Swansea City

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The stakes are always high when it comes to the South Wales derby, especially for managers.

Because the last decade of meetings between Swansea City and Cardiff City have shown it is not just bragging rights on the line for bosses in this fixture – it is their jobs.

A remarkable statistic circulated on social media this week, pointing out that Erol Bulut will become the first Cardiff manager to take charge of both derby fixtures in a season since the days of Dave Jones.

But the derby dugout quirk goes further, showing that the last 11 managers to have lost this fixture have not been in place by the time the next derby comes around.

And again you have to go back to Jones’ time in charge of the Bluebirds for the last boss to have been beaten in a derby and still be in the job for the return match.

That came in November 2010 when Marvin Emnes’ goal inflicted a home defeat on Cardiff, only for a Jones-led side to get revenge at the Liberty Stadium three months later via a Craig Bellamy beauty.

Brendan Rodgers was the Swans boss that day but had left for Liverpool by the time the teams renewed rivalries in the Premier League in 2013.

And so the derby ‘curse’ continued with Michael Laudrup and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer both losing games and being removed from their posts by the time the sides met again in the Championship in 2019.

There, Swansea wins under Steve Cooper saw both Neil Warnock and Neil Harris depart before the next fixture rolled around - with a goalless draw in between providing a stay of execution.

And when Cooper’s Swans were upset at home by Mick McCarthy’s Bluebirds, the Welshman had moved on before McCarthy’s trip west the following season.

The man who replaced Cooper, Russell Martin, then proceeded to oversee four straight derby wins against four different Cardiff managers, with McCarthy, Steve Morison, Mark Hudson and Sabri Lamouchi all only managing one derby each.

And while Martin left the fixture unbeaten when he joined Southampton, the curse continued when Michael Duff lasted 11 weeks after a comfortable Cardiff win last September following Bulut’s arrival.

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Saturday marks Luke Williams' turn to try out just how high the stakes are, although he has sampled the passions as part of Martin’s victorious coaching staff.

Meanwhile Bulut has the chance to engineer a first ever Cardiff double in the fixture – something that would no doubt add to the voices backing him for a new contract beyond the summer.

But if history is anything to go by, if there is a winner on Saturday, only one will be around by the next time the South Wales rivals go head to head.

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Luke Williams says calmness is key for Swansea City after they failed to find the target at Bristol City.

The Swans were beaten for the first time in four matches thanks to Rob Dickie’s 73rd-minute header at Ashton Gate.

It was a game of few chances, although Swansea looked the more likely scorers in the first half and saw Przemyslaw Placheta and Ollie Cooper miss second-half opportunities.

Not for the first time in his brief Swansea reign, Williams has called for more composure in the final third as preparations begin for next Saturday’s south Wales derby against Cardiff City.

“We are talking about moments in games where we make the wrong decision on the final pass, the wrong connection to strike the ball,” he said.

“We are talking about small margins. We went to the box plenty of times [at Bristol City] but we fluffed our lines somewhat. It’s not like we didn’t cause any threat.

“We need to be a bit more calm, to have a bit more precision in the final third.”

Chris Wathan
BBC Sport Wales

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There is an incongruity about Swansea City and their situation in the chaos of the Championship’s closing stages.

On the one hand, there they are, still within two bad weeks of being in the relegation places.

Five points and seven positions clear, but still close enough to see their name in the graphics that spell out how tight and tense it is at the wrong end of the second tier.

“Of course they’re in a relegation fight,” was Iwan Roberts’ pre-game verdict at Vicarage Road ahead of the 1-1 draw with Watford that leaves Swansea 15th on 43 points with 10 games to go.

Even a fleeting glance at the table makes it difficult to argue, suggesting the next two months are ones to be filled with fretting over survival.

And yet, watching Swansea at present, it does not look like a side looking over their shoulders.

Indeed, the players at Watford who looked like they had the world on their shoulders and the fans breathing down their necks were the hosts, a team two points and two places better off than Swansea.

