Citi Sports Daniel Koranteng looks at the 28 year old’s positional evolution and discusses why his return and potential partnership with his brother Jordan could be exactly what Swansea needs in their quest for survival.

Ayew’s positional change

On 6 November, 2010 a year after leading Ghana to U-20 World Cup glory, Andre Ayew made his UEFA Champions League debut for Marseille against Portuguese champions Porto at the Estádio do Dragão, playing on the left wing in place of Dutch winger Bolo Zenden. The then 20 year old played 77 minutes before being substituted out as Marseille were defeated 2–1.

Ayew earned praise from the media and many pundits especially for keeping in form Porto right back José Bosingwa quiet on the night. Ayew went on to cement himself as a regular in the side making 37 appearances in his debut season. Although he was deployed in the wider positions in his first season, Ayew showed his good eye for goal and incredible movement in the box scoring 11 goals in his debut season.

This prompted then Marseille manager Didier Dechamps to grant the Ghana international more positional freedom which resulted in Ayew scoring 30 goals for the side in the next 3 seasons. Perhaps Ayew’s best season for the French side came in his final season where he was part of a powerful front 3 along with Dimitri Payet and Andre Pierre Gignac. He finished the season as the clubs second highest goal scorer with 9 goals, featuring as the team’s main central attacking threat on some occasions in the absence of Gignac.

The winger was slowly beginning to evolve into an out and out forward. Ayew’s move to Swansea in 2015 was marked the death of his career as a winger. Then Swansea manager Gary Monk operated him as a second striker, partnering up with Frenchman Bafetimbi Gomis in the Swansea attack. He excelled in that role and finished the campaign as the team’s highest scorer with 12 goals, which included strikes against Manchester United and Chelsea.

Ayew had slowly morphed into a central attacking menace. After his move to West Ham the following season, Hammers boss Slaven Bilic reverted to deploying him down the wings and this backfired with Ayew failing to deliver. He was no longer that quick, energetic teenager who burst onto the global scene some six years before. Ayew later that season – after the AFCON – was deployed in a center forward position and he returned with an impressive 6 goals and 3 assists in just 16 starts.

Swansea’s lack

Swansea have a clear problem this season and that is their inability to score enough goals. The Swans have managed just 20 goals all season; meaning Tottenham’s Harry Kane has managed more goals than the entire Swansea side this season. Swansea have lacked a focal point in their attack this season with early season injuries to Tammy Abraham and Wilfred Bony.  Andre’s brother, Jordan, who is Swansea’s leading scorer so far this season with 8 goals, has shown that he isn’t your typical penalty box forward as the heat map of his average movement this season show he is hardly ever in the opposition box.

Andre Ayew is a second striker and poacher of the first order. The purchase of Andre means Swansea will have a player who will be a constant threat in the opposition box due to his incredible movement and exceptional anticipation and finishing ability. Andre playing as a poacher alongside his workaholic younger brother Jordan is a match made in heaven and exactly what Swansea needs.

Their devastating partnership can be likened to Manchester United’s attacking duo of 2005/2006 which had Wayne Rooney doing all the dirty work by drawing defenders away and Ruud van Nistelrooy as the prolific poacher whose simple job was just to finish off chances.

The added bonus for the Swans is that they have signed a player who understands the situation the club is in, having been in a similar pickle before with the same club, coupled with the fact that the team is peaking at a perfect time with the team unbeaten in their last five league games, which have come with successive wins against Liverpool and Arsenal.

Only positives can be seen in Swansea’s purchase of Andre Ayew and it’s very clear he, alongside Jordan are destined to save the Welsh side from the drop.

By: Daniel Koranteng/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Andre Ayew: A masterful artist of positional evolution [Article] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Henry was fired by the Hammers for comments he made claiming that players from the continent caused trouble in the dressing room.

The 28-year old, who left West Ham on deadline day to rejoin Swansea in an £18 million deal, has now hit out at the Hammers officials insisting Africans bring success to their sides.

Ayew says African players are very proud of themselves and where they come from.

“I just know that we African players are proud of ourselves, we know where we have come from, and we believe in our football,” said Ayew.

“African players like Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o have played at the greatest clubs in the world and done their jobs.

