English Premier League: Swansea City season review – A campaign to forget

SWANSEA, WALES - MAY 13: Fans hold up a sign reading 'No Ambition No Investment Sold Out!' prior to the Premier League match between Swansea City and Stoke City at Liberty Stadium on May 13, 2018 in Swansea, Wales. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
SWANSEA, WALES - MAY 13: Fans hold up a sign reading 'No Ambition No Investment Sold Out!' prior to the Premier League match between Swansea City and Stoke City at Liberty Stadium on May 13, 2018 in Swansea, Wales. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Swansea City was relegated this season after a long stay in the top flight. The Welsh side had a poor start and finish to this tumultuous season.

 Swansea City Season Review

The Swans started the season with manager Paul Clement and were just poor. Swansea won just three of their 18 games under Clement until he was sacked. Carlos Carvalhal stepped in as the new manager and got the Swans off to a flying start to the calendar year of 2018.

After a 2-1 win at Watford to end 2017, Swansea went on a five-game unbeaten run from mid-January to mid-February. This run including a massive 3-1 win over Arsenal that gave fans hopes Carvalhal would be the man to keep Swansea safe.

However, Carvahal couldn’t keep up this pace as the Swans tripped over the finish line to end the season. A 5-0 loss to Man City sparked a five-game losing streak to end the season. Swansea ensured relegation on the final day with a 2-1 loss to Stoke. Next season will be the first time since 2010-11 the Swans will be in the EFL Championship.

Biggest Win: 1-0 over Liverpool (January 22nd)

The biggest win, a 1-0 victory over Liverpool to spark the unbeaten run that almost kept Swansea safe. A defensive line of Mike van der Hoorn, Federico Fernandez, and Alfie Mawson were able to stop the famed Liverpool front three and earn a clean sheet. The defense was also the best offense as Alfie Mawson’s 40th-minute goal proved to be the winner.

Heaviest Defeat: 1-2 to Watford (September 23rd)

We go back to the sixth game for Swansea’s heaviest defeat. Swansea had already lost their first two home games to Man United and Newcastle. They were about to pick up a vital draw against Watford after Tammy Abraham’s equalizer in the second half. The defense choked and allowed Richarlison to score the winner and hand Swansea a third straight defeat at the Liberty Stadium, setting the tone for the season.

Player of the Season: Jordan Ayew

Swansea’s player of the season was Jordan Ayew. Both Ayew brothers were reunited to make the push for safety and for a while, it was working. Jordan scored seven goals in his 36 games on the season. His performances against bottom-half teams earned him many ‘Man of the Match’ performances.

Worst Player: Wayne Routledge

Next: Burnley season review

Wayne Routledge was not the super-sub Swansea was hoping he would be this season. For the first time in his EPL career, he ended the season without scoring a goal. He played in 15 games and averaged a 6.02 rating in them (according to FotMob). It is no doubt Routledge will not be with the team for the Championship after a terrible campaign.