The Fishy - Grimsby Town FC

Question of the Week

Who will go down?







 

Swansea Preview

By: Richard Hubbert
Date: 18/02/2005

AFTER three straight home defeats, Town will probably be relieved to be playing away from Blundell Park, but it will not be easy this weekend when they travel to high-flying Swansea City.

Home > 2004-2005 Season > Previews > Swansea (a)


The Opposition

Overview
Currently lying 3rd in the table, The Swans will be hoping to at least gain a play off place this season after promising so much last season. Brian Flynn was their boss last season when a terrific first half of the season saw them near the top of the table, until a poor second half of the season saw them plummet to midtable, hence the appointment of ex-QPR coach Kenny Jackett (left), who will be hoping for no repeat performance of last season.

Their Squad
The Swans have perhaps one of the strongest squads in the division this year, and this has been strengthened in the last week by the signings of three new players. This is following two straight defeats for the Welsh side. Lee Thorpe (left), who was of course on loan at Town last season, signed permanently for Kenny Jackett’s side after a brief loan spell, to add some steel to their attack. Joining Thorpe is QPR midfielder Marcus Bean who joins in a loan deal after being restricted to just 12 appearances this term. Another player who joined this week, also from QPR, is Kevin Mcleod, a tricky midfielder who joined QPR from Everton in 2003 for £250,000. McLeod decided to join to Swans after making just four starts for the Championship side this term. Also in the Swans squad is ex Sheffield United keeper Willy Gueret, who saved a Dean Gordon penalty in the game at BP, ex Bristol Rovers full back Ijah Anderson, Garry Monk and former Wigan midfielder Roberto Martinez.

Key Player
Lee Trundle (left). The obvious choice. Trundle is hated by many in the division for his determined and aggressive style, but is undoubtedly one of the top strikers in the league and is always a threat. Trundle already has 18 goals this season, making him one of the league’s highest scorers.

Recent Form

 

TownSwansea
LShrewsbury(h)0-1
LBristol Rovers(a)0-3
WCheltenham(a)3-2
LLincoln(h)0-0
WLeyton Orient(a)2-1
Currently 17th in League Two.
LLeyton Orient(a)1-3
LMansfield(a)0-1
DSouthend(h)1-1
WChester(h)3-0
WBoston(a)3-2
Currently 3rd in League Two.

Top Scorers

 

TownSwansea
Pinault7
Parkinson5
Reddy5
Trundle18
Connor11

Team News

 

TownSwansea
  • Town will welcome back Stacy Coldicott and Justin Whittle after they both served one game bans last weekend. Indeed, they could both go straight back into the starting eleven after a somewhat lacklustre display at BP last weekend.

  • Rob Jones and Jason Crowe also return after recent injuries. Crowe will probably start on the bench.

  • Russell Slade has hinted this week that he doesn’t think the 4-4-2 formation is working, especially defensively. This could mean that Whittle forms part of a back three with Forbes and Ramsden. Or he could decide to draft Jones back in on the left hand side of the back three.

  • Thomas Pinault or Terry Fleming could make way for long-serving midfielder Stacy Coldicott in the centre of midfield. Pinault is perhaps the most likely to give way, with the game being away from home.

  • If Slade does go 3-4-3, this means that Graham Hockless is likely to drop to the bench with John McDermott and Ronnie Bull down each flank.
  • Swansea could give debuts to new signing Marcus Bean and Kevin McLeod, after they joined from QPR this week. Lee Thorpe has already made his debut for the side, but is likely to start on the bench as Swansea start with their preferred strikeforce of Trundle and Connor. Ijah Anderson should make way for McLeod, a left winger, whilst Bean could replace the experienced Roberto Martinez.

  • Former Luton winger Adrian Forbes could be set for a sooner than expected return to action after suffering from knee ligament damage. Forbes will probably be named on the bench after being absent since the end of January.
  • Probable Teams

     

    TownSwansea
    1Anthony Williams
    2John McDermott
    4Simon Ramsden
    6Terrell Forbes
    28Justin Whittle
    16Ronnie Bull
    15Terry Fleming
    11Stacy Coldicott
    10Andy Parkinson
    9Michael Reddy
    26Martin Gritton
    27Willy Gueret
    5Alan Tate
    3Kevin Austin
    22Izzy Ireiekpen
    2Samuel Ricketts
    TBAMarcus Bean
    7Leon Britton
    18Andy Robinson
    TBAKevin McLeod
    17Paul Connor
    10 Lee Trundle

    Subs

     

    TownSwansea
    8Jason Crowe
    5Tony Crane
    27Danny North
    18Rob Jones
    12Graham Hockless
    12Lee Thorpe
    22Ijah Anderson
    6Roberto Martinez
    20Stuart Jones
    14Brad Maylett

    Head to Head

    The record books are not in favour of a Town win this weekend - with the Mariners having recorded just 3 wins at Swansea in 23 meetings. Our last win at the Vetch Field game in the 1983/84 season when Town were in the old, old second division (now the Championship)

    P 47 W 17 D 11 L 19 F 61 A 59

    Swansea Head-to-Head (52nd on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    The two sides met earlier in October at Blundell Park, where the Mariners were once again disappointed not to take all three points after missing a penalty in the second half. Colin Cramb rose to put Town in the lead after Dean Gordon missed Town’s fifth penalty of the season. A contentious penalty on 70 minutes meant Swansea went home with a point, which was perhaps a fair result.

    Grimsby Team: Williams, Jones, Whittle, Forbes, Crowe (Pinault, 81), Fleming, Coldicott, Gordon, Reddy (Cramb, 48), Daly, Parkinson
    Subs: (not used) Fraser,Bull,Marcelle

    Swansea Team: Gueret, Gurney, Austin, Monk, Ricketts, Forbes (Tate, 85), Martinez, O'Leary, Britton (Nugent, 54), Connor (Fitzgerald, 64), Trundle
    Subs: (not used) Murphy,Maylett

    Attendance: 4,618    Report

    Prediction

    Mmm, let me see - a 1-1 draw, please!

    1-1

    Recent Predictions

    GamePredictionScorePoints
    Shrewsbury2-00-10
    Bristol R2-10-30
    Cheltenham1-13-20
    Lincoln2-12-40
    Leyton Orient1-12-10
    Northampton1-11-20
    Cambridge2-13-01
    Lincoln1-11-13
    Macclesfield1-10-01
    Oxford2-01-10
    Reader's POMs

    Directions

    Click on the link for directions to Vetch Field (left).

    Pubs

    Click on the link for pubs close to Vetch Field.




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