Bob Bradley: Swansea City are ready to deliver
24th November
Bob Bradley reckons his Swansea City side are ready to deliver in their key Premier League clash with Crystal Palace this weekend.
The Swans slipped to the bottom of the table despite their creditable draw at Everton last weekend.
There has been no top-flight win since the opening-day trip to Burnley, with Bradley taking two points from five games since he replaced Francesco Guidolin.
But the nature of the Swans' performance at Goodison Park - plus their efforts on the training ground this week - have convinced Bradley that his players have turned a corner.
"We played a good match against Everton, training has been good this week and now we are ready to push on in a strong way," said the Swans boss.
"We are ready to take all of the work we have done and make it count on Saturday.
"With the support of our fans at the Liberty, I see this game is an opportunity for us to build on the good things we did last week.
"We have taken all the positives from Everton, we have focused on training and now we cannot wait to get on the field.
"In the first half especially last week, we played some good football. In the second half, even though we did not look after the ball as well as we could have done, defensively we were solid.
"That performance is a good starting point for Crystal Palace.
"When you come into a club, you dig your hands in and try to get to know the guys and get a sense of what's going on. I have done that now.
"Now I think we can put it all together in the strongest and the best way. The players know me by now. I will stand by them and stick up for them, but they also know I expect a lot.
"We have had some good, honest discussions about where we are since I came in.
"I think we are all in agreement now that things have turned themselves around, but the final part is to make sure that shows up on matchday.
"It would have been better to get the first win last week, but the fact that we didn't doesn't take away from the good things that happened. This week we have to take it a little bit further by getting that result."
The Swans will be without Ki Sung-Yueng against Palace after the South Korea star broke his toe.
But Jefferson Montero is fit to feature after breaking a bone in his hand and Leon Britton has recovered from a calf strain, meaning Ki will be the only absentee as the Swans target their first home maximum of 2016-17.
Bradley has urged the club's fans to play their part as the Swans take on a Palace side who have lost their last five games.
"I love being part of this club. I love these players - I see how much they care for the club and how honest they are," he added.
"Now they are just focused on trying to make sure we put a bad stretch behind us, and on making it happen this week.
"My number one message for the supporters is that there are things out there which are going to be out of our control and their control.
"But between the players, the staff and the supporters, we are in this together.
"We need to be together on Saturday at the Liberty. There will be plenty of time for other things to work themselves out, but I want the players to feel the supporters are with them and I want the supporters to know the players will give everything for them. We need that togetherness."
Bradley on his players' commitment
"I think it has always been there, but sometimes you lose confidence.
"We have simplified the message. I have had one-on-one conversations with a lot of the players to make sure they have not forgotten the things they have done well in the past.
"I am trying to make sure they understand that it's all there for us. I think that makes them feel good about stepping on to the field at the weekend."
Bradley on the January transfer window
"We have discussions every week, but we have some important games before January.
"We are looking at ideas to improve our squad and we have had some positive discussions, but at the moment we are fighting all the time to improve our situation.
"Just before January, we can make our decisions and go from there."
Bradley on his belief
"I am pretty positive, I am pretty confident. Every day I try to make sure that comes out in the players.
"I want them to believe in themselves. In football, sometimes things don't go your way, but there's no time to look backwards.
"You have to find strength, then there has to be a time when the talking stops and it turns into better performances."
Bradley on finding his best team
"It's important to have a settled side and I think we are closer to that now.
"I am not going to give you the team today, but I think the good work from last week will be carried into the way we start this week."
