How good are they to watch?
Swansea may have profited from some charitable defending from West Ham on Saturday, but don’t let that overshadow the footballing lesson which the visitors were given by Michael Laudrup’s side. From one to eleven they were the better side, and the three-nil scoreline only really flattered West Ham.
We’ve covered this topic before, but it’s definitely worth repeating: this side looks better than the one Laudrup inherited. The play with more purpose and they carry a more significant goal-threat. That’s not a criticism of Brendan Rodgers, merely an observation that, now they’re established in the Premier League, this set of players feel more able to exert their authority on other teams.
It’s unfortunate that the sports media in this country appears so blind to any side outside of the top-6, because had Arsenal played the way Swansea had at the weekend, everyone would now be drooling. So West Ham aren’t exactly Manchester City, but you can only beat what’s put in-front of you – and the home side carved up the visitors with such elegance and ease.
On a weekend where Joe Allen received plenty of plaudits, Leon Britton reminded everyone that Allen wasn’t the only reason Swansea were good in possession last season, and Jonathan de Guzman looks born to play under Michael Laudrup’s ideology.
Those who predicted a difficult season at the Liberty Stadium seem determined to hedge their bets by adding a caveat about the standard of opposition faced thus far, but play like they did on Saturday and they will be troublesome for anybody in the league. This is not just a soft-touch of a team, they’re a very decent side – take them lightly at your peril.
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