Jamie Paterson: Character of squad key to Swansea City upturn
- Published
Jamie Paterson has scored once this season, in the Carabao Cup defeat to Bournemouth
Jamie Paterson says the strength of Swansea City's dressing room has been key to their upturn in form.
Swansea endured a miserable start to the new Championship season, failing to win in their first seven league games.
But they have eased the pressure on head coach Michael Duff courtesy of three successive victories, which have lifted them from the relegation places to 15th in the table.
"It shows the character of the group," said attacking midfielder Paterson, 31.
"It's a great group - I have said it all the time I have been here and all the new lads are exactly the same. I feel like that's come out on the pitch.
"We have managed to turn it around and I feel like that proves the strength of the group.
"We have got some really good lads, some really good leaders in the group. We have found a way of coming together and turning it around."
Swansea go to Plymouth Argyle on Saturday looking to extend their four-game unbeaten run prior to the season's second international break.
Their early struggles led to questions about the future of Duff, but wins over Sheffield Wednesday, Millwall and Norwich City have changed the mood at the Swansea.com Stadium.
Paterson has featured in 10 of Swansea's 12 fixtures since Duff succeeded Russell Martin in the summer and says defeat at Cardiff City on 16 September was a turning point.
"I feel like you can go seven games without a win in the middle of a season, but when it's at the start, with a new manager especially, it can get blown into something bigger," he said.
"Obviously none of us were happy with performances at the start. [There was] a big change of players, a big change in the way we train, tactically - everything that we all need to take on board.
"I feel like we have landed on a way of playing now and it suits everybody and you can see that we all want to do well.
"Maybe Cardiff hurt everyone a lot more than you think it does. Maybe that was the kick we needed. I feel like we have turned the corner from that point."
Paterson says Swansea have gone through a "big change" following Martin's move to Southampton, with Duff arriving alongside an almost entirely new coaching staff.
The club also made a raft of summer signings having lost regulars such as Joel Piroe, Ryan Manning, Joel Latibeaudiere and Olivier Ntcham.
"We had a big turnover of players and naturally that's going to take time," Paterson said.
"Obviously the fans are frustrated at the start - we are frustrated. Naturally it becomes difficult. But I keep going back to the strength of the lads. Everyone has stuck together."
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