  £TBC Effective in the Championship, capable in the Prem. Struggled in 2012/13.

Jan 2010  Fitz Hall  QPR  Loan

Jan 2010  Patrick Van Aanholt  Chelsea  Loan

Feb 2010  Leon Best  Coventry City  £TBC Barren in the Championship, on-fire in the Prem. Sold for a profit in Summer 12

Feb 2010  Jóan Símun Edmundsson  B68 (Faroe Islands)  Loan tbc Development Squad - released

 

Jul 2010  James Perch  Nottingham Forest  £TBC What a difference 6 months makes, from figure of ridicule to cult legend, "Perchinio" has found his feet at the club and turned out to be an astute capture (was initially red).

Jul 2010  Dan Gosling  Unattached  Free Not seen enough of him to judge, in and around squad though. Still not made a significant contribution after two and a half years. Injury riddled.

Jul 2010  Sol Campbell  Unattached  Free Brought in for 'experienced cover', didn't do a lot

Aug 2010  Cheick Tiote  FC Twente  £TBC First choice CM for the club

Aug 2010  Hatem Ben  Arfa  Marseille  Loan

Jan 2011  Hatem Ben Arfa  Olympique Marseille  £5.75m  First choice anything for the club

Jan 2011  Stephen Ireland  Aston Villa  Loan 

Feb 2011  Shefki Kuqi  Unattached  Free Brought in for 'experienced cover', didn't do a lot

 

Jun 2011  Yohan Cabaye  Lille  £TBC First choice CM for the club

Jun 2011  Demba Ba  Unattached  Free First choice ST for the club. Scored 29 in 54 before Chelsea activated the release clause.

Jun 2011  Sylvain Marveaux  Stade Rennes  £TBC Looks capable in the Prem. Injury ruined season. Stepped up in 2012/13 to show he is a very good player.

Jul 2011  Mehdi Abeid  Unattached  Free Development Squad - knocking on 1st team squad. Hasn't progressed in 12months.

Aug 2011  Gabriel Obertan  Manchester United  £TBC Had a run in the team, never really settled. Doesn't have the fans onside but still has something to work with. Injury hit 2012/13

Aug 2011  Davide Santon  Inter Milan  £TBC Looking more settled after a run in the team. First choice LB for club in 2012/13

Aug 2011  Rob Elliot  Charlton Athletic  £TBC Brought in for 'cover', shown glimpses of being a decent keeper in Europa

 

Jan 2012 Papiss Demba Cissé SC Freiburg £TBC 13 goals in 12 games. Struggled along with the team in 12/13 (played on the wing, mind)

 

May 2012 Romain Amalfitano Stade De Reims Signed on a free. Limited opportunities so far

Jul 2012 Gael Bigirimana Coventry City Signed for the development squad but pushed into the forefront this season and had some promising displays

Jul 2012 Curtis Good Melbourne Heart Signed for development squad and spent half season on loan at Bradford, some good reviews

Aug 2012 Vurnon Anita Ajax £6.7m Looks a very tidy player, struggled at first but started to become an important player in an injury hit side

 

Jan 2013 Mathieu Debuchy Lille £5m tbc First choice RB (over Simpson). Best friends with our most important player.

Jan 2013 Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa Montpellier £6.7m tbc Arrived with CL pedigree and captain of the French league champions

Jan 2013 Yoan Gouffran Girondins Bordeaux £2m tbc Some intelligent and pacey displays.

Jan 2013 Massadio Haidara AS Nancy £2.5m tbc Signed as a longer-term first team option

Jan 2013 Moussa Sissoko Toulouse £2m tbc Brought in ahead of a summer Bosman, hit the ground running with a stunning home debut and three good performances.

Jan 2013 Kevin Mbabu Servette £tbc Signed for the development squad

 

EDITS:

 

Youth signings who have been released all downgraded to red.

Ranger dropped from Orange to Red (biggest achievement: has managed to get to training on time for 6 weeks)

Santon upped from Orange to Green (now first choice LB, has some room for defensive improvement but a good attacking option)

Summer 12 and Jan 13 transfers added - only Sissoko 'graded' and even then, at a push.

