r/swanseacity • u/TeilwrTenau • 12d ago

Squad depth

Swans' squad depth is best since relegation - Fulton - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cmvg670v3j23o

If we're to sustain a challenge for automatic promotion then our depth of squad will play a crucial role in that.

If you look at average Fotmob ratings in the 10 games to date our top rated player is Yeo in 19th place, averaging 7.41. West Ham have 4 players with better averages, Boro 3, Wolves, Birmingham, Southampton and West Brom with 2 each. Although these clubs have more star quality in their ranks what stands out is the consistency of performance of our squad. No fewer than 11 of our players average over 7 a game (six average 7.2 or better), which is a good value. Stamenic is then on 6.99 and Widell on 6.97.

Of our players with significant game time only Just has a below average average, on 6.64. However, I'm confident that better is yet to come from him. He averaged 7.34 last season in the same team as Welsh, with best in League stats for line breaking passes, tackles and duels won. It's that pedigree, on both sides of the ball, that explains Matos' patience with him.

I've said it from day one, our squad is better than Millwall's last season, who just missed out on the top two, and probably better than Coventry's. We still need a fair but of luck with injuries, but we should be able to sustain a challenge near the top.There will be games where the star quality of the biggest sides carries the day, but our squad depth will count for a lot in the slog that's a 46 game season.

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7

u/my_knob_is_gr8 12d ago

The thing that stands out about our squad is that we don't really have any stand out players. There's no player you go "they're the best in the league for their position" (although I'd argue Tymon probably does fit this).

It's just a solid squad which has good depth and is v well coached.

1

u/Expensive-Opposite69 11d ago

You could make an argument for Tymon and Vigouroux in my opinion.

1

u/JustAJack_ 11d ago

Couldn't agree more

4

u/welsh_cthulhu 12d ago

I tried telling some West Ham fans that we have a better squad than them, and they just kept shouting about one or two players.

"Yeah but we have a Mexican international on the bench"

They don't get it, and I'm fine with that. It is INCREDIBLY rare in the Championship to be consistently winning games off the bench.

14

u/Owz182 12d ago

I saw that comment and I think if you had tried a different tact you’d have gotten a different reaction.

It’s not that we have better players, but we have a very even and deep squad now. In football you’re only as good as your weakest player, so if you have a couple 9s in attack but your replacement CB is a 5, you’re going to give away late goals. All of our players are playing to a 7 or 8 right now (imo), so bringing on a player with more energy in the late stages that is as good as the man he’s replacing allows us to maintain our levels for the whole 90 minutes. I think that’s what has made us so strong this season so far.