Angel Rangel says he will be learning from the mistakes of last Christmas

The Swansea City defender found himself in Swansea with Andrea Orlandi blissfully unaware that you normally have to book a Christmas meal if you wish to eat out.

They ended up with a meal for two in a Chinese restaurant and he is determined to have learned from those mistakes and do things a little more traditionally this time around.

Speaking to the Evening Post, Rangel said "It was a bit sad, we ended up on our own in a Chinese restaurant because we couldn't find anything else.

"Fortunately, this year will be different.

"Andrea has his family coming over and so do I.

"My parents and my grandmother are coming to stay for a few days and that will be a big help for me.

"In Spain we have a two-week break at Christmas time so players can relax a little bit more," he explains.

"It's not turkey that we eat.

"To be honest, I don't know what people eat in the cities in Spain, but in my village we have soup with some meat in it, probably chicken.

"After that there will be a lot of fried food - prawns, calamari, that kind of thing.

"But I cannot eat all that as a footballer over here.

"For me it will be chicken and pasta and then sleep.

"You have to have good food and good rest because we have a very big game the next day against Coventry.

"There are seven of us now, eight with Mikel Alonso, and I believe every one of us has someone coming over for Christmas," Rangel adds.

"When you add them all up, there could be 50 or 60 altogether at the game.

"I think we have deserved some victories in the run of draws," Rangel says.

"We have kept on playing our football and making chances, but we have conceded some soft goals late on in games.

"It is bad when you don't win for a few weeks and we have to treat Blackpool this weekend as our cup final.

"We have to be harder, stronger and sharper because we want to push back up the table.

"The play-offs are not our aim this season, but it would be great if we could get there.

"I thought Tatey did very well defensively and offensively when he came on against Sheffield United last week," Rangel says.

"I don't know who will play at left-back this weekend, that's up to the manager.

"And if he wants me to play there, I will do my best.

"But I think the right is my best position. I like to go forward and I think I am much better at that when I am on the right.

"I think the next three games are very important," says the 26-year-old.

"We are in not in a bad position in the table, but it could be better.

"We want a minimum of seven points from these three games to put us in a good position at the start of the new year."

"I don't know, what I am getting for Christmas but I have been a good boy this year so hopefully my family will bring me something," he says through a grin.

"The best present for me would be nine points from the next three games."

Photo: Action Images

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