 

How do you rate the summer and Jan transfers (red, orange, green)?

 

I know it's early days for the Jan transfer window but I'm definitely a bit more optimistic about them.

 

How about our earlier signings - any revisions?

 

Marveaux was the most difficult for me, I think he's a cracking player but we just haven't seen enough of him in the 18months he's been at the club to say he's been a success (some might suggest that means he's a red).

 

Gosling is on the verge of dropping into the red zone - just hasn't been fit to challenge for a place.

 

Have broken up the transfer periods to give a picture of how busy we were in each (and what type of player we brought in - youth/first team)

[Spudil]

Jan 2010  Wayne Routledge , found out in the Prem

 

 

 

[Stu]

Don't rate him.

[Froggy]

I didn't even know Ronny Johnsen signed for you.

 

Surprised to see Williamson green, especially with the amount of hate he receives on here.

[oldtype]

We wouldn't be in the Prem if we hadn't signed Williamson then. He's just been kept around way past his expiry date through no fault of his own.

 

No idea what Swansea have been feeding Routledge.

[Stu]

We wouldn't be in the Prem if we hadn't signed Williamson then. He's just been kept around way past his expiry date through no fault of his own.

 

No idea what Swansea have been feeding Routledge.

 

Don't think Williamson is past his expiry date; just being forced into having to play him when his confidence is shot to pieces is the issue for me. He's a decent reserve for Europa/cup matches. Shouldn't be relied upon for a 40+ game season at premiership level.

 

As fo Routledge, Spanish doctor at club, player has sudden surge in performance

[Minhosa]

I'd say there was an argument for Bigi to be a green given he's surpassed all reasonable expectation levels with his performances to date.

 

Gosling probably a red for me.

[stozo]

I'd say there was an argument for Bigi to be a green given he's surpassed all reasonable expectation levels with his performances to date.

 

Gosling probably a red for me.

Definitely agree on Gosling. Wouldn't surprise me if he's moved on in the summer.

[Spudil]

Don't rate him.

 

Neither did Pardew and he sure proved him wrong.

 

Better stats than anyone in our squad. We sure could use him right now especially as he plays  where we are weakest/lacking any depth.

 

 

[Yorkie]

Don't rate him.

 

Neither did Pardew and he sure proved him wrong.

 

Better stats than anyone in our squad. We sure could use him right now especially as he plays  where we are weakest/lacking any depth.

 

 

 

Routledge was hopeless in the first half of our first season back. He has since improved but I don't begrudge anyone at the club for feeling like we needed to improve on him.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I was disappointed when Routledge was let go, he's not as good as people say now but he's a decent footballer who offers something different to our other players. He's also much better than Obertan.

[Dave]

I was disappointed when Routledge was let go, he's not as good as people say now but he's a decent footballer who offers something different to our other players. He's also much better than Obertan.

 

[Spudil]

I was disappointed when Routledge was let go, he's not as good as people say now but he's a decent footballer who offers something different to our other players. He's also much better than Obertan.

 

Agree except for the bolded part- who are these people? 

 

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I was disappointed when Routledge was let go, he's not as good as people say now but he's a decent footballer who offers something different to our other players. He's also much better than Obertan.

 

Agree except for the bolded part- who are these people? 

 

 

Nobody specific, just everyone who goes mental over how class Swansea are, and highlights pundits.

[Minhosa]

I was disappointed when Routledge was let go, he's not as good as people say now but he's a decent footballer who offers something different to our other players. He's also much better than Obertan.

 

Agree with that. There's a brain there which is the difference between him and Obertan.

[Stu]

Don't rate him.

 

Neither did Pardew and he sure proved him wrong.

 

Better stats than anyone in our squad. We sure could use him right now especially as he plays  where we are weakest/lacking any depth.

 

Proved wrong how?

 

He's been the benefactor of playing in a well-organised Swansea side who not only play to his strengths (quick passing around the park allows them to pull defences out of line for his pace to exploit) but have plenty of more dangerous players for the opposition to concentrate on, like his right back Angel Rangel - one of the most offensively minded RBs in the league.

 

He still doesn't inspire me with confidence when he has time to think on the ball.

