LEIGHTON JAMES ON HOW SWANS COULD FALL BEHIND BLUEBIRDS

Leighton James: Swansea City could be overtaken by Cardiff City unless Paul Clement starts getting it right
By Leighton James


Friday 27th October 2017


Legend Leighton says it hurts him as a Swans fan, but issues stark warning


I've been very critical of Paul Clement at times because of recent performances and there's been little to change my mind in the last week.

He works in a results business, and at the moment, results simply aren't good enough for Swansea City.

Clement is under a lot of pressure and he deserves to be. Why? Because it is his job to put a winning team together on the field.

He has tried to play with four at the back, he's tried to play with five, but he hasn't given it enough time to work in my opinion.

I must say he has some very good ideas as a result of being a number two at his former clubs. But with Swansea he is the number one and he has to know the buck stops with him when things go wrong.

Swansea City press conference LIVE: Breaking team news and Arsenal preview from Paul Clement
We were gifted two goals by Huddersfield and got a much-needed win, but the follow-up performance against Leicester was awful.

Losing to Manchester United in some ways was acceptable because Joe Public doesn't expect us to beat them, or any of the other big teams.

But I have to say, at the moment, Swansea look like a relegation side to me.

I would love to be able to say we will be okay and there will be a turning point, but for the time being I personally can't see that happening.

It's sad for me as a Swansea fan because the likelihood - based on current form - is that we could be overtaken by Cardiff City very soon, with the way we're playing, and the way they are going under Neil Warnock.

It may be that Clement needs help. Do the Board ask him to name his best XI and tell him to stick with it for three or four games? No chopping and changing.

At least there would be a consistency and pattern of play. Even if the Swans lose, or it doesn't quite work out, I'd still love to see Clement stick with what he thinks is the best team he has at his disposal for more than one game.

At the moment he's making changes every single week, and he's even changing things from half to half at times. That clearly is not working.

In my opinion, players look frightened to do anything and they're too afraid to make mistakes. They may possibly feel that if they do something wrong, they'll get blasted for it or won't be selected for the next match.

At the moment, we don't know what the best team is. I don't think anyone knows it. And there's been no consistency with team selection either, so players won't know where they stand.

At least if the manager selects what he feels is the strongest XI he has and sticks with it for a run of games, then we'll see if they can start to click.

We go to Arsenal at the weekend, and given our fantastic record at the Emirates, we should be heading there full of confidence that we can get a draw at least, even a win.

But I don't think there's anyone who thinks at the moment that we'll achieve the type of result we've managed against the Gunners in the past.

One group I certainly can't fault are the fans.

They have delivered week in week out, not just vocally but numerically as well.

It's not nice to go down to the Liberty when things aren't going well and you sense deep down there isn't much hope of getting a positive result, and you're just desperate to rekindle the spirit from the days at the Vetch.

So it's time for the 11 and the others who play on the pitch to reward the fans who have backed them even though there's been very little reason to cheer.

As manager, Clement has to offer the lead. It's time for him to choose a side and stick to it.

Good number two good pedigree but hasnt managed to prove himself as number one.He has the capability but ask derby fans what tbey think.
Swansea needed a tried and tested manager to stabilise the club and when you loom at things for years they were run perfectly off the pitch.
Now its a shambles.
Thank god for the American's thats all ill say .theg just about stayed up last year i just hopr they go down this year.

So now we all agree with Leighton James. That must be a first for us.

Well one thing it does prove is that they are more obsessed with us than they want to think. How many years in the Premier and all they can think about is us being better than them again. A Jack once told me that is must be hurting us them being better and yes there was an element of that but no where near the hurt that Tan did with the rebrand.

Back on track. Last season I had a feeling Swansea would avoid relegation due to there were more than 3 teams weaker than them. This season I don't think that is the case. 2 of the teams that went up, Newcastle and Brighton, well one should never be playing in the Championship and the other were like Swansea when they went up, had outgrown the Championship. The 3rd team Huddersfield will do well to stay up. So this season I think it is more likely they will get relegated.

