#BrentfordFC v #SwanseaCityFC - Brentford Community Stadium - 7pm
No sooner have the frights of October’s schedule passed, November steps up with another five gruesome fixtures either side of another international break.
Swansea are up next for Brentford and are one of the division’s form sides throughout the month of October. Now unbeaten in four, their last defeat came at the hands of Corberan's Huddersfield as his new side began flexing their muscles in confidently taking apart any team that came before them.
Losing to Brentford in the play-off semi finals would have hurt and key parts of the team has had a freshen up as loan players move on and others come in to have their chance at cracking the league.
Morgan Gibbs-White on loan was one of these and a sharp start was brought to a halt as a serious injury ruled him out for the foreseeable future. His adaptability in positioning may have had a bearing on the shape Cooper is settling on.
What was occasionally experimental last season was a 3412 structure, differing from the positioning we saw against Brentford in the play-offs which was closer to a 343 with Gallagher providing a central axis.
Swansea Shape v Brentford - Play-offs 1st Leg
Swansea Shape v Brentford - Play-offs 2nd Leg
Gallagher has now moved on and it is Dhanda who in the last two games has shown enough to make a serious claim for the starting central attacking midfielder role with Kasey Palmer pushing him all the way as an attacking fulcrum behind two split forwards, Ayew and Lowe.
Lots of people are questioning whether or not Brentford should do something similar in shape with a front pair due the scoring records of both Forss and Toney.
Swansea’s works in a different way as Ayew drops deep and gets heavily involved in all phases and Lowe runs wide and does a lot of winger duties. The Swans front pair do a lot outside of the box and extending those roles further onto the games of Forss and Toney would take away what makes them so deadly close to goal.
Swansea Shape v Blackburn (Sat)
Width is provided by wingbacks Bidewell on the left and Roberts on the right.
Three centre backs, which Cooper prefers to be Naughton, Cabango and Guehi spread the ball and play forwards as well as anybody in the league. Sat in front of a back three is a double pivot of either Matt Grimes, Fulton or Korey Smith as they rotate the main midfield pair minutes. Korey Smith joined from Bristol and looks a clever pick-up in how he has slotted in so easily. He’s likely to have a role that involves tracking Josh Dasilva when the midfielder moves into Swansea's half. Now recovered from a lengthy knee injury, he appears to be enjoying himself away from Bristol and Lee Johnson.
It’s probably unfair to talk about Swansea without highlighting how strong they are in defence.
Not content with conceding the second least shots in the league, they have also conceded the joint least goals with five. It’s underpinned by something tangible too, expected goals have them slightly outperforming at the back as they are just off the top of the league for quality of chances conceded.
That success means we can rule out a back four for Swansea, those days appear well and truly behind them, and it makes sense, as Bidwell looks far more effective with a large part of his defensive duties covered by a LCB in a back three. Crossing and supporting a wide forward are skills more suited to him compared with defending.
Bidwell crosses from left v Wycombe
Roberts offers good balance up and down the right wing and this side provided most of the crosses inclusive of corners against Blackburn.
How this will likely play out if Swansea opt for the front two is a narrowness in closing Brentford down allowing the Bees back four consisting of two left footers enough time on the ball to settle and spread the ball wide or move it forward into a midfielder.
Cooper could throw a curveball and press high with a front three to test the passing combinations and stutter the Brenetford build up further due to the missing Jansson.
Swansea sit well in a mid block and it is good numbers behind the ball that gives them the chance to spring counter attacks through Lowe hanging on the last line but overall Brentford will relish coming up against a side that will try to dominate the ball.
We expect Ghoddos to make an appearance with Canos and Mbeumo covering starting minutes against Luton. Jensen will likely come in as Marcondes regains fitness to help pick holes through a tight mid block and release Toney. Marcus Forss is making goal scoring cameos a habit but there could be a stage where Thomas Frank decides he needs to rest his main front man from the start. Forss needs to work on his passing and positioning but in front of goal he looks more than ready.
Cooper will want to show Frank how much his side have grown.