Spyin' Kop - Liverpool v Swansea City (5/11/2011)

Posted by Legendary_Nines on November 4, 2011, 12:59:53 pm





 
                                                                            Current Position: 6th                   Current Position: 10th


Both teams come into this fixture on a high after victories with Swansea defeating Bolton 3-1 at home and Liverpool travelling to West Bromwich Albion and coming back home with a 2-0 win.

Swansea City became the first Welsh club to reach England's top flight since 1983 when it beat Reading 4-2 in the Playoff Final last season after finishing 3rd in the regular season. They have been extremely impressive at home, still yet to be defeated but unfortunately, the same can't be said about their away form. They play a fast passing game based around the pace at the front and out wide. They'll be hoping to use this pace to get in behind our back four and come away with as many points as possible.

Liverpool have had what most would say, a solid start to the season. After an undefeated October, they hope to continue the form into November as the quest for a Top 4 spot and Champions League football continues. The chances at goal have been abundant, unluckily not all of these have been put away, resulting in a few disappointing draws which may come back to haunt them when it comes to the pointy end of the season.

So I set off into the unknown and found Planet Swans and they were more then happy to answer a few questions in the lead up to this game.

I'd like to thank Treforys Jack, lifelongswansfan and jonnythejack for taking their time to answer those questions.



Question 1
We are now over a quarter of the way through the season, how happy are you with where you are at the moment and how does it compare with your expectations at the start of the season?

(J) More than happy with where we are at the moment. Our objective is to stay up, it's going well so far. There's definitely 3 sides that are worse than us at the moment.

(L) We are very happy with our progress this season, most of us expected to be in a fight for survival and that will probably still be the case at the end of this campaign.

(T) Relatively happy, though we can't keep throwing 2 goal leads away.



Question 2
You're currently undefeated at  home which you must be stoked about but are yet to get a win away from home, we all know the adage that in order to survive in the Premier League you need to make your home a fortress, but do you think that poor away form may come back to bite you when it gets to the pointy end of the season?

(J) 1 point from a possible 15 isn't great but our first 3 away games were against Man City, Arsenal and Chelsea and anything we got from them was going to be a bonus. So I'd class it as 1 point from a possible 6 with our last 2 away games. If we pick up at least 3 wins on the road we'll be ok.

(L) Although our away form has not been good, some of our performances have been very good. We were very unlucky at Arsenal to come away with nothing and should have wrapped up the 3 points at Wolves. Our worse performance was the second half against Norwich.

(T) Again possibly, but still think we will suprise a few sides, as we are continually underestimated.



Question 3
With the season well and truly underway, how are your new signings going so far and what areas do you think you need to strengthen when the January Transfer Window opens?

(J) Michel Vorm our Goalkeeper has been brilliant so far, his form also got him the number 1 shirt for Holland at the start of this month. Also Danny Graham has also been a brilliant signing. He didn't score in his first 4 games but has now scored in the last 4. Lita and Routledge have also played a little part so far aswell and they've done okay.

(L) The majority of our side is this same as last season with the exception of Graham up front and Vorm the keeper who have settled at the club and are playing very well.

(T) Blackpool were safe at Christmas last year and chose not to invest in January and the rest is history. Danny Graham is not appreciated by everyone but top drawer for me.



Question 4
Do you have any decent young players coming through the ranks who we might not know about that you'd like to see make a push for first team honours?

(J) We have a few decent youngsters, Daniel Alfei, Jazz Richards and Lee Lucas have all played games over the past couple of years. Loans will be good for them though to gain first team experience. Joe Allen came through our youth ranks and is one of, if not our best player. He's capable of playing for a top club in the country. Great player. We have a 15 year old who is highly rated aswell, Kyle Copp. He made his debut in a friendly against Llanelli a few weeks ago and has played in the Victory Shield this year.

(L) We have 5 players recently named in the Wales under 21 squad:- Cornell, Walsh, Alfei, Richards and Lucas. Richards has made one appearance for us this season.

(T) Not really no, not for a season or two, that is possibly the down side of being in the Premier League, its harder for local youngsters to break through the ranks, but on the upside it should mean we can stop losing talent to the Premier League vultures!



