By David Williams
Luke Williams insists there are positive signs emerging for Swansea City after their second Championship victory of the season moved them up to just outside the top ten.
The Swans head coach believes his team’s 1-0 home win over Norwich City was a significant result as it relied on the kind of virtues the side had lacked so far this season.
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That was a huge effort against a really tough opposition, so I am pleased with that,” said the Swans boss.
“I also thought in the first half in particular we played some very good football and controlled the majority of the game.
“So there is a lot to be happy about, the big challenge for the group after the last game was to have that energy and intensity from the start.
“We were really aggressive with and without the ball, and I think we just about deserved the victory even though they put a lot of pressure on us towards the end of the game.
“They are a really good side, and that was a big win and a big performance from us.”
Head coach Luke Williams has challenged Swansea City to build on their notable home victory over Norwich City ⚽#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/2KzYouLUgM
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) September 14, 2024
Amankwah Forson’s fourth-minute own goal was all that separated the sides in a clash between two teams still in early-season transition.
Swansea forward Eom Ji-sung showed no early signs of fatigue after international duty with South Korea. Following long-haul jaunts to Seoul and Oman, the winger emerged as the Swans’ main creative outlet in the first half.
It was Eom’s inviting early cutback across the Norwich box that earned the home side a fortuitous opener, when Forson was caught wrong-footed to deflect the ball past his own goalkeeper Angus Gunn from six yards out.
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Williams also described Ben Cabango’s last-ditch tackle as being as good as a goal for his side, after the Wales international showed great determination and reactions to get back and cleanly win the ball in his own box.
“That is as good as a goal, I mean what a tackle,” added Williams.
“He and Harry Darling headed so many balls out the box, and the full-backs dealt with a lot of challenging one v one situations and I love to see that side of the team.
“I would prefer to see us really in control, but it is great to see that when we come under pressure we can withstand that.
“When you look at the core of the team, and we almost take the skipper for granted because he is so consistently good, Ollie Cooper and Liam Cullen really led from the front with so much energy and creativity.
Defeat in south Wales. pic.twitter.com/JLV4LJoCxX
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) September 14, 2024
Victory was Swansea’s second in five Championship games this season and lifts them into the top half of the early-season table.
Williams’ men are unbeaten in three home league fixtures this term, having also beaten Preston and drawn with Cardiff City.
Defender Cabango said: “We are really happy with the performance and result. I think in the first half we deserved the goal.
“We played really well, we were winning those first and second balls and we were really competing.
“We were playing out the back and playing some real positive football. The second half was a real tough battle, but we all stuck together and it was a good result.
“The last 10 minutes towards the end, I’m not going to lie, I was blowing and I think a few of us were.
“But we stuck together, and we were all communicating on the pitch and helping each other through it.”
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