Get the latest Swans news sent straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

The clouds of doubts have finally lifted from the skies above the Liberty Stadium.

For the first time going into a Premier League season, they are not among the favourites to go down.

The worries and the summer war of words regarding manager Michael Laudrup have dissipated into dream-like predictions of runs in Europe and top-six finishes, according to at least one expert’s opinion.

And the Swans boss himself reckons he’s more confident this time around than when he began life in the Liberty dug-out, a campaign that saw a ninth-place finish in the Premier League and a first major English trophy to boot.

So, yes, it seems doubts have gone. The challenges, however, very much remain.

No-one doubts that Swansea are a very good side, that their passing and possession game can not only survive at the highest-level but can thrive.

No-one doubts anymore that players are good enough, regardless of whether they are heard of or not and the transfer success of Michu has garnered a faith that the likes of Wilfried Bony will be a hit.

And no-one doubts there is reason for excitement at the club whose fairytale keeps begging the question of whether things can get any better, which they invariably have year on year.

Yet Swansea now face the scenario where they are looking to live up to the world’s opinion rather than defy it.

And given the scrutiny and spotlight of the Premier League, it could be even tougher to deal with.

They should still be underdogs given their wage bill remains in the bottom places of the Premier League, even though it has proved enough to assemble a squad capable of maintaining a top-half spot.

But with the respect that Swansea have gained comes the expectation to meet their standards, something that will not come easy and will bring its own set of problems.

For example, signing a player worth half the cost of your stadium, as Swansea did with £12m man Bony, is wonderful, but will come with a cost should he not fire in the Premier League immediately.

Michu will face accusations of his star fading if he does not match his strike rate of last year and so on.

Whether they are right or not is irrelevant, these are the nuances of a season at the top that Swansea must deal with.

After all, whereas right now there is a buzz from impressive pre-season and European qualifying form heading into the Manchester United game, it cannot be forgotten that an awfully difficult start to the season awaits Swansea.

No-one would grumble about defeats to the champions and away to Tottenham, but you can guarantee that there will be pressure when heading to West Brom just three weeks into the season. Such is the madness of the Premier League.

Of course, with Liverpool and Arsenal also up at home and a visit to Crystal Palace side still buoyant from promotion, all before the second month is out – not to mention the extra European commitment – the pressures of living up to or falling below expectation could play out very early on. Whichever way it flows, whether needing to stay grounded amid hype or being able to rise above the criticism, Swansea must cope and offer a maturity and confidence built upon two years of Prem success.

They have the players, the squad now, that suggests they will. They have genuine options of top-level talent in nigh-on every position. Should they make the group stages of the Europa League, they also have the amount of games to satisfy the individual hunger for action to stop issues of squad harmony.

The new arrivals have quickly adapted and one in particular has given indication that Laudrup can improve on last year.

Bony was expensively landed, a world away from the freebies and cheap catches of seasons past, but he is the type of player that was needed. If anyone had any doubts, just look at the way he was on hand to tap in after Michu hit the post in the home-leg against Malmo. Last year, there was no-one there.

Michu can also benefit from Bony’s arrival, able to drop deeper and make the late runs into the box where he actually garnered the majority of his goals last term.

And with Michu able to come into midfield, there is now a different type of player for the different type of challenges Swansea will face with Jonjo Shelvey impressive early on with his longer ball bringing a new dimension.

Leon Britton – even under pressure from Jose Canas – will be as key as ever though while the extra attacking options will ask greater questions of a defence that should welcome the fact Arsenal’s admiration in Ashley Williams hasn’t developed into something firmer. Yet. But the backline will have a greater understanding than they did when they began the last campaign, one where players remained unsure of Laudrup’s methods and where half of the side did not know each other from Adam.

“I could see straight away after ten days of our pre-season trip to Holland that we were in better shape than last year,” said Laudrup in Sweden last week.

“The players came back after more than six weeks off and looked good after just a week of training, they slotted straight back in.

“And with the two competitive European games, we have been able to give our new signings 90 minutes. We know it will take a few games to settle in properly but they have already showed they are adapting. We can always improve but it will come with time.

“But the competitive games have been a big difference for us because every manager in the Premier League wonders during pre-season about what will happen when the league season begins.

“You always have some doubts — you ask ‘Where are we now?’ or ‘How is my team?’.

“I had that feeling last year when we went to Queens Park Rangers because you do not know, cannot tell so much from pre-season friendlies. This year it is different.”

And whether they like it or not, so will that expectation – starting even from within with Laudrup saying the ultimate aim is to gain a third straight mid-table finish.

Let others talk of top six, claim the players quite wisely, top-half will do very nicely.

Or top 17 for that matter, given that the most important thing is to maintain the Premier League status that came before gaining the Premier League’s respect. Perhaps survival could not be classed as success, but it would certainly be satisfactory, given that this is still ‘little, ol Swansea’ we are talking about.

“For me success (this season) will be consolidating the team as a mid-team in the Premier League,” said the Swansea manager.

“That will not be easy, because the teams below us last season, like Newcastle, West Ham and Southampton have invested a lot of money because they want to go up the table.

“The main thing for us is the Premier League — if we can consolidate as a mid-table team, that will be fantastic.”

Cups, like last year, will be a bonus and while they have the numbers, the number of games potentially to come in Europe will have an impact.

But no-one can doubt Swansea City have what it takes to keep the doubts at bay. Now to show it once more.