It is a question that will dominate the build up to the new Premier League season, just a month away now. Last year Blackpool were odds on for the drop, and though they did eventually succumb and drop into the Championship, they put up a fierce fight. At one point it looked like qualifying for Europe looked more likely than relegation, and remarkably they were still in contention to play in the Europa League even after being relegated. Fulham won the battle for the fair play place in Europe next season though.
Swansea come into the big time with similar ambitions to Blackpool, but will hope for a different end. They too play open expansive football but perhaps in a more organised, less haphazard manner. Blackpool sacrificed defence for attack, throwing everything at their opponents. Swansea will be less gung ho and more controlled. Brendan Rodgers has crafted a team which keeps the ball on the floor and looks to pass the ball around their opponents. Their promotion to the Premier League is welcome, and will hopefully rid the league of some of the dour defensive football that teams like Stoke inflict upon it.
Yet they have those options up front to pierce the tightest of Premier League defences. Former Chelsea forward Scott Sinclair was in fine form last year, firing in the goals to guide the Swans to the big time, whilst the addition of Danny Graham, who also scored a number of goals for Watford last year, means they will have the firepower to bang in the goals.
Ashley Williams, the captain at the back, and Joe Allen in midfield give the team the bite they need to compete at the top level, and they have a charisma and character required to fight for their lives against a number of competitive but lower Premier League teams.
But the club should be optimistic. Teams like Stoke, Blackburn and Wolves have survived on home wins in the Premier League and solid home records. They don’t have the flair to take the game to opponents away from home though, and this is where Swansea can thrive. Their ball playing style means that they can keep control of games away from home and pick up points, like Blackpool, where others wouldn’t. But unlike Blackpool, they have the composure and steel to see out a good start, if they make one, and survive. Or to make a poor start and come back.
It should be an exciting campaign ahead, and Swansea may find themselves back in the second tier quickly. But writing them off would be easy, and potentially foolish too.
