This week’s News Round-Up

We round up all the goings-on at Swansea City in the past week.

This past week has seen the Swans pick up 4 points in the league as well as a LDV Vans Trophy victory in mid-week to take us into the Southern Section Quarter-Final.

The draw was made this morning which saw us tied with Peterborough at home, a fixture that looks a good one if we want to progress to the final in Cardiff. Lee Thorpe has recently returned after a loan spell with The Posh so he could provide the manager with some information on the League 2 side.

It certainly reads better than travelling to a League 1 team such as Bradford or Colchester, who thrashed Gillingham 5-0 today at home.

Following the 2-0 victory against Yeovil 8 days ago (which saw the record attendance at the Liberty Stadium being broken) Lee Trundle said he believes he is good enough to play in the Premiership.

If you ask me, I don’t he’s good enough for the top flight, but that?s no disrespect to the striker, who?s playing brilliantly well for us, scoring 17 goals in as many games. If we do gain promotion, I think Trundle can step up to the mark again, just like he has done this season but that’s as far as he can go in my opinion.

I must admit, I?m surprised we?re top of the league. Jackett brought in only 3 players in the summer but he?s proved we don?t need to splash out money to get success in higher leagues. In the Championship though, we?ll have to spend some cash to improve the squad.

In pre-season, I would have been happy to finish in mid-table and was confident of a decent season that could be followed for a push for promotion the following year.

The bookies now have us as favourites to win the league, after having us as 40-1 outsiders in the summer.

Whether Jackett brings in new faces in the January transfer window is anyone?s guess, I think it?ll be a similar case as to that in summer, if the right player becomes available he?ll certainly take a look but he won?t sign a player for the sake of it.

I do think we need a full back and a striker. Opinions of Akinfenwa are mixed among Swansea fans but Trundle complimented him highly at the recent fans? forum.

He has the power and strength to cause problems and he does get the ball down for Lee. I noticed when he was absent for the match at Huish Park against Yeovil, we didn?t have anyone to win balls in the air and had no targetman for Lee to play off. Forbes struggled throughout the first half and although Jackett says he has players who can play up front, but I think we need an out and out striker as backup.

Chippenham Town striker James Constable rejected a move to the Swans and opted for a move to Walsall instead so hopefully Kenny will continue his search for a frontman. Lee Thorpe isn?t League One quality and Paul Connor lacks strength and aerial ability to play as the targetman role.

Andy Robinson impressed in the LDV Vans Trophy win on Tuesday and was hoping to face his former club today against Tranmere but Jackett went with the same side that beat Yeovil last week. He was involved though, he came on along with Martinez at the start of the second half and the midfielder scored a late equaliser to share the points.

Both players improved things from the restart and they?ll be hoping to return to the starting line-up when they face Scunthorpe next Tuesday. O?Leary didn?t really make an impact for the Swans and McLeod hasn?t been as lively as he was during his goal-fest spell earlier in the season. I think at least one of those players, preferably both of them, should start our next game.

The Christmas period will prove vital if we want to gain another promotion and three wins from the remaining 6 games this year would be excellent.

Scunthorpe (home) ? It won?t be an easy game against the Iron who went up with us this season from League Two but I think we can get a win from this one.
SWANS WIN

Colchester (home) ? They thrashed Gillingham at home today 5-0 and they are starting to get into some form after a poor start. A draw wouldn?t be a bad result but there?s no reason why we can?t win.
SCORE DRAW

Doncaster (away) ? They beat us at home against an injury-struck side and hopefully we can stop them from doing the double over us. Penney?s squad are currently 9th but I think we can get a draw.
SCORE DRAW

Brentford (away)
Brentford are looking good this year and I think they?ll provide us with tough opposition for this one. We played badly today and still fought out for a point but I think Brentford will have too much for us.
BRENTFORD WIN

Gillingham (home)
Colchester thrashed these 5-0 and I think we can beat these as well, they?re four from the bottom so I think this is another game like Swindon, which we must win.
SWANS WIN

Swindon (away) ? Rock bottom of League One and the Swans mustn?t fail to win here.
SWANS WIN

2005
25 games
49 points

Hull, who won promotion last season in League One with a total of 86 points, had 50 points at the end of the year so if we manage to get 49 with these results then this will provide a good base to keep the momentum going in the new year.

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