Graham Potter has urged his Swansea City players to retain their perspective after they crashed to 3-2 home defeat to Ipswich Town which sent them falling out of the Championship play-off places.
The Swans manager insisted they should not over-react to the defeat which came after praise for their recent away draw at Wigan and convincing home victory over QPR.
Chairman Huw Jenkins had claimed that the club were back playing “sexy football” but Ipswich were the ones looking pleased with themselves after inflicting a second home defeat of the season on their hosts.
“We have played really well in the last two games and come away with one point,” Potter said.
“That’s the nature of the game and the nature of the Championship. The important thing is that we don’t throw ourselves under the bus after a defeat just as we don’t get carried away by a win.
“We know we are a work in progress and sometimes you need experiences like this to be better.
“Some of our attacking play today was really good, but you are playing against good players at this level and you don’t have to get too much wrong in a game to get punished.”
Trevoh Chalobah’s’ 84th-minute header saw Ipswich edge an eventful game at the Liberty Stadium.
The Tractor Boys fell behind to a Janoi Donacien own goal, but they made the most of Swansea’s lapses in concentration at the back to take a surprise half-time lead.
Gwion Edwards got the first and then his cross was deflected in by Mike Van der Hoorn.
Swansea dominated the second half and equalised when Bersant Celina finished off a length-of-the-field move, but there was still time for Ipswich to steal the spoils.
Chalobah headed home Grant Ward’s corner, but goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt could have done better.
The Swans had come into the game in good form and looked to be on course for a second successive home win after opening the scoring.
But their failure to show the defensive tightness which has been a hallmark of their season so far cost them a result.
“We started really well. We got a good goal and we pushed and pushed for the second,” Potter added.
“We had really good momentum and produced some good attacking play. Then we concede a goal from not too much. That knocked us back a bit – that’s a learning experience for us.
“Then the second goal goes in quickly and we are looking for a response. We kept going throughout. Ipswich always carried a threat on the transition, but the spirit the players showed was pleasing.
“We created chances and the effort was fantastic. We got ourselves back in the game so then to concede a third goal in the manner that we did was obviously disappointing.
“It’s the old adage – if you concede three goals, it’s hard to win football matches.
“There were a lot of positives in the match but we have come away with nothing and we have to deal with that.”
Straight from the kick-off Chalobah’s long ball was charged down by George Byers, Daniel James forcing Dean Gerken into a smart save with just 19 seconds on the clock.
At the other end Freddie Sears ran through on goal before Joe Rodon recovered with a sliding block, but it took just nine minutes for the home side to take the lead.
James skinned Toto Nsiala and although his cross just missed Oli McBurnie, Connor Roberts fired the ball back in and Donacien deflected past his own goalkeeper.
Swansea were passing Ipswich to death with James causing carnage down the left wing. He bypassed Matthew Pennington time and again, creating chances for McBurnie and Celina.
Neither were taken and with their first real opportunity, Ipswich then equalised.
Sears found space down the left after Swansea failed to deal with a long ball and his cross was headed home by Welshman Edwards.
The goal came completely against the run of play and after linking up for Ipswich’s first, Edwards and Sears then joined forces again for a second away goal.
This time it was Edwards with the cross and Sears with the headed finish which deflected off Van der Hoorn for another own goal.
McBurnie came close to an instant Swansea equaliser after an exquisite turn, but his shot was saved brilliantly by Dean Gerken.
Graham Potter replaced Kyle Naughton with Joel Asoro at the break, Roberts moving to right back in a bid for greater security. For Ipswich, Donacien was substituted in favour of Jonas Knudsen.
Asoro appealed for handball and a penalty early in the second half as Swansea started well, Rodon rattling the bar with a header from a Celina corner.
Swansea dominated the ball, but the tempo dropped out of their play and an air of frustration built around the Liberty. Grant Ward fired wide from 30 yards for Ipswich but then another mazy run and cross from James somehow eluded McBurnie.
Potter threw on Leroy Fer and then swapped centre-half Van der Hoorn for winger Barrie McKay as he went for broke in search of a way back into the game.
He got his rewards when Celina found the net against his former club, but more poor defending allowed Chalobah to strike the winner.
