There may be a clampdown in London but it was the swans who maintained complete control just off the Westway this afternoon, QPR were always in the game but every little bit hurts when you spurn chance after chance in the EFL Championship.
It’s time now for Coopers swans to be called high flying, as a result of Bournemouth not playing today Swansea City sit in second spot in the championship on thirty nine points, four behind Norwich City.
Cooper reaction
Really pleased with the win. I thought it was a tight game, truth be told, first half, and we were really happy to come in with a 1-0 lead," he said. I think second half was about managing the game, not just in terms of not conceding and keeping a clean sheet, but I thought we could really manage our moments to attack, because we felt there would be space there to get a second, and it came off. Matt Grimes won the ball on the turnover, and it was a fantastic pass and a brilliant goal for Jamal. Great for Andre and Jamal to score, they're the two boys playing up front at the moment, and that's what you want them to be doing. A real good performance again, I thought we were good for the win and I thought we were very professional in how we went about it, and the boys deserve a lot of credit."
Cooper very happy as swans go second
Ayew notched his eighth goal of the season late on on the first half before Lowe struck his fourth goal in as many games to double the Swans' lead after the restart.
It came after Cooper stuck with the same 11 that started the 2-0 win over Barnsley before Christmas, with the only change in the squad seeing Jordon Garrick replace Liam Cullen on the bench. And Cooper has confirmed Wales Under-21 international Cullen had to be withdrawn after displaying coronavirus symptoms. He's got Covid symptoms, so we haven't taken any risks with him," explained the Swans head coach. He's been very professional in how he's reported, and it's the world we're living in, is't it. "We had to manage that, and it's a pity for Liam missing out, but as long as he stays safe and well. He's actually feeling OK, but he's got the loss of smell. "He hasn't tested yet. As soon as he showed symptoms we pulled him out. As soon as we can test him we will."
Cooper post match interview
Mark Warburton
"The mood is angry, frustrated — there is only one stat to read today and it’s two-nil to Swansea.Possession and chances are irrelevant — there is only one thing that matters and that is putting the ball in the back of the net. Time after time I come out sounding like a broken record. We’re frustrated and angry that we’re letting ourselves down by not getting the rewards for playing good football”
"All you can do is keep working. Hard work underpins everything that you do in any job.”
Warburton played with three at the back, enabling him to partner Macauley Bonne alongside Lyndon Dykes in attack. Analysing the effectiveness of the change in formation, the R’s boss said: "I think you saw good quality coming into our two strikers in the box in the first half — but you have to maximise that and put the ball in the back of the net. We were winning tackles and I thought we looked a good team in the first half. But looking good is only good when you get your rewards. I’m not going to sit here in front of the fans and say I’m happy about losing two-nil. But I think you saw a first half where Swansea never really threatened us. We controlled the ball and we moved it very well”
Warburton complimentary on Swansea’s organisation
"They were very well organised and we had to switch the play quickly, which we did, and got the ball into the box. We had strikers in the box and Ilias Chair looked very dangerous. But you’re only in control when you score goals.” With the January transfer window set to open in a week’s time, Warburton added: "Of course we’d benefit from freshening things up — even though I appreciate where we are from a financial point of view.
"It will be shrewd business if we do any at all.”
Dhanda, ever improving
Swansea end the year with a clash against Reading at the Liberty Stadium on Wednesday night in yet another top of the table game.
QPR 0 Swansea City 2
Highlights
Queens Park Rangers: Seny Dieng, Todd Kane, Rob Dickie, Yoann Barbet, Niko Hamalainen, Geoff Cameron (captain), Dominic Ball, Tom Carroll, Ilias Chair, Macauley Bonne, Lydon Dykes.
Substitutes: Liam Kelly, Conor Masterson, Faysal Bettache, Albert Adomah, George Thomas, Stephen Duke-McKenna, Chris Willock, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Charlie Kelman.
Swansea City: Freddie Woodman; Ben Cabango, Ryan Bennett, Marc Guehi; Connor Roberts, Jay Fulton, Matt Grimes (captain), Jake Bidwell; Yan Dhanda; Andre Ayew, Jamal Lowe.
Substitutes: Steven Benda, Ryan Manning, Joel Latibeaudiere, Korey Smith, Kasey Palmer, Oli Cooper, Wayne Routledge, Jordon Garrick, Viktor Gyokeres.
Referee: Stephen Martin