Maybe it’s naïve to say, but Swansea do not look like a side in a relegation scrap.

Although they failed to pick up a third consecutive win – and instead continued a sloppy habit of conceding in the second-half – Swansea again look like a side moving in the right direction.

The possession has a purpose, with the much-missed pace out wide finally back.

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Throw in some “rottweiler” defending and, all of a sudden, Swansea look like a team again – and a team who are building rather than battling.

“It’s natural to ask the question,” said boss Luke Williams at Watford having been queried whether the side is feeling pressure from sides such as QPR and Sheffield Wednesday picking up momentum below them.

“But I think we as a group feel in a good place and don’t feel like we’re in that position, we don’t feel like we’re low on confidence, that we can’t win a game, or that we’re in a scrap.

“We feel like we’re a team trying to improve the way we play, trying to understand the game plan and it feels like we’re starting to make progress. Now can we start to put a string of results together?”

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It all came with a caveat that there is much to improve, much more work to be done.

Not pulling further ahead when clearly on top, for one – Ronald and Przemslaw Placheta both could have done better with big chances at Vicarage Road. Not managing games out the other.

But, with the South Wales derby fast approaching, both the body language and mood music from within the camp is in stark contrast to the confused and calamitous look about Swansea when they suffered a bruising 2-0 defeat to the Bluebirds back in September.

• Swansea City stumble off the way after derby defeat to Cardiff City

Bristol City come before Cardiff and defeats in both may paint a very different picture, but Swansea’s final fixtures do show they can be masters of their own destiny: Norwich are the only opponents with a realistic promotion shot, three are in midtable, the remaining six games against sides either in the bottom three or no more than two points above it.

“We have a long way to go to be the best team we can be,” added Williams.

Amid the chaos of the Championship, maybe it is a case for Swansea to simply keep calm and carry on.

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Former Wales striker Iwan Roberts says Swansea City need to start keeping it clean to really show their progress under Luke Williams.

Roberts watched Swansea hold his former side Watford to a 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road on Wednesday night, a point he described as “vital” in inching away from any relegation worries.

The result – contributing to the Swans’ best run of form since October – moved the Swans five points clear of the bottom three with 10 Championship games left to play.

But having been on top in the first half, he says Swansea would be ruing not hanging on having made it five games without a clean sheet.

Only Rotherham (3) and Blackburn (5) have shut out their opponents fewer times than Swansea, and Roberts suggested it is undermining the obvious step forwards in other aspects of their displays.

“I really enjoyed their performance in the first half, the way they make the pitch big, the width, the centre forward pushing to centre halves towards their own penalty box, which enables the wingers to provide more service and the midfielders and (Jamie) Paterson to get on the ball more,” Roberts told BBC Radio Wales Sport.

“There was a really good tempo to their performance, the only thing missing was the goals because they created enough to win the game in the first half.

“And sadly, it’s the old Achilles heel; clean sheets are so important and at the minute, Swansea aren’t keeping enough of them.”

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Even in their two wins leading into Watford, Swansea had shipped a second-half goal to threaten their leads.

And Swansea’s last – and only clean sheet under Williams – came in the 1-0 win at Hull a month ago, although they head into their next fixture against a side with an even longer stretch without denying opponents, Bristol City having gone 11 fixtures since their last shut-out.

• Ipswich stay second after dramatic win over Bristol City

Roberts, though, says he can see the steps forward being made by Swansea, despite them failing to capitalise on their control after Ryan Andrew’s first-half own goal in Watford before Ryan Porteous’ leveller just shy of the hour mark.

It stopped Swansea moving into the top-half of the table for the first time in five months.

“If (Swansea) had taken their chances with the two glaring opportunities that they had with Ronald and Cabango, it could have been 3-0,” the former Hornets frontman said. “I said then I hoped it didn’t come back to bite them and rue missing the chances,

“All credit to Watford, Valerien Ismael made an attacking change and Swansea will be disappointed with the goal they conceded from the set-piece.

