Swansea have endured a difficult few years in the Premier League. It seems the Swans are in an annual battle for survival. This season looks set to be another struggle for the goal-shy Swans.
However, on Saturday, the Welsh side recorded a vital 1-0 win over fellow strugglers West Brom at the Liberty Stadium. Striker Wilfried Bony won the game courtesy of a goal in the 81st minute.
In recent weeks, there has been major speculation over the future of Swans boss Paul Clement, who came in as the team’s fourth boss of last season. Everybody connected with the club will feel relieved to have picked up the win.
Major problems scoring goals
One of the Swans major problems this season has been scoring goals. The Welsh side have scored just nine goals in the league this season, the lowest of any team in the top-flight.
The summer sales of Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fernando Llorente were always going to cause the Swans problems this season. The team’s two top scorers left, as well as the team’s main creative force.
The players that have come in up front are both capable in Wilfried Bony and Tammy Abraham. However, the pair needs chances to score goals. Bony has struggled for goals in the last few years after a prolific first spell at Swansea. He struggled at Manchester City and Stoke City for first-team football for some reason.
Bony is the sort of player who needs to be playing regularly to hit form. If he can play regularly for the Swans, then he may just become prolific once again in a white shirt. His strike against West Brom was Bony’s first since returning to the Welsh club.
Tammy Abraham is one of the most promising young strikers in the Premier League. The youngster has scored four Premier League goals this season, which was before yesterday half of his team’s top-flight goals.
Clement needs to find a successful style
Swansea’s football philosophy has been to play attacking football in recent years. However, at the minute, they are struggling to create scoring chances and they are certainly not playing in the style of Brendan Rodgers or Roberto Martinez’s teams.
The Swans do not really seem to have the players to battle their way out of trouble either. Swansea boss Clement needs to find a successful style of play for the players at his disposal.
Last season the former Chelsea coach could depend on the attacking talents of Sigurdsson and Llorente. However, the Swans do not have players of the same individual ability. Clement is a highly rated coach, so he now needs to prove his abilities to possibly save his job and the Swans from the drop.
The favourites for the drop
A lack of goals will always see a side struggle in any league in any world. That is why Swansea are 19th place in the Premier League table. However, the only positive for the Welsh side is that they are only one point away from safety.
Another factor is that more teams look to have been dragged towards the relegation dogfight. Clement’s side are now favourites to suffer relegation at 2/5.
The weekend win at least gives the Swans hope of climbing away from the drop zone. If they are to beat the drop, though, they must find a way of scoring goals or it could become a very long season indeed for everybody connected with the Welsh club.
Can Swansea revive their Premier League campaign?
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