As the Swans capitulated yesterday at Bristol City new head coach Vitor Matos watched on from the stands as a display was put on by Swansea City that summed up the season to date. Vitor will be bringing in a coaching team which will be squared off today with Vitor taking training prior to the Derby County game this Tuesday (7:45pm)
The economics and finer detail is one thing but there is really only one matter Swansea City supporters are interested in - results. Now the final internationals of the year are behind us there’s a chance for teams to settle into a rhythm which will most certainly dictate their opportunities as we move into 2026. A thirty five points return at the end of any year is a decent benchmark for how successful your season has been to date, and reflects twenty four games already played. In the Swans case being on seventeen points now that leaves eight games and a maximum of twenty four points to be earned. The Swans won’t get twenty four points, we know that, and will have to literally double their points tally over those eight games to come having accumulated just seventeen over sixteen fixtures.
Currently this isn't relegation form though.
However, fifty points will secure a club another season in the Championship, and on average forty five points could well be the magical points mark overall. Initially with a new head coach and staff in place, the Swans winning just one game would be welcome. We can look at fixtures to come before the turn of the year.
Even a positive Swans fan looking at current form can see no more than three wins from this group of games. Again, if that happens then the Swans are not in relegation form, they just about keep their heads above water. We shouldn’t be talking about this, that was never in the plan after what seemed like an astute selection of incoming players in the summer. The real positive is that Swansea City despite their concerning position are still one of the better footballing sides in the division. We know all the things that aren’t right but have to see the squad as it is. Returns are poor, effort is slowly declining before our eyes, yesterday seemed to present a team not running at hundred percent effort at all. Goal return is shocking and overall fans cannot be expected to financially offset football matches and travel against the more challenging aspects of life away from Swansea City.
Matos (above) comes with some credible backing as to his ability as a tactician, yes he hasn’t been the main man for longer than four months and thirteen games at Maritímo but his pedigree beforehand is decent. Liverpool is the reference point for that, after leaving RB Salzburg Matos hasn’t taken long to fix himself into the minds of football recruiters. The Swans were quick to recognise his assets and much has been said. However, look at the fixtures, see the mission ahead and get points on the board. Anything else is ancillary to this, unimportant and clouds the issue. It’s now about results, points and breeding confidence.
Derby County build up later.