"Seven points from three games, it’s a vital point away from home and another point towards safety.”

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Luke Williams has described Nathan Wood and Ben Cabango as the "rottweilers"at the heart of his Swansea City defence.

After what has been a traumatic season for the Championship club, Wood and Cabango have offered some welcome consistency in a key area of the field in recent weeks.

Having been ruled out for three months by injury earlier this season, 21-year-old Wood has rediscovered some of his best form under Williams’ guidance.

Alongside him every step of the way has been Wales international Cabango, who is the senior man at just 23.

The duo both made key interventions as Swansea held off a second-half Watford fightback to draw 1-1 at Vicarage Road on Wednesday night.

“They are incredible,” said Swansea head coach Williams.

“I love working with them. I think they are heroic at times. I can’t ask any more - it’s like having two rottweilers on a short leash.

“As much as we want to entertain the fans going forward and give them box entries and people throwing themselves around trying to score goals, I also want them to see the steel. Nobody gives that more than those two centre-backs.

“They throw themselves in front of shots, win headers relentlessly, block – I am very lucky to have these two guys.”

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Luke Williams says Swansea City must continue to improve performances as they look to pull clear of the Championship relegation scrap.

Wednesday’s 1-1 draw at Watford means Swansea have taken seven points from their last three games, the club’s best run since last October.

They are 15th in the table, five points clear of the drop zone heading into the final 10 games of the season.

Asked how much work Swansea still need to do to avoid a prolonged relegation fight, head coach Williams said: “There’s work to do because we have to improve.

“We are not at this moment in time a top version of ourselves.

“We have more in the group. I love working with them but they are capable of more. That’s why we have to continue the hard work.”

Williams was frustrated by Swansea’s failure to take all three points against struggling Watford.

The Swans were gifted an early lead by Ryan Andrews’ own goal and missed a couple of big chances before the Hornets equalised after the break.

“It wasn’t a game where we were lucky to get a point - we deserved at least a point,” Williams added.

“I am slightly frustrated at the moment. If we’d battled back from a losing position, I’d probably be a bit more pleased.

“But to be 1-0 up at half-time, it felt like a game we could have seen out.”

Chris Wathan
BBC Sport Wales

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If Swansea City are to pick up a win at Watford on Wednesday, fans may be left waiting late to celebrate.

At least that is what the Swans’ recent history at Vicarage Road suggests.

Swansea’s last two wins at Watford were both sealed after the 90-minute mark, making for memorable scenes in the away end.

Both, too, were wins earned after falling behind – something the Swans are yet to do under Luke Williams.

Their only win from a losing position this season was Michael Duff’s 3-1 success at Plymouth in October.

Swansea had looked set for another damaging defeat in the Premier League when they conceded early at Watford in December 2017, in what was Carlos Carvalhal’s first game in charge.

But Jordan Ayew struck with four minutes to go before Luciano Narsingh won it when he pounced on a with 90 minutes on the clock.

It was Narsingh’s first and only league goal for the Swans, who moved off the bottom of the table with the win.

Yet the revival under Carvalhal would eventually run out of steam as the Swans were relegated that year. Narsingh, a £4m signing from PSV, failed to make the impact Swansea hoped for and is currently playing for Famagusta in Cyprus after spells with Feyenoord, Sydney FC and Miedz Legnica in Poland.

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Having recently celebrated 300 Swansea appearances, only Kyle Naughton survives from that game seven years ago, while the versatile defender was also in the line-up when Russell Martin’s team secured an even later win at Watford last season.

Ismaila Sarr had given the hosts a first-half lead in Slaven Bilic’s first home game as Watford boss, only for Olivier Ntcham to level via a deflection seven minutes after the restart.

A failure in the match officials’ technology meant there were 17 minutes of added time.

