Martinez insists Swans will take their chances

Jan 25 2008 by Steve Tucker, Western Mail

THE great thing about football is there is always something to worry about even when your side is in storming form and eight points clear at the top of the table.

As Swansea City boss Roberto Martinez prepares his troops for tonight’s tasty clash at Doncaster his side remain unbeaten in 18 league outings, so if you are going to look for any dark clouds on the horizon then you are going to have to look pretty damned hard.

Cue concerns over the Swans profligacy in front of goal.

A look back to Tuesday’s clash against Crewe at the Liberty Stadium puts matters into unsettling relief, 16 strikes on target, 12 off, 28 goal attempts in total and only two goals to show for it. Time to press the panic button?

Of course not and Martinez himself is naturally quite content with the way things are going up front for his side at present.

“If you look at Luton away, our ratio of taking chances was fantastic,” he said.

“At home, as long as we keep creating the same amount of chances, I am not worried, the ball will hit the back of the net more often that not.

“The problem is when you don’t create enough chances, that is the big worry because something is missing or is not working within the pattern of play.

“The difference between many of the teams in this division is how clinical they are with their finishing and finishing is down to quality, we have that quality so that is not really bothering me.”

Doom merchants have to look elsewhere then and might take heart from the fact that influential midfielder Darren Pratley looks set to miss his side’s next three games through injury and suspension.

A tear to the 22-year-old’s hamstring looks certain to rule him out tonight, having run up 10 yellow cards suspension sees him miss Tuesday’s epic trip to Nottingham Forest and the visit from Oldham four days later.

Martinez insists he has the squad in place to absorb Pratley’s absence and may opt for a straight swap in personnel or even a change of formation to a more orthodox 4-4-2 formation.

“I would rate Darren 80 per cent out of it for Doncaster,” said Martinez.

“Then he has the suspensions, but that happens in football. It is part of the job, you get injuries and suspensions.

“Whoever comes in will be ready for the challenge and out to take their opportunity. We have healthy competition here and different options.”

Indeed any cynics still looking for a lingering hangover from the Swans’ FA Cup humiliation at Havant & Waterlooville are also set to be disappointed.

Following back-to-back victories at home to Port Vale and Crewe, Martinez insists those particular demons have already been exorcised.

“Yes, that is behind us. Getting six points from our two home games was the best way of getting that disappointment out of our system,” he said.

“We had to move on. I think it feels like a long time ago since that game now.

“The performances against Port Vale and Crewe shows that. The players have spoken and that is now well out of their minds.

“There is too much in front of us to be distracted by that now.”

Indeed there is, with visits to fourth-placed Doncaster, fresh from victory at Leeds, and currently second-placed Forest looming into view one could be forgiven for thinking the Swans’ magnificent season is about to enter something of a watershed.

But the pragmatic Martinez is not one to be drawn into “season-defining” bluster, insisting his side, in proper footballing tradition, will be taking things one step at a time.

“They are two huge games, but I don’t see them as defining our season or anything like that, first we have to concentrate on the first game,” he added.

“We now are playing a Doncaster side in a fantastic run of form and we are looking forward to the challenge.

“They are, I would say, the in-form team in League One and that is why they are going to be so dangerous.

“I would say it is the biggest game in League One and we need to focus on that as it is going to be a huge test for us.

“The last games in January and going into February are where the last third of the season starts and where everything starts to take shape.

“We need to make sure we go into that period in the best possible way we can.

“If you look for points you will inevitably be disappointed, I am looking at performances.

“And going to Doncaster we are going to have to be very strong in a lot of areas if we are going to get anything. I can see this being a very open game and being a good advert for League One football.

“We have two teams in the right part of the table fighting for three points and it will be a great occasion.”