[Spudil]

Proved wrong how?

 

"and, you know, we have to get better than Wayne and that’s what we’re gonna aim to do.”

 

Better stats than anyone in our squad

 

How could Routledge possibly have proved him more wrong?

 

Unless, of course, Alan Pardew does not value goals and assists.

[Eddy Chibas]

I was disappointed when Routledge was let go, he's not as good as people say now but he's a decent footballer who offers something different to our other players. He's also much better than Obertan.

 

Agree except for the bolded part- who are these people? 

 

 

Nobody specific, just everyone who goes mental over how class Swansea are, and highlights pundits.

 

Those people who go mental, (to use your wording) over how class Swansea have looked, are well within their right.

 

Laudrup has taken Martinez & Rodgers' model (moreso Rodgers') and improved it. One doesn't need to bear witness to each game of theirs (beyond highlights) to spot the differences. Under Rodgers they were heading in the right direction, but there was quite alot ofhff&puff possession in the middle third.

 

Under Laudrup they break quicker, but the deal clincher (for me) are the switch-ups from left-to-right, and vice versa, in the middle third. This wasn't a distinguishing feature under Rodgers, hence the mentioning of huff&puff possession. But now they're disruptingopposition defensive shape with those switches of play, and it's buying their widemen a few yards headstart/open acres to exploit.

 

Routledge is not a world beater - still lightweight, and his final ball (and decision making) is still hit & miss. However Laudrup's system (his philosophy re: ball movement through the middle third) is extracting the maximum return from somebody who does have nuisance value, namely Routledge's speed, but still lacks a killer edge to his game. The one-two punch on his wing (ie. an overlapping, playmaking fb), as alluded to by Stu, has helped him no end. Routledge isn't a world beater, but there are factors ar work that are maximising his best attributes.

 

FWIW Swansea's potential, with the sort of midfield movement Laudrup preaches (obviously works on it a lot more than just one day per week), if they were armed with the cutting edge Cabaye, Ben Arfa & Sissoko - it's a bit scary. I'll add Cisse in there as well because he is most dangerous when ghosting into the box on the defense's weak side. As a sole striker, with freedom to roam the line, he thrives on switches of play in the attacking half. It's his bread & butter, and we don't it often enough ala Laudrup's Swansea.

 

I think you're thumbing-up your nose a bit, at what Swansea are actually doing this season - beyond the results too.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I'm not at all, you've completely misunderstood. I think Swansea are brilliant and what they're doing is fantastic.

 

I was just saying Routledge is still only marginally better than when he played for us, but he seems to be thought of much, much better now. All the factors you state are probably correct.

[Stu]

Proved wrong how?

 

"and, you know, we have to get better than Wayne and that’s what we’re gonna aim to do.”

 

Better stats than anyone in our squad

 

How could Routledge possibly have proved him more wrong?

 

Unless, of course, Alan Pardew does not value goals and assists.

 

Goals and assists are the only thing you rate a player on? You must be all for bringing back Carroll and Nolan then.

 

Not sure you've made the best supporting argument to your claim that Routledge is a better player than Gouffran, Cisse or Anita (to name three of the midfield or attacking players we've signed since selling him).

 

FWIW, Amalfitano is probably his direct replacement (cheap, versatile wide player) but as we've seen bugger all of him in this first season, I couldn't say whether he's better than Routledge or not. Either way, that still doesn't mean that Routledge is a Premiership-quality player.

[Unbelievable]

I think Routledge has proved this season he is Premiership quality when used right tbf.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I think Routledge has proved this season he is Premiership quality when used right tbf.

 

I always thought he was. Not brilliant, but good enough for a mid table side in this league, and probably better than that if the style suits him.

[Unbelievable]

I think Routledge has proved this season he is Premiership quality when used right tbf.

 

I always thought he was. Not brilliant, but good enough for a mid table side in this league, and probably better than that if the style suits him.

 

Agreed. He falls in the Guthrie category for me, as in he was a decent squad player for us, who moved on to get more playing time, which is understandable. Hasn't worded out well for Guthrie so far, but Routledge seems to be doing well and I don't begrudge him for it.