Swansea's Danny Graham Scores One of the Most Important Goals of the Weekend

Danny Graham wasn't going to miss twice.

He'd botched his previous effort, failing to hit the target entirely with a shot from a difficult angle of Jussi Jaaskelainen's goal.

But the Swansea City striker—tipped by his new manager Michael Laudrup to notch 20 goals this season—would open his account on the season just minutes later.

Catching Wayne Routledge's lofted cross from the right end line, Graham didn't catch his volley flush but got enough contact that—even after the shot took a deflection—it bundled into the back of the net.

Swansea were already up 2-0 firmly in control against West Ham United before Graham's goal, but the symbolic 3-0 scoreline (an archetypal mark of dominance in the world of football), a true statement to the rest of the Premier League (Swansea have scored eight goals and conceded none in two games), was lent added credence by the fact that Graham registered his first goal of the season.

If you think they've been dominant thus far, just imagine if Graham gets going on a run of form.

Scorer of 12 league strikes last season, his first at the Welsh Club, Graham had been strangely silent during Swansea's league opener against Queens Park Rangers last weekend at Loftus Road.

His teammates—sterling new signing Michu and Nathan Dyer, both of whom notched braces against QPR—had been ascendant, and the former of the two got his third goal of the very young season against the Hammers.

While Laudrup's side have yet to face the heavy hitters in the league yet, Graham's first goal will have sent a shockwave.

Top scorer of the League Championship two seasons ago with Watford (24 goals), the 27-year-old has a habit of scoring in bunches once he gets going. That he can strike at a moment's notice, creating something out of seemingly nothing, only compounds his threat.

It is a predatory streak that adds an interesting element to the Swansea philosophy, steeped in passing football. Graham is hardly an exception to the rule—some of his link up play can be fantastic—but his ability to create goals out of nothing is an added asset to the Swansea attack.

It could prove particularly vital in a season where Laudrup has said that his side will need to have backup plans should league opponents try to take them out of their style of play.