If they do come down it is a win win situation for us. We could overtake them which is still on the cards, well a quite well stacked card deck for us here. If the stack falls over then we will have our Derby back and I'd rather have that in the Championship than the Premier.

Their policy over past 3/4 years of selling best players and trying to replace them with similar types is coming back to haunt them? Said 2 yrs ago this will happen (and scoffed at by swans fans) and unless see dramatic improvement cant see them escaping as there is not the weak teams of previous seasons to help them escape.

Things don't look good for them BUT it was even worse last season under Bob Bradley and they got out of it. They are a club who seem to get incredible luck and that is why I'm still not convinced there are 3 worse teams than them, C Palace & Bournemouth for sure plus maybe West Ham, Everton or Stoke?

However, they are a club on the slide and even their luck can't hold out forever. They reached their glass ceiling along time ago and when they fall they will crash right through the floor, possibly all the way back to League 2 within a few seasons.

Things don't look good for them BUT it was even worse last season under Bob Bradley and they got out of it. They are a club who seem to get incredible luck and that is why I'm still not convinced there are 3 worse teams than them, C Palace & Bournemouth for sure plus maybe West Ham, Everton or Stoke?

However, they are a club on the slide and even their luck can't hold out forever. They reached their glass ceiling along time ago and when they fall they will crash right through the floor, possibly all the way back to League 2 within a few seasons.

I don't believe everton stoke or west ham will be down there at the end of the season.

BYE BYE JB
We can possibly look down at them and laugh for once next season.

Personally, and I've supported the City since 1964, I never give the Swans a second thought. Yes it felt a bit special when Chops scored a late winner against them at home and when Bellamy scored to beat them away but generally I don't look upon them any differently than I do with any other opposing team.Yes I wish we were an established Premier League team but hey ho we're not so we have to fight our own battles in whatever league we're in. If eventually we become the team with the higher standing, and invariably this will happen as these things tend to go in cycles, then all well and good.

As regards this season, there does seem an inevitability that this could be the year they drop down. No Sigurdsson, no Llorente, I would say the writing is on the wall for them but I get no pleasure in saying it.

The only team that I could not stomach being above us is Brizzle City. By comparison to them I almost love the Swans !

Things don't look good for them BUT it was even worse last season under Bob Bradley and they got out of it. They are a club who seem to get incredible luck and that is why I'm still not convinced there are 3 worse teams than them, C Palace & Bournemouth for sure plus maybe West Ham, Everton or Stoke?

However, they are a club on the slide and even their luck can't hold out forever. They reached their glass ceiling along time ago and when they fall they will crash right through the floor, possibly all the way back to League 2 within a few seasons.

Not sure the teams mentioned are worse than them even though below them at moment! Their main problem appears in going forward! sure they ave about 3/4 shots a game on target not going to win enough games to stay up on that basis but never know.

Personally, and I've supported the City since 1964, I never give the Swans a second thought. Yes it felt a bit special when Chops scored a late winner against them at home and when Bellamy scored to beat them away but generally I don't look upon them any differently than I do with any other opposing team.Yes I wish we were an established Premier League team but hey ho we're not so we have to fight our own battles in whatever league we're in. If eventually we become the team with the higher standing, and invariably this will happen as these things tend to go in cycles, then all well and good.

As regards this season, there does seem an inevitability that this could be the year they drop down. No Sigurdsson, no Llorente, I would say the writing is on the wall for them but I get no pleasure in saying it.

The only team that I could not stomach being above us is Brizzle City. By comparison to them I almost love the Swans !

Thinks this is absolutely a generational thing. A lot of older fans echo this but for fans like me who fell in love with the club in the Eddie May days I'd say most see Swansea as the big rivalry.

Swansea, Leeds and QPR are three clubs I hate to see do well.

Bristol have been a weaker side than us for so long (bar one decent championship season about 8 years ago) that other than geography haven't ever considered them a real rival.

Things don't look good for them BUT it was even worse last season under Bob Bradley and they got out of it. They are a club who seem to get incredible luck and that is why I'm still not convinced there are 3 worse teams than them, C Palace & Bournemouth for sure plus maybe West Ham, Everton or Stoke?

