What next for Sheehan's struggling Swans?

Alan Sheehan joined Swansea as an assistant head coach in the summer of 2023

Almost a third of the Championship season is in the past and Swansea City have fewer points on the board than at the same stage in any campaign since relegation from the Premier League in 2018.

For Alan Sheehan and chief executive Tom Gorringe, for Snoop Dogg and Luka Modric and for the club's US-based owners, this was not the plan.

It was only seven months ago that Swansea fans were chanting in support of Sheehan, urging their club to give the Irishman a permanent contract amid his impressive spell as caretaker boss.

Yet there was vitriol in the air as Ipswich Town romped to victory at the Swansea.com Stadium on Saturday, when Swansea were booed off at half-time and full-time.

This time there were chants – from one section of fans – calling for Sheehan to be relieved of his duties.

When Sheehan went towards the East Stand to acknowledge Swansea's supporters after the final whistle, he ended up raising a hand of apology amid another chorus of boos.

So what has gone wrong for Sheehan's Swansea? And what needs to change as the club look to turn their fortunes around?

Early optimism fading away

Only Sheffield Wednesday, who are bottom, have conceded more home Championship goals than Swansea this season

Swansea started this season with considerable optimism thanks to their form under Sheehan at the back-end of last season and a summer window which was widely regarded as the club's best in years.

The Swans showed considerable ambition in the transfer market, when their net spend was the second highest – behind Wrexham - in the Championship.

Significant fees were spent on Adam Idah, Marko Stamenic, Zeidane Inoussa and Ethan Galbraith, while Melker Widell arrived in Wales after Swansea had splashed out on him in January.

Cameron Burgess was another notable signing, while Sheehan was particularly excited to land Malick Yalcouye on loan.

At one stage it seemed the arrival of a big-name striker – who turned out to be Idah – would trigger the departure of Zan Vipotnik, yet the Slovenian's fine form in the early weeks of the season convinced Swansea they could not allow him to go.

As a result Sheehan has strong options in attack, while there is depth in almost every department of Swansea's squad, which has not often been the case in recent years.

Yet so far, Sheehan has not been able to get the same results from his new-look squad as he did with the group he inherited from Luke Williams in February.

Swansea were 17th in the table and in the midst of a worrying slide when Williams departed.

Sheehan turned the ship around, taking 24 points from 13 league matches to secure an 11th-placed finish and his own three-year contract.

This season's points-per-game ratio is far less impressive.

The fact that 17 points from 15 games is Swansea's poorest tally since their Premier League years - 19 in each of the past two seasons was the previous low mark - says everything about the way things have gone.

That late summer optimism is rapidly fading as English football's long winter approaches.

That is not to say positivity cannot possibly return, but Swansea need a sizeable shift in fortunes to make that happen.

Competing – but not winning enough games

Swansea were beaten 2-1 at Preston last week despite controlling much of the game

Prior to Swansea's dreadful afternoon against Ipswich, Sheehan has often – quite rightly - pointed out that even when they have lost this season, his team have not been well beaten.

They have competed in the majority of games. In terms of performance level, Ipswich ranks alongside Southampton and Middlesbrough away.

Swansea were poor in both those away fixtures, yet they scraped a goalless draw at St Mary's and were only beaten 1-0 by a Boro side who are among the division's pacesetters.

But Sheehan will be aware that he cannot keep bemoaning Swansea's failure to bank more points when they have played reasonably well.

At some stage, results must follow.

This season, somewhat concerningly, the only teams Swansea have beaten in the league are Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Blackburn Rovers and Norwich City.

They are the division's current bottom three and the side who lie 19th, one place below Swansea.

Attacking struggles

Zan Vipotnik is Swansea's leading scorer with eight goals this season

Vipotnik has been one of Swansea's standout performers this season, while Idah – who has had to be patient thanks to his fellow striker's form – has made a reasonable start to life in Wales.

So it may seem a little strange to say that Swansea's biggest issues are in attack, but finding a way to make his team more potent is Sheehan's key problem right now.

With 15 goals to date, Swansea are the seventh lowest scorers in the Championship.

More worryingly, they are bottom of the pile in the second tier when it comes to XG.

Sheehan's success in making Swansea more defensively sound was a key factor in their impressive run in the spring and, for the most part, his team had been fairly solid this term before the Ipswich mauling.

But if they are to hit their pre-season target for 2025-26 – which was to be in contention, at least, for a play-off place – Swansea must find some inspiration going forward.

Vipotnik and Idah require help from those around them.

Swansea need more from their wide players and from midfield, while their dead-ball threat simply has to improve.

As it stands, the Swans are the only team in their division who have not scored from a set-piece this season, aside from Idah's penalty against Leicester.

Points on the board

Sheehan has been in charge of 39 Swansea games including his seven-match stint as caretaker boss in 2023-24.

In all competitions, the 39-year-old's win ratio, at close to 44%, is very respectable.

Sheehan's 35 Swansea league fixtures have brought 52 points at an average of 1.48 per game.

Were that return to be repeated across a Championship campaign, Swansea would have 68 points, which was enough for sixth place in 2024-25.

The problem for Sheehan, of course, is this season's points return.

If they keep going as they are, Swansea will finish 2025-26 with 52 points, which would have meant an 18th-placed finish last season.

Sheehan would say himself that 18th is not good enough.

As yet, there has been no suggestion from within the club that the head coach's position is under threat.

Swansea return to action after the international break at eighth-placed Bristol City on 22 November, before a midweek home fixture against Derby County, who are 10th, and a trip to West Brom - currently 14th - the following weekend.

Assuming he remains at the helm, Sheehan will be aware that it could be a big week.