Swans backed to come through football 'driving test'

At his previous club, Notts County scored 117 goals in 2022-23 and then 55 in 26 League Two matches before Luke Williams joined Swansea in January

Luke Williams believes Swansea City’s forward players will come through football’s answer to a driving test and prove they can score goals in the Championship.

Swansea go to Oxford United on Saturday having failed to find the target in five straight matches.

Summer recruits Zan Vipotnik, Florian Bianchini, Myles Peart-Harris and Eom Ji-Sung have just one league goal between them this season, while Ronald’s sole strike came in the EFL Cup and the more experienced Liam Cullen has netted twice in the league.

Swansea are the lowest scorers in the second tier having wasted numerous chances in the first 12 games of the campaign, but Williams is convinced his team will eventually change that record.

"What I would say is that most of us human beings are similar. Sometimes when we want something so badly and we get close to it, we can tense up a bit," said the Swansea head coach.

"It’s a long time ago for me but when you think about your driving test, you do your lessons, you get comfortable and you feel like you are a really good driver and you are really cocky. Then suddenly it’s the test and you think if ‘I pass this, it opens up a whole new world to me’.

"Suddenly you are making rookie errors in the test. It’s something similar to that, but eventually we all pass. We can all drive."

Swansea have played 525 minutes of league football since their last goal, scored by Ben Cabango in the 1-1 draw with Bristol City on 29 September.

They have slipped to 17th in the table having failed to win in six league games, despite having one of the division’s best defensive records.

Swansea have not been beaten by more than one goal this season, leaving Williams to wonder how much better their position might be had his players been sharper in front of goal.

"I think it’s fair to say that the team looks organised and like it knows what it is trying to do," he said.

"I think it’s fair to say the players look motivated and I think it’s fair to say we are very competitive in the games.

"There are small margins in games where we could have come away with more points."

Swansea will be again be without Eom, who has a knee problem, plus long-term absentees Andy Fisher, Sam Parker and Josh Ginnelly at Oxford.

Defender Kristian Pedersen is back in contention after injury, though he is unlikely to break into a defence which almost picks itself at present.

To begin with at least, the focus at the Kassam Stadium will once again be on Swansea’s attacking players.

"These guys are so desperate to do well, to score goals and help the club, they have to relax a tiny bit more in the big moments," Williams added.

"It’s a group of young players, particularly at the top of the pitch, and they will do well for us."