However, they are a club on the slide and even their luck can't hold out forever. They reached their glass ceiling along time ago and when they fall they will crash right through the floor, possibly all the way back to League 2 within a few seasons.

Not sure the teams mentioned are worse than them even though below them at moment! Their main problem appears in going forward! sure they ave about 3/4 shots a game on target not going to win enough games to stay up on that basis but never know.

Agree with this Everton, West Ham and Stole will all pull out comfortably.

Bournemouth And Palace may well be in a scrap but don't write them off yet.

Swans have been possibly the luckiest side in history over the last decade or so- there luck is going to run set soon enough - I think it may well be this season.

Maybe Huw put a gypsy curse on the Americans when he left?!

Things don't look good for them BUT it was even worse last season under Bob Bradley and they got out of it. They are a club who seem to get incredible luck and that is why I'm still not convinced there are 3 worse teams than them, C Palace & Bournemouth for sure plus maybe West Ham, Everton or Stoke?

However, they are a club on the slide and even their luck can't hold out forever. They reached their glass ceiling along time ago and when they fall they will crash right through the floor, possibly all the way back to League 2 within a few seasons.

Not sure the teams mentioned are worse than them even though below them at moment! Their main problem appears in going forward! sure they ave about 3/4 shots a game on target not going to win enough games to stay up on that basis but never know.

Agree with this Everton, West Ham and Stole will all pull out comfortably.

Bournemouth And Palace may well be in a scrap but don't write them off yet.

Swans have been possibly the luckiest side in history over the last decade or so- there luck is going to run set soon enough - I think it may well be this season.

Maybe Huw put a gypsy curse on the Americans when he left?!

Huw Jenkins remains as chairman, shareholder and chief executive of Swansea City A.F.C.

hate to say it, but the jacks were a very well run club, under a man, huw jenkins, who seemingly has the midas touch.

they've sold out to the americans, who bought the club to capitalise on the ever increasing TV revenues, and who will not invest any money in the club. i assume HJ has less influence now, which is a big mistake if so.

they are a bottom 6 PL club, and so it only takes one bad season to be relegated. clement is a very good coach / manager, but the jacks expect too much of him.

hate to say it, but the jacks were a very well run club, under a man, huw jenkins, who seemingly has the midas touch.

they've sold out to the americans, who bought the club to capitalise on the ever increasing TV revenues, and who will not invest any money in the club. i assume HJ has less influence now, which is a big mistake if so.

they are a bottom 6 PL club, and so it only takes one bad season to be relegated. clement is a very good coach / manager, but the jacks expect too much of him.

Yes definitely the midas touch put in £250k got back god knows how many millions?

hate to say it, but the jacks were a very well run club, under a man, huw jenkins, who seemingly has the midas touch.

they've sold out to the americans, who bought the club to capitalise on the ever increasing TV revenues, and who will not invest any money in the club. i assume HJ has less influence now, which is a big mistake if so.

they are a bottom 6 PL club, and so it only takes one bad season to be relegated. clement is a very good coach / manager, but the jacks expect too much of him.

I hate to say it but the jacks haven't been a very well run club for over 2 years now and any Swansea fan will tell you that.

Chin up Leighton...
And the other one...
And the other one...

Do t think they have been run very well of late as any real jack will know, things are messed up ever since big nose sold them down the river regardless of what the trust wanted, whilst raking in about 8 mill and a nice salary for doing f all.
Even saw our very own swansealad posting on their site that he wasn’t going to anymore games until Jenkins had gone, be interesting to see if he keeps to his word. Bizarre as it sounds they could prob do with a relegation, get back to the real world. Stabilise in the championship, which is a great league full of far bigger clubs than Swansea. If the jacks did come down they would again be one of the smallest clubs in our league. That says it all.

For about four of their premier seasons I've been sure they are going down, wrong every time.

