Clement Looking For Variation In How His Team Attack

Swansea City head coach Paul Clement says that he’s looking for his team to show variations in how they attack the opposition.

The former Bayern Munich assistant was well aware that he’s not the first person to point out that the Swans do the vast majority of their attacking play in front of the opposition, rather than getting in behind.

We noticed glimpses on Saturday against Arsenal of how Clement is trying to get his team to play balls over the top for wingers, rather than constantly playing the ball into feet, and then hoping they can beat an opposition defender from a standing start – something that is so difficult in the Premier League given the fact that many will double up in wide areas.

Clement is looking to bring variation in his side’s attacking game, and he still believes that they’re capable of ‘beating anyone’ when they’re ‘absolutely on it’ – however – the reality is – is that they look a million miles away from being capable of beating anyone, something you could say about us maybe 2 or 3 years ago.

‘I don’t think I’m the first person who has noticed that (we don’t threaten in behind teams much),’

‘From what I saw against Crystal Palace and Hull, we’ve got comfortable footballers who can build it through the phases. But if you never threaten in behind the defence, then the opposition can squeeze the spaces and possession can become more difficult.

‘We want to have a variation of ways to attack teams whether that be through the middle, into the spaces or down the sides and to have that counter-attacking potential.

‘That’s important in modern-day football.’

‘I know every game you play at this level ? be it an FA Cup game against another Premier League team or against Crystal Palace or Arsenal ? it’s tough,’

‘But on your day and on our day I’m confident we can beat anybody, but we have to be absolutely on it.

‘There’s no question about that. If we have an off day it’s not going to work.

‘We have to be very, very concentrated and at our potential.’

After adding Luciano Narsingh to the squad, Clement is expected to see Norwich City left back Martin Olsson and Spurs midfielder Tom Carroll sign this week ahead of Saturday’s early kick off at Liverpool.