Only time will tell if these ugly ducklings will truly turn into a swan

It has been thirteen years since all three promoted teams suffered relegation from the Premier League in the first season when Bolton, Barnsley and Crystal Palace all went down. It is therefore not just possible that one or two out of Queens Park Rangers, Norwich City and Swansea City, will stay up but likely. The question now is then out of the three who has the best chance? QPR have the advantage of the big bankroll, but with noises from Loftus Road suggesting they will not be spending big, backed up by Swansea, themselves, agreeing a fee for Watford striker Danny Graham, someone QPR also bid for. With Paul Lambert working miracles at Norwich only a fool would write them off now, but after back to back promotions, it will perhaps take another miracle to keep them up. The team who has the best grounding to surprise the Premier League, in my eyes, is Swansea.

Swansea have combined two qualities seen at Norwich and QPR, team spirit and quality, in a way the two other promoted teams maybe have not, which will be the basis of a successful campaign next season. Swansea work tirelessly, even in attacking positions, whilst Scott Sinclair, Darren Pratley and Ashley Williams provide the team with a core of fantastic individuals, also including potential surprise package Steven Dobbie whose skill and awareness is beyond Championship level. QPR have undoubtedly had the best individual in Adel Taarabt, but he has often been criticised for being luxury player whose work rate is questionable. Work rate cannot be an issue in a player who has had as good a season as him, but his style of play will test the whole clubs dynamic next season. Ball retention in high areas where midfielders and defenders are committed will be important for these three teams and Taarabt’s tendency to lose it here could be costly on and off the field.

Blackpool have become a bench mark for ‘how to do well in the Premier League without big names’ after many excellent results, overachieving in a season in which they were picked out as the new Derby. The attacking flair with which they played was the basis of this success but they did ultimately suffer relegation. Two lessons can be learnt from this for Norwich, QPR and Swansea. Without goals it will be impossible to stay up, but if defensive blunders plague your season it will also be likely to end in relegation. Swansea have been compared to Barcelona in some quarters so a measured flair relying on a forward three, which have been in the form of their careers can fit the bill in the attacking half of the deal. Graham will be hoping to continue where Fabio Borini left-off in that respect, but he has also had his best season like Nathan Dyer and Sinclair. Swansea’s offering, which in fact is more Barcelona-esque, in defence could prove to be the difference. In Williams they have a defender who looks like he could slot into many Premier League teams already, along with the very capable Alan Tate. This team however does not just defend with their defenders, the closest they come to the Catalan giants. They know the value of the ball, keeping it well and pressing for it high up the pitch. The defensive work of the midfield and forwards means they minimise vulnerability from open play.

For Swansea though there are areas which could leave them exposed to relegation if left unaddressed. The susceptibility from teams breaking will be reduced, as it will be impossible to recreate the 61% possession they achieved this year, the best in the Football League. But three other areas, all relating to size, could cost the Welsh side. Defensive abilities from corners has proved problematic throughout the season and set the ball rolling for Reading’s comeback in the playoff final. The small side will benefit from more height, but also much better organisation at set-pieces. Stoke, Bolton and Blackburn would be the obvious teams who could exploit this weakness, but most Premier League teams recognise the massive advantage these can make over a season. If this vulnerability is exposed in the early stages of the campaign it is likely to worsen as more teams look to exploit it and as morale is decreased.

This lack of height and strength does not only affect set pieces. As many Premier League sides use athleticism as a formula to win, it is possible the current Swansea midfield could suffer when attempting to keep possession of the ball, a large part of their game. When Swansea are pressed and harried themselves, such as in the loss to Derby this season, matches have been very difficult. .

Injuries, suspensions and the topical issue of fatigue will leave them without first team players for periods of the coming season and there are questions about the squad players, particularly in defence. Garry Monk has been a great servant to the club and must be extremely proud of the job done so far, but perhaps his experience will be better used on the training ground as opposed to the pitch. Jimmy Kebe highlighted the weaknesses of Swansea’s defensive cover in wide areas, while Monk had his own problems against Shane Long, in the absence of Neil Taylor. Premier League teams will not have as much mercy as Kebe’s poor crossing or Long’s uncharacteristic lack of clinical finishing, so cover in these areas will be more than useful, particularly as Taylor himself may be playing his football for Newcastle next season.

All this said, the excitement of the new season for these teams will be nothing compared to what they will potentially add to it: two great young managers, with an old head never far from drama; fearless attacking football, with a defence to match and no doubt another gripping end to the season. If lessons are to be learnt from previous relegations and performances Swansea will need height and strength in new squad players whilst keeping the team camaraderie and work rate.