So this year I'm sure they are staying up

Do t think they have been run very well of late as any real jack will know, things are messed up ever since big nose sold them down the river regardless of what the trust wanted, whilst raking in about 8 mill and a nice salary for doing f all.
Even saw our very own swansealad posting on their site that he wasn’t going to anymore games until Jenkins had gone, be interesting to see if he keeps to his word. Bizarre as it sounds they could prob do with a relegation, get back to the real world. Stabilise in the championship, which is a great league full of far bigger clubs than Swansea. If the jacks did come down they would again be one of the smallest clubs in our league. That says it all.

i proper dont get the sold down the river /did F..all stuff .
ask any fan of a skint 4th tier club if they would be upset if a local bussiness man took them over ,guided them to the prem, won a cup but then sold his shares for 8 mill..

I tend to agree about the settled side bit. It must be agony being a struggling manager. You want consistency but you need to stop the rot quickly.

Also can't help wondering if Coleman is waiting for Clement to get sacked.....

Things don't look good for them BUT it was even worse last season under Bob Bradley and they got out of it. They are a club who seem to get incredible luck and that is why I'm still not convinced there are 3 worse teams than them, C Palace & Bournemouth for sure plus maybe West Ham, Everton or Stoke?

However, they are a club on the slide and even their luck can't hold out forever. They reached their glass ceiling along time ago and when they fall they will crash right through the floor, possibly all the way back to League 2 within a few seasons.

I don't believe everton stoke or west ham will be down there at the end of the season.

BYE BYE JB
We can possibly look down at them and laugh for once next season.

Believe me I hope you're right

Things don't look good for them BUT it was even worse last season under Bob Bradley and they got out of it. They are a club who seem to get incredible luck and that is why I'm still not convinced there are 3 worse teams than them, C Palace & Bournemouth for sure plus maybe West Ham, Everton or Stoke?

However, they are a club on the slide and even their luck can't hold out forever. They reached their glass ceiling along time ago and when they fall they will crash right through the floor, possibly all the way back to League 2 within a few seasons.

Not sure the teams mentioned are worse than them even though below them at moment! Their main problem appears in going forward! sure they ave about 3/4 shots a game on target not going to win enough games to stay up on that basis but never know.

I really hope your are right and probably West Ham, Everton and Stoke will get their collective acts together, although at the moment they are a similar shambles to the Jacks.

Also in recent seasons we have seen clubs like Aston Villa, Newcastle and Sunderland finish lower than the Jacks and those clubs are comparable to the trio West Ham, Everton and Stoke. Swansea City are a club who have enjoyed incredible luck over the past 6 years and I have learnt never to underestimate that luck reappearing towards the end of April and start of May.

However, fingers and toes crossed that luck WILL run out this time

I tend to agree about the settled side bit. It must be agony being a struggling manager. You want consistency but you need to stop the rot quickly.

We know from OGS how important a settled side is.

Things don't look good for them BUT it was even worse last season under Bob Bradley and they got out of it. They are a club who seem to get incredible luck and that is why I'm still not convinced there are 3 worse teams than them, C Palace & Bournemouth for sure plus maybe West Ham, Everton or Stoke?

However, they are a club on the slide and even their luck can't hold out forever. They reached their glass ceiling along time ago and when they fall they will crash right through the floor, possibly all the way back to League 2 within a few seasons.

Not sure the teams mentioned are worse than them even though below them at moment! Their main problem appears in going forward! sure they ave about 3/4 shots a game on target not going to win enough games to stay up on that basis but never know.

Agree with this Everton, West Ham and Stole will all pull out comfortably.

Bournemouth And Palace may well be in a scrap but don't write them off yet.

Swans have been possibly the luckiest side in history over the last decade or so- there luck is going to run set soon enough - I think it may well be this season.

Maybe Huw put a gypsy curse on the Americans when he left?!

Huw Jenkins remains as chairman, shareholder and chief executive of Swansea City A.F.C.

Fair enough didn't realise that.

Shame as the typo curse theory fits nicely.

Chin up Leighton...
And the other one...
And the other one...

Things don't look good for them BUT it was even worse last season under Bob Bradley and they got out of it. They are a club who seem to get incredible luck and that is why I'm still not convinced there are 3 worse teams than them, C Palace & Bournemouth for sure plus maybe West Ham, Everton or Stoke?

