Premier League 2013/14: Predicting Best Players Of Each Club

Swansea City - Wilfried Bony

Swansea City have come a long way in the last decade, and last season was the pinnacle of that success, with a comfortable finish in the top half of the table and their first major trophy in the form of the Capital One Cup means that the club has gone from the brink of exiting the Football League into the Europa League. It is no less than their football has deserved, as although their form at the end of the season was an indication that they were pretty much finished by February, the style of football that Michael Laudrup has installed and the quality of their players meant that they were a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League. This season they will look forward to a Welsh derby with Cardiff City for the first time in three years, a sign that the English Premier League may have to extend its title sometime soon. But where can they go after a season like this? To be honest, I feel that with their European commitments and the sheer mountain of games they will likely to play, their aim should be to remain in the division. Let's face it, the club has only been a part of the top flight two seasons, and though they have taken to it like a Swan to water (see what I did there?), they cannot consider themselves safe at any point in time. Swansea do not have the biggest squad, and they will be stretched to their limits over the course of a long season. However, the talent and hunger of the squad is undeniable, and players such as Leon Britton and Ashley Williams that have been at the club a long time will be excited at the prospect of leading the Swans into every competition with the aim to do as well as possible. With the success of their club in their possession football, last year they were heavily reliant on a single player to score the bulk of their goals. That was Michu, and this year they have a new and exciting striker in Wilfried Bony. The Ivorian scored 37 goals in 36 appearances for Vitesse last season, and though they have shelled out a club record £12 million on him, his reputation has made this signing somewhat of a coup. He is a powerful and effective finisher that doesn't let too many chances go to waste, and his mix of speed, power and height has led to obvious comparisons with Didier Drogba. At the age of 24 it is an excellent time for him to join the Premier League and an excellent club to join, and if his performances against Malmo are anything to judge him by, he will have a fruitful first season with the big boys. Bony has already got the approval of the pundits, who are certain he will have a similar impact as Michu had last season. His signing also allows the Spaniard to move to his own preferred position, which should be terrifying for every other team if he was playing out of position the last twelve months. Swansea should enjoy their European experience whilst it lasts and hopefully it won't distract to much from the league as they will probably look to consolidate their success from last year. Bony's goals will be key in doing that. Where will they finish? - 14th