Question 5
Do you have any favourite/best chants and perhaps any that might need explaining?

(J) Hymns and Arias has become a favourite of ours over the past year, you'll probably hear that being belted out by the travelling Jacks.

(L) Hymns and Arias is the favourite song. You'll also hear songs like 'are you watching scum bastards?' especially if we're doing well. (He sent me a PM saying that the second chant is dedicated towards Cardiff and not us, just in case there was some confusion.)

(T) As long as we don't sing about Cardiff I'll be happy.



Question 6
Do you have any particular memory of any previous meeting between our two clubs? Whether it be a decision you disagreed with or something that happened on the day?


(J) I'm too young to remember any, some on here definitely have a few!

(L) Losing in the 1982 season 3 - 0 I think. Remember the Joe Jordan incident Wales v Scotland 1977. Couldn't get a ticket for our famous win at Anfield in 1964 when Ronnie Moran missed a penalty for you in the closing minutes.

(T) Leighton James scoring the best goal I've ever seen against Bruce Grobbelaar at The Vetch Field in a 2 - 0 home win for us.



Question 7
What positions do you expect both teams to finish in the league?

(J) Anything above 17th will be a bonus, I'm gonna say 16th. Liverpool to finish 6th.

(L) 15th for us and 5th for you.

(T) Liverpool top 6. Us anywhere outside the bottom 3 and I'll be a happy man.



Question 8
What team are you likely to put out against us and will you be playing the same open passing game that you've had so much success at home with or are you likely to play a more compact, tight game?

(J) Our style won't change this season, we'll stick to our passing game, and our team will most likely be unchanged from last Saturday.

(L) Same side as the past 2 games. We will play our natural game.

(T) Every now and then Brendan throws in a curve ball, don't be suprised if this happens on Saturday, but it will probably be the same side that started last week.


Question 9
What Liverpool player/s do you fear the most? Also, if you could have a Liverpool player in your team, who would it be? (Bonus points for not picking Gerrard or Suarez!)

(J) Suarez is the player I fear the most, great player. And if I'd pick a player apart from Suarez and Gerrard it would be Charlie Adam. He'd have a field day pinging out balls to Dyer and Sinclair.

(L) Suarez is the obvious choice, also Adam is a player to be respected.

(T) I'd fear: Reina to have a blinder or Kuyt to score just because I tell everyone how rubbish he is.



Question 10
What have you made of Liverpool's season so far? Also, there has been much said about our signings in the summer, what do you think of them?


(J) Inconsistent I'd say, dropping points against the likes of Stoke and Norwich could cost you for going for 4th place. Charlie Adam and Enrique are good signings, you definitely needed a top quality left back, I thought it was a position that hasn't been strong enough for you over the years, and you definitely paid over the odds for Henderson. He's worth 8-10 million tops in my opinion.

(L) Indifferent season so far I thought you were lucky to get a point against Norwich. I think you paid too much for Carroll, an obvious threat in the air but can be inconsistent.

(T) Not a Liverpool expert and not really interested in them, but I do feel you overpaid massively for the likes of Carroll and Henderson.



Question 11
Where do you see our weak links being in the squad/team? The area that you might be able to exploit in order to get a good result?

(J) Tough one. The area's we'll try to exploit are both your full backs, Enrique and Kelly with Sinclair and Dyer running at them and running in behind them. We'll try and exploit your midfield aswell, that's if you only play 2 central midfielders against our 3.

(L) Our two wide men have to perform for us to get anything out of the game, if they do they will cause you problems.

(T) Truthfully no idea, but our strength is pace and width, but don't tell KK!


Question 12
And finally, how do you think the match will play out on Saturday?

(J) Head says you'll win 2-0. Heart says 1-1.

(L) I think the game will be a lot tighter than many people believe with you just shading it 2 - 1.

(T) I think you will win comfortably, but anyone who knows me realises I've just jinxed you, I might go the whole hog and put a tenner on you, then you'd be really fecked!





Thanks for reading my first ever Spyin' Kop! Massive thanks has to go to Matt8Pie for helping me with this by reading over my questions and giving helpful tips and pointers!

I hope you had a good read and I'd be more than happy if you have any advice for me on future write ups.

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