There were 98 minutes gone when Wales international Ben Cabango headed home Ryan Manning’s cross, prompting wild celebrations in the dug-out and amongst the travelling support.

If recent history is anything to go by, it could be a late finish on Wednesday night.

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Swansea City’s rediscovery of the need for speed is key in their upturn in form, according to former striker Ian Walsh.

The Swans head into Wednesday’s trip to Watford having recorded back-to-back wins for only the second time this season.

And Walsh says the performances of pacey pair Ronald and Przemyslaw Placheta have done much to ensure the side are now starting to progress under head coach Luke Williams.

The ex-Wales and Swans forward suggested the direct duo offer flashbacks to sides of the recent past that used widemen to compliment their possession game, including Wayne Routledge and Nathan Dyer.

And after Placheta helped Joe Allen to Swansea’s opener against Blackburn a week on after Ronald’s double in the win at Sunderland, Walsh said: “They’re a breath of fresh air.

"Apart from their pace, their first thought is positive, to want to get forward.

“They are dragging everybody up the field, which is why you saw Allen get in the box for the first; because Placheta did some brilliant work down the left-hand side.”

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Between them, the January signings won 12 individual duels in the 2-1 win over Blackburn, Ronald is already the sixth highest in the squad for successful dribbles this season despite only arriving from Gremio a month ago. Indeed, Ronald is already topping the charts for average number of dribbles (3.9) per game, ahead of the injured Josh Key (3.6).

“They want to turn defenders all the time,” Walsh added, speaking on Call Rob Phillips. “It enables the rest of team to play on the front foot. And that is the difference because they haven’t had the of pace in those sort of areas.

“There are lots of areas to improve on; the second half wasn’t particularly good (against Blackburn) and they weren’t in the game, but they are a breath of fresh air for me.”

The BBC Radio Wales Sport pundit added that Swansea still have work to do as they remain just four points ahead of the relegation places, saying: “It's week by week because if teams below keep picking up points it’s going to be a scrap until the end of the season.

“The performance first half against Blackburn was excellent and in the second they managed the game pretty well, defended well and made some brave tackles and get the all important points. It’s another game, they have to go into midweek with the same attitude.”

Commentary of Swansea’s game at Watford on Wednesday will be available on BBC Radio Wales on FM/DAB in south west Wales from 1900.

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Swansea City can head into the final ten games of the season with the chance to finally put a positive spin on their difficult year.

The 2-1 win over Blackburn at the weekend saw the Swans enter the final quarter of the campaign enjoying back-to-back wins for the first time under Luke Williams.

They take on 12th-placed Watford on Wednesday – who, conversely, have lost their last two – hoping to pull away from the relegation places just four points below them.

The season has seen the poorest points return at this level since promotion to the second tier under Roberto Martinez in 2008, spending just one matchweek in the top half of the table.

Yet as well as continuing the encouraging recent spell of form, a Vicarage Road victory would also see Swansea move above their standing at the same stage last season.

Because despite their lengthy struggles, Swansea are only one point worse off after 35 games than they were under Russell Martin a year ago.

Martin’s team would eventually tease a push for the play-offs, an opportunity only eventually ruled out on the penultimate weekend of the season after an eye-catching run of wins.

With the top-six 14 points away, no-one is suggesting Williams and his side should be thinking of an incredulous run on the play-off places.

But in a season where there has been previous little to smile about, moving ahead of last year’s markers could be seen as a further step in the right direction under the new head coach.

Rob Phillips
BBC Sport Wales football correspondent

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Swansea City's resident flyers have helped steer the club clear of the Championship relegation zone with valuable consecutive league wins.

But do not underestimate the role of Joe Allen, the man his manager Luke Williams described as an "animal" - in the nicest possible way!

Brazilian winger Ronald and his speedy accomplice Przemyslaw Placheta have been eye-catching and headline-grabbing in the 2-1 win at Sunderland and last Saturday's 2-1 vicrtory over Blackburn Rovers.

