Swansea season preview: More quality signings means things can only get better

Emily Ward looks at whether Swansea can continue their rise this season with the added challenge of the Europa League to adapt to.

Last Season9th in the PL and the winners of the Capital One Cup. A pretty perfect season for Swansea considering where they were a few years ago.

Off-season reportSwansea have been busy during this transfer window but the main signing is Wilfred Bony. At £12 million, a record breaking signing for Swansea, he is not cheap but it will be a fair price if he achieves what is expected of him. The renewed loan of Jonathan de Guzman, Jonjo Shelvey from Liverpool and Spaniards Jordi Amat, Jose Canas and Alejandro Pozuelo add depth and class.

Season objectivesSwansea will be looking to remain stable in the middle of the table but to also be successful in Europe. They couldn’t have asked for a better start with a 4-0 thrashing of Malmo in their Europa League Qualifier; Swansea clearly mean business.

ManagerMichael Laudrup is entering his second season as Swansea manager and has a lot to live up to after a successful first season. He is clearly able to motivate his team to high standards and has an eye for special players. Pacey wingers and a short passing game are his key tactics.

StrengthsBony and Michu have the potential to be a lethal combination up front; Michu’s craft and ability will link perfectly with Bony’s strength and power and they will undoubtedly score goal after goal. Swansea have a big squad with virtually two players for every position. This means no guaranteed starting place and each player will have to be at the top of their game. It also gives Laudrup the versatility to rotate his team for different competitions.

WeaknessesDefending set pieces and taking corners are the Achilles heel for Swansea. When they take a corner kick there is no real threat that they may score; if they can improve this then their goal tally will fly up, as will they. It is also questionable whether they are strong enough to deal with both the PL and Europe?

Key PlayerMichu. Hard to believe he was signed for a bargain of only £2 million last season; arguably one of the best ever PL signings and Swansea have managed to keep the magical man for another season. Even with the arrival of Bony to Swansea, Michu will remain the key man and will still provide that needed goal-threat.

It’s a big season forJonjo Shelvey. He got his first International cap for England last year and it is vital that he keeps his standard up to make sure he remains a possibility for the World Cup. Unlikely to be in the limelight because of other ‘stronger’ players but when he does get the chance he needs to shine. This is a much better team for him than Liverpool as he can come out of Steven Gerrard’s shadow. He is already starting to prove the doubters wrong with great pre-season matches and his first Swansea goal.

Emerging starJordi Amat is another new signing for Swansea but he has already been called into action during the qualifier against Malmo. Chico Flores and Ashley Williams are the first-choice pairing but Amat, who is more than capable, will be challenging to be part of the central defence.

PredictionSwansea have only built on their already strong team which means they should finish around the same, if not slightly higher than last season. Top Eight. However, this does depend on whether they can handle the added game time of the Europa League, unlike Newcastle last season.

In regards to the Europa League, they have started with a bang and if this strong form continues it is likely they will make it to at least the Quarter Finals if not further.

Overall, Swansea really could be a team to watch out for. A team full of talented and dedicated players, lead by an extremely competent manager.