Swans v Ipswich: The big talking points
Swansea City look to continue their good form when they take on Ipswich Town this Saturday (3pm).
Here are all the key talking points heading into the Liberty Stadium clash.
Points on the board
The Swans have played 11 league games this season – which means they are just shy of a quarter-way through 2018-19 – and they have 17 points on the board.
That tally has them in seventh place in the table, but where do they stand in relation to previous seasons at this level?
In their last one, 2010-11, which ended in promotion to the Premier League, the Swans had 19 points after 11 games.
The previous year, when they finished seventh, the Swans had 14 points at this stage.
And in 2008-09, the Swans had 16 points after 11 league games and ended the season in eighth.
The numbers suggest, therefore, that Graham Potter’s team will be right in the play-off hunt come May should they maintain their early-season form.
Who plays in goal?
Potter faces a big selection call in goal once more this weekend having recalled Kristoffer Nordfeldt for Tuesday’s draw at Wigan.
The decision to omit Erwin Mulder was viewed as a surprise given that he had registered five clean sheets in nine appearances this season.
Potter explained after Wigan that he felt the time was right to give Nordfeldt some game-time, but will he get the nod once more against Ipswich?
Defensive delight
The Swans’ defensive record this season suggests that whichever of their two senior goalkeepers plays, there is a fair chance they will register a clean sheet.
After all, the Swans have managed an impressive tally of six shutouts in 11 league games so far.
There have been four in the last five games, with Stoke’s Joe Allen scoring the only goal against Potter’s men in that sequence – and that should have been ruled out for offside.
Middlesbrough (four) are the only Football League club who have conceded fewer goals than the Swans this season (six).
Home help
Despite last Saturday’s thumping win over Queens Park Rangers, the Swans have work to do on their own patch.
After all, no team in the top 13 of the table has taken fewer points on home soil than the Swans.
The Rangers win means the Swans have banked eight points from a possible 15 on their own patch this season.
If they can continue to improve that home return – and maintain their impressive away form – Potter’s side will put themselves in a very strong position.
Ipswich in need
Ipswich arrive in Wales in need of points.
They are yet to win a league game under new boss Paul Hurst, who arrived from Shrewsbury in May following the departure of Mick McCarthy at the back-end of last season.
The club lost a number of key players in the summer, including their four leading scorers in 2017-18 – Martyn Waghorn, Joe Garner, David McGoldrick and Bersant Celina.
Perhaps it is no surprise, therefore, that they are the joint-lowest scorers in the Championship having netted eight goals so far.
Ipswich have managed just one point from five away games this term. The Swans must look to ensure that record does not change this weekend.
