Comparison to Swansea

[Tetteys Jig 830]

We came up with them similarly and while they have earned widespread plaudits, we have been spared the limelight.

Fact is over 2 seasons, they have 5 more points than us. That''s it, just 5. They got a league cup final I genuinely believe we would have been in if we''d put Villa to bed.

There is such a narrow margin for error, even narrower in the championship.

Comparing squads:

Goalies:

Pretty even and both our strong points:

Vorm=Ruddy

Tremmel=Bunn

Defence

Again, both pretty strong, Swansea were miles ahead last season, but we''ve caught them up this year. I''d say we are marginally better.

Midfield

Swansea are more creative, but i''d argue our lot have more bite. Our defensive midfield is better, but their attacking midfield are better

Striker

1 difference: Michu

We were better last season as Swansea were pretty negative and toothless. Maybe RVW can be as good as Michu

Fans

pretty similar rates

Youth

I''d say pretty even, some of theirs actually make the first team like Davies, but our under 18''s are very exciting.

Manager

Closer than some may think. Hughton has achieved his goal with less money than Laudrup and now has sustained premiership experience. It will be interesting to see how these two compare next season

Squad players

This is where we win quite easily. We''re not amazing, but when you have to rely on the likes of Monk and Shechter over R Bennett and Becchio, I think we win.

Maybe next year we can step out of their shadow.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

Honestly, I think only Snodgass would get into the midfield over Swansea players like de Guzman, Ki, Britton, Hernandez, Dyer and Routledge.

 

Michu has been outstanding for them, but he also gets great service from an extremely creative midfield. As mentioned I think the defenses are fairly even, although Taylor probably pips Garrido at left back - Bassong is better than Chico and I''d have Williams over Turner.

 

Remember they also sold Danny Graham in January a player many here would have loved to seen sign, on top of losing their best two players in Joe Allen and Scott Sinclair in the summer - strangely though I thinked this help Laudrup, he came in and was given a lot of money to spend due to £21m raised in sales and could create his own team with more freedom that Hughton had.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

Swansea won the league cup and have Europa League football next year!

And lets be honest here, their form has collapsed since they made 40 points and safety, They were well ahead of us before then.

Or maybe they have been "found out" as many posters claim Lambert was when his Norwich side were safe with 8 games to play and form dropped....

As for less money, Swansea have a negative net spend this season as a couple of their best players were pinched from them!

[GJP 79]

de Guzman is very, very good.

[can u sit down please 0]

They lost caulker and Sigurdsson too.

I''d say a team mixes would be:

Ruddy

Martin Williams bassong Davies

Snodgrass ki Britton de Guzman Hernandez

Michu.

I''d say that it''s close between dyer and snoddy.

Certainly a barometer of measurement for us. I think they''ve left us behind. But I am shocked at how little they are ahead of us.

That''s a testament to us.

Since they won they cup they''ve been like WBA and gone on the beach.

[BOO 0]

"Since they won they cup they''ve been like WBA and gone on the beach. "

Apart from the Wiagn game of course CUSDP

[can u sit down please 0]

Forgot that one mate.

[BOO 0]

Wiagn....Rearrange to make a well known club that will relegate Villa on Sunday!

[Shack Attack 0]

I think you can compare relative areas of the pitch, and fans for that matter, as much as you like but it is the overall performance of the two clubs which really matters. You kind of dismiss their League Cup win because we would have won it if we had beaten Villa but the fact is we didn''t beat Villa. And that trophy alone, which let us remember is the whole point of playing football, that makes Swansea stand out from us over the two seasons.I know that a large number of Norwich fans have been wetting their knickers over this supposed ''Swansea bias'' over the past two seasons but I really don''t understand it. Firstly we should really be pleased that of the two sides who were promoted with us it is Swansea (who operate a similar model to ourselves) that have survived rather than big spending QPR. Secondly if you are a fan of football as well as NCFC it is great to see a ''smaller'' club, and the same applies to Wigan, win a trophy. And most importantly what Swansea have achieved does not detract from our achievements one little bit and worrying about their media exposure makes us look very small time. The way that Swansea played last year was unique for a promoted side and that is why they received the extra plaudits. Whether it was fair or not is a pointless argument because the media love a unique story. This year they have changed style and manager, as have we, but have won a trophy and have never realistically been in danger of relegation. They also had one of the standout players of the season who, scandalously in my opinion, got nowhere near any of the national player of the season awards.If Swansea continue as they have this season they will continue to get plaudits (and will probably get even more attention with the promotion of Cardiff). We should be looking to improve our performances rather than worrying about what they might do.