“We have done a lot to get into professional football and African footballers now play for Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea.

“It’s an honour to be an African. I am so proud and so happy and I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

Ayew is in line to make his Swansea debut this weekend against Burnley in the Premier League.

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By: Daniel Koranteng/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Ayew has returned to the Liberty Stadium on a three-and-a-half-year contract after the Swans agreed a club-record deal with West Ham United.

And the man who finished as top scorer in one his one previous season as a Swan is determined to ensure Carlos Carvalhal’s team pull clear of relegation danger.

“I am very happy to be back,” Ayew declared.

“Things have changed at the club, but the faces are still the same and I am happy to see everyone. Now I need to do the job.

“What’s important is that we keep the club up.

“The club have shown a lot of trust in me and a lot of determination to bring me in.

“Now I need to give back to them on the field. My goal and my challenge is to do everything possible to help the club stay up – the same as it is for all the players and the staff.

“That’s what I am here for and I will do everything I can to make sure it happens.”

Having climbed out of the Premier League relegation zone courtesy of Tuesday’s sparkling win over Arsenal, the Swans dropped back into the bottom three after Stoke and Southampton picked up points on Wednesday.

But Ayew has been encouraged by his new club’s form since Carvalhal took charge at the end of December.

In eight games under the Portuguese, the Swans have been beaten only once – and that was in contentious circumstances against Spurs.

“The season is going to be long and there will be a lot of tough games,” Ayew added.

“It’s not going to be easy – everyone wants to stay up and when you look at the table, 20th place to ninth or 10th is very, very tight.

“But when you know the players who are here you know the quality they have.

“Sometimes in football you can have some bad results, but I think we have the quality of players to play in the Premier League.

“We want to stay at this level and we need to do everything possible to make sure we don’t let the city down and we don’t let the fans down.”

Ayew had options to consider when it became apparent he could be leaving West Ham during the January transfer window, but he was always keen to return to Wales.

“I had a great moment at the club last time,” he said.

“I had a great feeling with my team-mates and a great relationship with the fans.

“I had a few others to look at, but when the opportunity to come back to Swansea came up, I wanted to take it.

“I felt the fans wanted me back, the chairman wanted me back and the gaffer wanted me, so I am really pleased.”

Source: Swanseacity.com

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Jordan hit the back of the net in the 48^th minute, 4 minutes after his teammate Tammy Abraham scored Swansea’s opening goal.

Crystal Palace who featured two Ghanaians Jeffrey Schlupp and Timothy Fosu-Mensah have been unimpressive in their previous games under their new manager, new boss Frank de Boer.

They have lost all their three matches without scoring a single goal.

Swansea City currently 9th with 4 points on the Premiership table with Crystal Palace 19th on the table with no point.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Jordan Ayew scores first goal of the season as Swansea wins appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Hull’s victory over West Ham on Saturday had left Swansea outside the drop zone only by virtue of them having a superior goal difference to the Tigers.

Middlesbrough’s position is ever more precarious – five points adrift of Swansea, albeit with a game in hand – and they might come to rue substitute Rudy Gestede failing to accept the best chance of the match in stoppage time.

So a goalless draw, which highlighted the failings of both sides in front of goal, will only serve to encourage the teams around them.

There was no shortage of endeavour or commitment as would be expected in a classic relegation six-pointer, but neither team could provide the defining moment of quality which would have meant so much.

Swansea suffered a blow before kick-off when top scorer Fernando Llorente was ruled out with a calf problem.

Llorente has shown himself to be one of the best headers of a ball in the Premier League since he left Sevilla last summer and his absence hurt Swansea and boosted Boro in equal measure.

On many occasions Swansea found themselves in decent crossing positions, but the ball had to be too precise to find Llorente’s replacement Jordan Ayew and a Boro defence well-marshalled by skipper Ben Gibson coped comfortably.

Boro had to withstand an early Swansea flurry which saw Martin Olsson fire over an angled shot and Ayew sting Victor Valdes’ palms from 20 yards.

But the Middlesbrough defence stood increasingly firm, the real moments of Swansea danger in the first half coming from Gylfi Sigurdsson’s expert dead-ball delivery in which no home attacker could apply a telling touch.

