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It’s make-or-break time it seems for Swansea City boss Garry Monk when Bournemouth visit the Liberty Stadium on Saturday. Monk finds himself under increasing pressure and coming in for regular criticism as his side goes through a poor period of form that has seen them take just five points from the last 24 on offer to leave them hovering just five points above the drop zone.

The clash with Eddie Howe’s Cherries is seen as a must win for Monk or his job will very much be on the line. Here we look at the issues Monk needs to address to attempt to get his misfiring Swans back to winning ways against the Premier League new boys.

The Gomis issue

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Big striker Bafetimbi Gomis started the season in fine form with four goals in his opening four Premier League outings, but his strikes have now dried up severely and it is no goals for the 30-year-old in his last nine games.

OK, the service has not been the greatest thanks to a Swans side that is misfiring in all departments right now it seems, but the big Frenchman has started to look out of sorts and is not getting the glimpses of goal or into the positions needed. What chances he is getting have been snatched at. Gomis is increasingly looking liked a marksman who needs a break and Monk must be close to considering his options.

The main one, of course, is Portuguese striker Eder, who comes with a pedigree, but remains an unknown quantity at Swansea. Eder is seeing more pitch time, but is yet to start a Premier League game for the club he joined in the summer. Is the time right to give him the run of games he must crave?

Related:Wales skipper Ashley Williams says nothing will stop him from turning out for his country - even in friendlies

Goals in general

(Image: Huw Evans Agency)

When goals do dry up, the finger of blame is pointed at the strikers more often than not, but Swansea as a team have just not been getting enough goals throughout their whole ranks this term. In fact it is only Gomis, Andre Ayew and Gylfi Sigurdsson who have scored for the Swans in the Premier League this term.

This is not good enough, a dip in form, like we have seen from Gomis, and the goals in general tend to dry up. The likes of Jonjo Shelvey, Ki Sung-yeung and Jefferson Montero have to start chipping in. More chances must be created and, just as importantly, more opportunist strikes attempted by the likes of England international Shelvey.

Related:Swansea City boss Garry Monk told to 'tough it out' and ride storm as speculation over his future continues

Each player must look at himself

Monk is carrying the can for the dip in form which, as manager, is usual, but right throughout the Swans’ side right now are a whole host of players who need to be having a hard look at themselves when it comes to current form and, in particular, effort.

This is essentially the same group of players who had a fine start to the campaign, but for whatever reasons standards have dipped. Players have become tentative and errors, unforced ones at that, are creeping into the Swans way of playing. There has to be a drastic improvement in individual showings starting against Bournemouth if the Swans as a whole are going to arrest the downward trend.

Related:Swansea City face more off-field distractions as Garry Monk's number two Pep Clotet linked with exit

Putting the ‘fab’ back in Fabianski

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Since his arrival from Arsenal, in May, 2014 Swans goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski has been outstanding, a rock really between the sticks for the Welsh club. But of late, rather like the whole side in front of him, the Polish international has seen his form waver.

The confidence with which he used to prowl his area seems to have been drained out of him and some of the good saves he used to make regularly are simply now not being made at all. It is wrong in many ways to pick out an individual, but if Fabianski can get his confidence back it might well spread throughout the entire Swans’ side once more.

Related:Swansea City manager Garry Monk needs an older figure like John Toshack next to him to stop Premier League slide

Bring back Britton

The calls for Leon Britton to return to the Swansea starting side are getting louder and louder. It is easy to see why, Britton in many ways embodies what it was that made the Swans a success in the top-flight in the first place. Retaining the ball, passing accuracy and movement, the midfielder has brought that season after season to the Swans’ team.

There are murmurings of discontent the Swans under Monk are abandoning the very principles that made the team a success. Complaints the side now is too defensive, too direct and has lost the swagger that marked them out in the past. Monk will be loathe to carry out major changes to his line-up, he does not have the options to do that anyway, but reintroducing Britton, who looked like he was out of the door at the club this summer, could well be a way to bring back solidity and fluidity too just when they are needed.