Resilient Swansea searching for cutting edge

Swansea City avoided defeat at Sheffield Wednesday for only the second time in six away matches this season, but there was some frustration as their barren run continued

There is no set of fans across the EFL who have seen fewer league goals this season than those who follow Swansea City.

That is not all bad news for Swansea, of course, for Luke Williams’ players have found the sort of resilient streak not seen at the club since Steve Cooper’s class of 2020-21 reached the Championship play-off final.

But while Swansea’s defensive efforts this season have been something to celebrate, their failings in the final third are a matter for significant concern.

Tuesday’s stalemate at Sheffield Wednesday means Swansea have gone more than seven hours of Championship football without scoring.

The most recent of their eight second-tier goals this season came when Ben Cabango netted against Bristol City, while they have conceded only seven times in 11 league games to date.

As admirable as that defensive record is, Williams’ team – and their supporters - will face an arduous winter if they cannot find some cutting edge.

What is missing?

Williams once again backed his attacking players after their latest blank came at Hillsborough, dismissing the suggestion that the pressure to deliver is weighing heavily on their shoulders.

“These are professional footballers. They are motivated guys, they have quality, so a bit of pressure isn’t going to be enough to stop them,” the Swansea head coach said.

“It is sometimes about finding your flow, a patch of form, sometimes a bit of rub of the green. We will be OK… we will start scoring goals, there’s no doubt.”

Williams has to say that, of course, for it would not help the cause should he question whether his players have the ability to score goals regularly at Championship level.

It may be that they do, but the fact is they have much to prove.

Williams’ hope over the summer was that Swansea would sign at least one premium centre-forward, a player with a record of scoring goals in the second tier.

He tried hard to get Tyrese Campbell, for example, and had an interest in Sam Gallagher which faded as a result of the targetman’s earning power.

Jerry Yates (left) and Jamal Lowe (right) were Swansea's joint-leading scorers last season, but both departed in a summer of change at the club

Swansea opted against pushing to re-sign Jamal Lowe, scorer of nine goals while on loan from Bournemouth last season.

Lowe was joint-leading scorer alongside Jerry Yates, who was sent on loan to Derby County after a campaign in which he never looked particularly settled.

Jamie Paterson, scorer of eight goals last term and one of Swansea’s chief creators, also departed in the summer after failing to agree a new deal.

Swansea looked around the planet to freshen up their forward line, but as yet their new recruits have not fired.

Eom Ji-Sung has been the brightest of their attacking signings, though the South Korean is yet to score in English football and will not for a while after being ruled out for six weeks through injury.

Winger Florian Bianchini, brought in from Bastia for about £2m, looks a player who is still trying to get to grips with life in the Championship, and the same could be said of striker Zan Vipotnik.

The Slovenia international has apparently impressed with his finishing on the training ground, but has made little impact on the pitch since scoring on his home league debut against Preston in August.

Attacking midfielder Myles Peart-Harris, signed on loan from Brentford on deadline day, is another trying to establish himself in the Championship, while Goncalo Franco has not yet scored in Swansea colours despite some dynamic displays in midfield.

As a result Swansea have been left looking primarily to Brazilian winger Ronald – who has no league goal this season – and Liam Cullen for inspiration.

Cullen is a hard-working forward who can be expected to chip in with goals – he leads the way for his club this term with three – but it is asking a lot to expect the Wales international to make the sort of contribution Swansea have been lacking since Joel Piroe left for Leeds in 2023.

Ronald has scored three league goals since joining Swansea in January, but his only goal so far this season came in the EFL Cup

Defensive prowess the key to successes so far

Are Swansea’s goalscoring issues down to personnel within the squad or the team’s philosophy?

Williams has stressed since taking charge last January that he wants to build a team capable of scoring goals.

He could point to a number of chances that have come and gone this season as evidence that his style of play brings opportunities.

He might also highlight Notts County’s promotion campaign in 2022-23, when his team scored a club-record 117 regular-season league goals.

The National League is a different world from the Championship of course, but it does not feel as though Williams’ approach should be the main concern for Swansea right now.

Instead, not for the first time in recent years, there are question marks over the club’s transfer work - and whether they have the attacking quality to thrive.

There should be relief that Williams’ team have proved so hard to break down, because that defensive prowess is the reason why they sit 13th – a very decent return given the shape of the squad - in the table after almost a quarter of the campaign.

“There’s a lot to be positive about,” Williams said after the Owls draw.

“We are a difficult team to play against. We can handle the ball. We have the most possession in the Championship and we use that to try not to concede too many goals.

“Now we need to add the potency at the other end and we’ll have a very good team on our hands.”

And so to a home game against Millwall on Saturday, when Swansea will try – once again - to make that happen.