Allen has never been blessed with the pace of his Brazilian and Polish colleagues.

Yet the Welshman's career hallmarks of speed of thought, know-how, tenacity and an ability to be in the right place at the right time - both offensively and defensively- have come to the fore when Swansea have most needed them.

Allen, now 33, has been a growing influence since his return from a groin injury which sidelined him from September to December.

The Swans have also been careful with his rehabilitation.

Having returned as a substitute on Boxing Day, only six of his 13 appearances have been starts.

Yet, significantly, he has started the past three games. Allen was involved in an improved display despite defeat against Ipswich, he had an assist in the win Sunderland and followed that by scoring early to put the Swans on their way to a vital victory over Blackburn.

The goal was the former Liverpool and Stoke player's second in six games, his third in total since re-joining his first club in 2022.

And he told the club website: "It does not happen too often, so it was great to get on the scoresheet and always an added bonus when it adds to a win."

Yet, perhaps the most revealing aspect of Allen's contribution to Saturday's first home league win under the Williams regime was the fact Swansea were hanging on by the final whistle as Blackburn revived. Allen had been replaced on 66 minutes.

Blackburn definitely improved and were boosted by a goal from Championship top scorer Sammie Szmodics - but Allen's control and experience alongside captain Matt Grimes was definitely missed when he was watching from the bench.

Its a balancing act for Williams. Allen has yet to play more than 69 minutes since returning from injury. Yet his growing influence is there for all to see.

The Swans boss said: "He is so switched on, he has so much quality, he is so committed. He is a 'Jack' and that helps as well.

"And he plays like that. He plays with the same energy as the fans have when they are singing his name."

Neither is Allen's influence lost on the Swans fans, judging by their comments on the BBC Sport Wales match report of the Blackburn encounter.

Boibachogymru: "What a difference two speedy wingers make. And Joe Allen playing like he was 18 again."

YnysmeudwyJack: "Allen looks reborn."

Mike Watts: "Joe Allen stays fit, we stay up."

Swansea's consecutive wins ensures there is a small cushion between them and the bottom three relegation places. Other sides around them are also winning and their refusal to throw in the towel shows there is no room for complacency.

But this could be where the vast experience of Allen will be so important. A few months ago, there might have been doubts over the wisdom of the midfielder returning to his boyhood club.

Injuries have meant the former Liverpool and Stoke player has been restricted to only 39 league appearances on his return to his roots.

Yet now, providing he stays injury-free, Allen looks vital to Swansea's ambitions to avoid the drop.

And with his contract expiring this summer, Allen may hope this could lead to a new deal.

Allen retired from international football a year ago. The so-called "Welsh Pirlo" was named in the Euro2016 team of the tournament and played in the delayed 2021 version.

He ended his international days by being part of the Wales squad at the World Cup in Qatar.

Were Allen still available now, you could see him slotting back into the engine room alongside Jordan James and giving Rob Page the option of playing Ethan Ampadu at centre-back alongside his Leeds United club partner Joe Rodon.

On the other hand, Allen will benefit from a break during the international window to prepare for the remainder of the Championship season.

Swansea could be clear of relegation worries by then.

But if they are not, the "animal" will have to prove his legs and astute footballing brain are still in fine working order to help ensure his beloved Swansea's survival in the Championship.

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Former Swansea City captain and head coach Garry Monk has been named as Cambridge United's new boss.

The 44-year-old replaces ex-Cardiff City manager Neil Harris, who quit the League One side after just 17 games in charge to take over at Millwall.

Monk began his managerial career with Swansea, where he had spent 10 years as a player.

He has also managed Sheffied Wednesday, Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Birmingham City.

Monk has been out of football since he was sacked by Wednesday in November 2020 after 14 months at Hillsborough.

The former centre-back has joined Cambridge, who are 19th in League One, on a contract to the summer of 2026.