Carlos Carvalhal’s side find themselves in the 18th position at 27 points before they kick off against West Ham United on Saturday. Naturally, the game carries utmost importance for the Swans, as they need to be on their toes to finish above the relegation zone at the end of the ninety minutes.
Team News:
Leroy Fer is ruled out of the rest of the season due to an Achilles injury. Wilfried Bony is yet to recover from a knee knock and Renato Sanches is sidelined with a hamstring injury. Angel Ragnel won’t play due to a groin injury.
Formation: 5-4-1
Defence:
Lukasz Fabianski has been one of the best goalkeepers in the league this season and has been a rock at the back as he has to deal with a fragile defence every week. His shot-stopping skills coupled with the command that he exudes inside the box has seen Fabianski make long leaps in his career this season.
Alfie Mawson and Federico Fernandez will flank Mike van der Hoorn as they would form a three-man defensive partnership. This way, the backline will be more compact, rigid and better organized as all the three defenders rarely venture forward and hold inside the box to absorb the pressure of numerous attacking moves that West Ham will come up with in this game.
Kyle Naughton and Martin Olsson will play as right and left backs respectively as they will try to provide greater width in both attack and defence.
Midfield:
Sam Clucas has been remarkable from the left-winger’s slot as his widespread passing range, close control and ability to run behind the defenders help the forwards to link up in a better way with the midfield. Nathan Dyer at the right-winger’s slot will accompany him. Dyer might not be the most creative midfielder, but his tenacity and the intensity to run from box-to-box will add a new dimension to Swansea’s midfield.
He can regularly cut in to make a three-man midfield whenever Clucas shifts ahead to play as a left-winger. Dyer also provides the team a better defensive cover and overall is important to the functioning of the team. Ki-Seung Yung will be expected to shield the backline, to thwart off attacks and then lay it off to the wingers to kick-start an attacking move.
Tom Carroll will partner him at the centre of the park. Carroll is usually given the freedom to surge ahead but he does his defensive duties completely too.
Attack:
Jordon Ayew will play as the lone striker upfront though players like Dyer and Clucas will flank him on certain occasions when the ball will be on the opposition’s box. Ayew will have to be at his clinical best to ensure that his team doesn’t mess up with any points in this game.