However, they are a club on the slide and even their luck can't hold out forever. They reached their glass ceiling along time ago and when they fall they will crash right through the floor, possibly all the way back to League 2 within a few seasons.

Not sure the teams mentioned are worse than them even though below them at moment! Their main problem appears in going forward! sure they ave about 3/4 shots a game on target not going to win enough games to stay up on that basis but never know.

I really hope your are right and probably West Ham, Everton and Stoke will get their collective acts together, although at the moment they are a similar shambles to the Jacks.

Also in recent seasons we have seen clubs like Aston Villa, Newcastle and Sunderland finish lower than the Jacks and those clubs are comparable to the trio West Ham, Everton and Stoke. Swansea City are a club who have enjoyed incredible luck over the past 6 years and I have learnt never to underestimate that luck reappearing towards the end of April and start of May.

However, fingers and toes crossed that luck WILL run out this time

That's the answer and It's been staring us in the face all along.

Everyone knows you cross fingers for luck and if your fan base is a bunch a six fingered inbreds then no wonder they're a lucky bunch of bar stewards...

Things don't look good for them BUT it was even worse last season under Bob Bradley and they got out of it. They are a club who seem to get incredible luck and that is why I'm still not convinced there are 3 worse teams than them, C Palace & Bournemouth for sure plus maybe West Ham, Everton or Stoke?

However, they are a club on the slide and even their luck can't hold out forever. They reached their glass ceiling along time ago and when they fall they will crash right through the floor, possibly all the way back to League 2 within a few seasons.

Not sure the teams mentioned are worse than them even though below them at moment! Their main problem appears in going forward! sure they ave about 3/4 shots a game on target not going to win enough games to stay up on that basis but never know.

I really hope your are right and probably West Ham, Everton and Stoke will get their collective acts together, although at the moment they are a similar shambles to the Jacks.

Also in recent seasons we have seen clubs like Aston Villa, Newcastle and Sunderland finish lower than the Jacks and those clubs are comparable to the trio West Ham, Everton and Stoke. Swansea City are a club who have enjoyed incredible luck over the past 6 years and I have learnt never to underestimate that luck reappearing towards the end of April and start of May.

However, fingers and toes crossed that luck WILL run out this time

That's the answer and It's been staring us in the face all along.

Everyone knows you cross fingers for luck and if your fan base is a bunch a six fingered inbreds then no wonder they're a lucky bunch of bar stewards...

Its holding today with 5 man defence! Especially with arsenal playing crap

Fuckin legend . fuckin bellend c**t

Leighton James is a bitter alcoholic parochial small-time little ginger lush and an ebarrasment to Wales. So bitter with Cardiff that he got banned from the BBC for anti-Cardiiff comments. So bitter with life that he got banned from driving as he is a scum alcoholic drink-driver who is happy putting lives at risk. A truly horrible bitter, selfish, cowardly and thick little failure of a man. What are BBC Wales thinking of by still having this vile waste of breath on their show after banning him and also considering the fact that he is a convicted criminal scum drink-driver who is widely known to continue his selfish habit?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6752923.stm

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theg ... t.comment3

So now we all agree with Leighton James. That must be a first for us.

Well one thing it does prove is that they are more obsessed with us than they want to think. How many years in the Premier and all they can think about is us being better than them again. A Jack once told me that is must be hurting us them being better and yes there was an element of that but no where near the hurt that Tan did with the rebrand.

Back on track. Last season I had a feeling Swansea would avoid relegation due to there were more than 3 teams weaker than them. This season I don't think that is the case. 2 of the teams that went up, Newcastle and Brighton, well one should never be playing in the Championship and the other were like Swansea when they went up, had outgrown the Championship. The 3rd team Huddersfield will do well to stay up. So this season I think it is more likely they will get relegated.

If they do come down it is a win win situation for us. We could overtake them which is still on the cards, well a quite well stacked card deck for us here. If the stack falls over then we will have our Derby back and I'd rather have that in the Championship than the Premier.

Agree with you on this. Seeing Swansea better then us was annoying. The rebrand on the other hand was totally soul destroying. I'd rather see the jacks win the PL then us go through a rebrand again.