The Scholey Grail

With Gary Neville’s retirement earlier in the season Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs are left as the last two one-club men at Old Trafford. Both have had outstanding careers but how will the memory of the last two decades be skewed by this season. Scholes’ final moments are ending with tired legs and sporadic fantastic performances, which haven’t been recreated regularly since him picking up the first player of the month trophy of this season. The continuation of a trend seen throughout his career, a red card, following a terrible tackle on Manchester City’s Pablo Zabaleta in their defeat in the FA Cup Semi-final is also blighting his career. Giggs on the other hand is going from strength to strength. His vital touch, assists and leadership against Chelsea in the three meetings at the back end of the season saw them seal both the league and a place in the Champions League final and are examples of excellence which could be taken from any games in the season.

Should Giggs’ fantastic end (I say end, although he appears to be able to continue forever) cloud judgement of the the two greats in the decades preceding this season. I mean, Scholes is not new to incidents that Wenger has dubbed his ‘dark side’, with him most famously missing the 1999 European Cup final victory in the ground breaking treble winning season but amassing 10 red cards over his time at Manchester United is more than his fair share. The difference between the ‘tyke’ who couldn’t tackle from the nineties and the noughties, to the increasingly out of touch midfielder now is the appearances that go with it. Going back to the treble winning season Scholes’ contribution was vital in all competitions including 4 goals in Europe; one at the formidable San Siro against Inter in the Quarter Finals and a final goal against Newcastle in the FA Cup. This was not his only season like this, with the ten or more goal a season man, showing fantastic awareness and passing on top of these vital goals, consistently. Scholes’ absenteeism in the 1999 European Cup final was seen as unlucky while this season his sending off attributed to United’s failure against their local rivals on their way to their first trophy in 35 years, which cannot help his reputation.

Giggs is now the one regularly turning in Scholes-esque performances and can take much of the credit in guiding a waning Manchester United team to ultimately a successful season. While the Old Trafford faithful would have you believe this is no new thing with banners and songs proclaiming the Welshman has been ‘tearing you apart since 1992’ I would argue that while this has happened in that period; the image of the hairy chested Giggs running down the touchline wielding his United shirt while David Seaman and the Arsenal defence could only watch with the rest of the country is testament to that; it has been a sporadic tearing that even Manchester United fans have at various points called for an end to.

Many would tell me to look at his glittering awards, which I have, but they also tell their own story.  Giggs has picked up more team silverware than any other individual in English history; a fantastic achievement but his individual honours do not necessarily match. These accolades show an excellent servant to the game, not a world beating footballer. Even the solitary PFA Player of the Season award in 2009 can be argued was to right the wrong, which many now perceive, that he did not win it before. Other tributes include entrance into the team of the century and decade in the Premier League and FA Cup respectively, plus, perhaps the best of all: the knowledge that had he been born in London or Manchester instead of Cardiff, England would (sic) have lifted many World Cups and European Championships. While Scholes’ career has not been blessed with dissimilar individual awards Scholes has no shortage of high esteemed admirers. Zinedine Zidane described him as his ‘toughest opponent’ and the ‘greatest player of his generation’ while Thierry Henry named him as ‘the best player in the Premiership’. It is not only France legends that promote the fiery midfielder, Marcello Lippi commented on Scholes’ quality stating he would be in his best ever team, and that he would have bought him given the chance at any point during his career. The list goes on with current teammates Rio Ferdinand and Nani and former opponents such as Edgar Davids, amongst others naming him as the best they have seen. Perhaps the most telling observation is that of Peter Schmeichel who described Scholes has having the best ‘bottom level’. This is what sets him apart from this teammate, in that he has consistently been at his best through his long career. Giggs flew onto the scene in the early 90’s, looking like the complete winger, but the 2002/3 season saw a serious loss of form, highlighted by the booing off at Blackburn that Giggs received. In 2008 Giggs’ time was certainly seen as up from many quarters with the same being said of Scholes. Despite largely better performances from him at this time, Scholes has been unable to reinvigorate his football in quite the same way which has led many to misinterpret his preceding career. Giggs’ football since his first blip and the last time people were calling for the end of his career in 2008 has seen little consistency. It’s testament to the man that at 37 he has turned in, arguable, his best ever season, particularly looking only at the last decade, but Scholes’ career, albeit starting later and ending less strongly (even with Fabio Capello trying to get him back into the England squad for the 2010 World Cup) has seen no such blips in Manchester United’s more baron patches.

While no-one is questioning whether Giggs on his day can tear any defence apart, it has been the consistency which Scholes has built his career on that sets him apart from his compatriot. So as Scholes’ career ends with aging legs and mind, Giggs finishes with important goals, leadership, assists and the consistency associated with his partner. These two greats of the Premier League will be missed when they do eventually hang up their boots and while Giggs will forever be the benchmark in longitivity, Scholes should remain the benchmark for consistent quality.