Boro’s threat was also fleeting in a first period which started brightly but quietened down as both teams began to settle.

They looked to utilise the frightening pace of Adama Traore on the break, one such lightning raid ending with Leroy Fer cautioned for a cynical trip.

Alvaro Negredo and Stewart Downing had shots blocked in the same attack, the former bringing optimistic appeals for a penalty after the Spaniard’s shot had struck the arm of Alfie Mawson.

But the Swansea defender’s arm was in a natural position and his close proximity to Negredo ensured that referee Bobby Madley was not interested in pointing to the spot.

Tom Carroll went close to breaking the deadlock with a 25-yard drive which whistled past Valdes’ post as Boro reorganised with targetman Gestede replacing the injured Gaston Ramirez.

The game’s most dangerous moments centred around the two best players, Sigurdsson and Traore.

Sigurdsson had one tame effort before the Iceland international produced a delicious touch to find a yard of space and unleash a 25-yard pile-driver which Valdes stretched to push away.

At the other end Traore dragged his shot wide before outpacing Mawson and picking out Adam Clayton at the far post.

Clayton headed the ball down into the path of Negredo, but Lukasz Fabianski was out quickly from his goal to prevent the striker from profiting.

Negredo had another opening after 75 minutes when Gestede nodded down Bernado Espinosa’s long ball into his path.

He did well to hold off Mawson but he was off balance when he took a shot which ended wide of Fabianski’s goal.

Swansea had late opportunities when Sigurdsson’s free-kick was deflected wide – the hosts believing a penalty might have been awarded after the ball had struck a stray Boro arm – and Mawson’s goalbound header was cleared by Marten de Roon.

But Gestede wasted an even better chance at the death when he sent his far-post header wide

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Source: Talksport

The post Swansea 0-0 Middlesbrough: League strugglers settle for a point appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Ayew has endured a frustrating spell under Steve Bruce this season and is looking for a way out of the club.

A return to France with Marseille has been on the cards but with Swansea City fighting for their lives there are talks to sign Jordan Ayew.

Ayew played with Villa in the Premier League last season where he scored seven goals.

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By: Rahman Osman/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Swansea City steps up chase for Aston Villa’s Jordan Ayew appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Ivorian netted the first and third goal of the game, with Alfie Mawson putting the ball through his own net after Wayne Routledge levelled the game for the Swans.

Bob Bradley continues to wait for his first win as Swansea manager, with the Welsh club remaining in the bottom three of the Premier League.

The hosts started on the front foot, and Bony was on hand to put them in the lead just three minutes in, converting Allen’s mishit shot from close range.

But the lead was not held for long, Swansea pulling level five minutes later with Routledge heading Sigurdsson’s cross powerfully past Lee Grant in goal.

The Potters looked for an immediate response, Bony flashing a strike wide, Allen hitting over from long-range, and Adam crashing a curler against the post.

Swansea were starting to press more and more, with Stoke sitting off them, but it was Adam who next came closest to scoring – again striking the woodwork with a lovely curling attempt.

For the THIRD time Stoke were inches away from retaking the lead, Arnautovic making his way around Fabianski excellently, but he could only watch on as the Potters were denied by the post again.

The Potters could count themselves unlucky to enter the break still level, but they were not downhearted when the second period started.

They remained on the front foot, and Bony really should have converted Arnautovic’s cross to put Hughes’ men in front – but he lashed over from close range.

However, the hosts’ second goal did come, Mawson putting through his own net after some excellent work from exciting youngster Ramadan Sobhi on the left side of the area.

The Egyptian turned Angel Rangel inside out before striking towards goal, and although his shot looked to be going wide, centre-back Mawson could only deflect the ball past Fabianski.

The goal seemed to knock confidence from the Swans, who were looking listless in attack.

And with 20 minutes remaining, Stoke secured the win – Bony heading home Allen’s acrobatic delivery to make it 3-1.

Bony could have had a hat-trick a moment later, but his glancing header was hacked off the line, and he was taken off to a great reception moments later.

Llorente forced a save from Grant and Borja saw a deflected attempt flick off the bar, but there was no real fear the Swans would hit the back of the net before the final whistle blew after four minutes of injury time.

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Source: TalkSport

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