Cardiff City Display Can Be The Platform

Swansea captain Garry Monk believes that Tuesday's derby display can be the platform to improved league performances

The Swans outplayed their local and Championship rivals to reach the fourth round of the Carling Cup courtesy of a goal from Jordi Gomez.

And with tough league games coming up against Reading, Preston and Wolves, the Swans know that they need to be at the top of their game to ensure a good return of points from the next nine.

Monk believes that the Swans can take the positives from the game at the Liberty forward and told the Western Mail “To be honest after the Cardiff game there was a bit of a feeling that it was a pity it was not a league game and we had taken three points

“But hopefully now this will act as a platform for us when it comes to the league.

“We do believe in ourselves and results in games like this can only add to that belief.

“We have tough teams to face every week in our division, but we have to have that bit of faith in ourselves when it comes to the league now.

“I really believe we can push on from here.

“Obviously we are delighted to have beaten Cardiff and made it through to the next round,” said Monk (right).

“It would be nice to get one of the big boys in the next round.

“I know a lot of people want something like that away, but right now I would like too see us at home.

“The atmosphere against Cardiff was excellent. The occasion was everything people who told me about it said it would be like.

“When our supporters are like that it is like we are playing with a 12th man.

“It had been nine years since the two sides had met and it was nice we were able to send our supporters away with a smile on their faces.

“The other good thing is I can now go out and hold my head up around the city. Things would have been difficult if we had lost. In a way it was just a relief that we played well and then got the right result at the end of it.

“I thought the best team won overall perhaps in the first 20 minutes Cardiff came onto us, but we held firm.

“We managed to keep our discipline well and we went on to dominate the game really. At the end of the day we deserved the win.”

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