COOPS COY OVER HIS SPECIAL BREW
Liverpool loanee in frame for derby
SWANSEA boss Steve Cooper spent Friday afternoon studiously avoiding questions about whether Rhian Brewster would be unleashed on Cardiff today.
Three times the Welshman was asked. Three times he ducked and weaved, unwilling to say if the Liverpool loanee’s first taste of league football would come in the white heat of a South Wales derby.
“He’s ready to play, that’s for sure,” said Cooper, whose side start the day four points ahead of their bitter rivals. “I wouldn’t bring anybody here if I didn’t think they could be involved in any Championship game.
“I know Sunday is different. I know how much it matters. But dealing with that is part and parcel of the experience. When we pick the team, it’ll be 11 players who are fit and able to play.”
In all probability, Brewster will probably start on the bench - not least because Andre Ayew’s deployment as a central striker caused havoc when the two sides met at the end of October, a game which ended in a 1-0 victory for Swansea.
Nevertheless, it is only a matter of time before the 19-yearold becomes the focal point of a Swans attacking unit that has so far flattered to deceive.
Few sides in the division create as many chances as Swansea. In fact, only five have registered more shots on goal.
Yet when it comes to actually putting the ball in the net, Cooper’s men are falling short. Pre-weekend, their 32 goals from 26 matches was the sixth lowest tally in the Championship, behind both Luton and Barnsley.
Difficult chances are not skewing the figures. Just 36 per cent of those shots were taken from outside the box (below the Championship average), whilst Swansea have an xG rating of 1.4 per game versus an actual return of 1.2.
Those numbers are reflected in individual players. Bersant Celina has scored two goals against xG of 3.38. Baston Borja, who hasn’t scored since September, six against an xG of 6.95. Even nine-goal top scorer Ayew has an xG of 9.95.
Collectively and individually, then, Swansea should be making more of the chances they are creating. That is where Brewster comes in.
During Cooper’s successful reign as England Under-17 coach, Brewster scored eight times to win the Golden Boot as the Young Lions won the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
In total, he has netted 24 goals in 30 games for the England age groups and scored prolifically for the Reds at youth and Under-23 level. Goals are his business.
Almost every club in the Championship pursued him, with Leeds, Bristol City and Preston all missing out.
“We knew that a loan was something Liverpool were looking at, and that was an opportunity we jumped on,” added Cooper, who has also completed the loan signing of Chelsea defender Marc Guehi, another of his England Under-17 alumni. “It’s no secret that he had a lot of offers, so we’re delighted to have him.”
Remarkably, victory for Swansea today would mark the first time in history that either of the South Wales giants have completed a league double.
“It adds to the motivation,” cautioned Cooper. “So store it in your head. Make sure it drives you on. But stay focussed on what it takes to win a football match - working hard, sticking to your style and principles.
“We believe in what we do. Whether we play in a derby match or a game at the other end of the spectrum, our idea is to bring our game to the table. Because if we get it right, we can dominate any game.”