Move on up! Michael Laudrup's message to Swansea City stars
MICHAEL Laudrup has told his Swansea City players to "keep on moving" as they bid for a bounce-back win against Everton next weekend.
Swansea are still licking their wounds after suffering a first defeat of the season at Aston Villa last Saturday.
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Michael Laudrup
And Laudrup's men can expect another stern Premier League examination against David Moyes's Everton team, who produced perhaps the most complete performance by a visiting side seen at the Liberty last season.
But the Swansea manager remains in upbeat mood — and wants his players to go on the run against the Blues.
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"Having possession is one thing, but another is the way we move," said the Swansea manager.
"We have to keep on moving.
"A lot of teams will say: 'Swansea play good football in possession, but they are not so strong so let's go and get them physically'.
"That means we have to have avoid physical contact, and in training we are always working on that — play and move, play and move,'' Laudrup continued.
"When we do that, our players are very difficult to catch no matter how physical the opposition are."
Everton won 2-0 in SA1 back in March to become one of only three sides to do the double over Brendan Rodgers's Swansea side last season.
Swansea had come into that game on the back of their best Premier League run yet, but Everton stopped them playing, pressing and closing down space throughout, and the visitors might have ended up winning the match more comfortably had they taken their chances.
Rodgers was left urging his players to keep believing in their possession game afterwards — and now Laudrup is stressing that Swansea's passing style can reap rewards even against a side like Everton, who outmuscled their hosts when they last came to Wales.
Swansea will again have to rely on a patched-up defence as the live television cameras roll at the Liberty for the second time this season.
Chico Flores serves the second part of his three-match ban and Neil Taylor and Kyle Bartley are both on the long-term injured list.
Garry Monk hopes to step up his training this week after back trouble, but he is only an outside bet to make the bench.
That means Alan Tate and youngster Ben Davies are likely to retain their places in the starting line-up after a steady defensive display at Villa.
"Alan has a lot of experience," Laudrup said.
"He has played very few games in the Premier League, but he knows exactly what he can do and what he can't do.
"One thing he is very good at is talking a lot — helping other players and helping them so they can help him as well.
"I think that's very important — every player should talk a lot to help each other — and he uses his experience very well."
Laudrup has also praised 19-year-old Davies, who came through his first Premier League start unscathed at Villa.
"I think I will say more than once this season that we can't forget about Ben and think he is a veteran," the Dane added.
"He is new and he is very young.
"You could say two of the four in defence at Aston Villa were new because Alan has been out for a very long time with an injury, but we didn't give away too much."
Swansea expect skipper Ashley Williams to be fit for the Everton game despite the ankle injury he picked up at Villa.
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