By Gareth James
Luke Williams believes Swansea City have turned a corner and “become a team with an identity” as they moved to within two points of the Championship play-off places.
The Swans head coach was in upbeat mood after watching his team secure back-to-back victories following a gritty, but deserved, 1-0 win at home to fifth-placed Watford.
The result followed the Swans’ 2-1 triumph at Oxford United at the weekend and moves them up to 10th in the table, two points behind West Bromwich Albion.
Sing it H ✍️ https://t.co/Pft7HY1H1c
— Steve Williams (@swanseacity1) November 6, 2024
A goal from Myles Peart-Harris 10 minutes before half-time was enough to give Swansea their win and Williams said:
“I’m pleased because we played well again and the players deserved to win.
“For the first hour, we looked the only team capable of going to win the game.
“In the last half hour Watford posed a lot more pressure and we had to dig in.
“We were very intense, with lots of concentration and we quickly destroyed the opposition attacks.
“I feel like we are becoming a team with an identity. We are going in the right direction.
“Maybe we could have had a few more points, but we should be happy we are now two points off the play-offs. We have to maintain this now and we can look forward to a good season.
“The players carried on from the previous performance. Really I think we have been close to that type of performance – I don’t think it was that different to Millwall – but it feels different if you don’t win.”
Swansea had already created – and missed three good chances – before former Chelsea youngster Peart-Harris swept the ball home from Brazilian Ronald’s header across goal.
It was the Brentford loanee’s first goal for his current club and although Swansea were forced into some last-ditch defending late on, they more than deserved their victory.
Williams appears to have turned a corner after going six matches without a win – and five without scoring – until last weekend’s win at Oxford.
Tom Cleverley blamed himself as much as his players after his Watford side blew an opportunity to move into fourth place.
The Watford boss was in self-critical mode after his team were outplayed for an hour before rousing themselves with a period of late pressure that ultimately proved fruitless.
“I will look at myself,” said Cleverley, whose team were seeking a third successive win and were coming off the back of a 6-2 thrashing of Sheffield Wednesday.
“I felt like I didn’t give us any tactical edge to go and win this game and I have to take responsibility.
“We played with fear and that’s my responsibility. We let Swansea have too much possession. I’ll hold my hands up, we showed them too much respect.”
But Cleverley also had harsh words for his players who have now lost six times already this season on the road, but remain fifth in the table.
“The players have to take responsibility. We had no identity for an hour. Until the substitutions, we didn’t look like scoring.
“We didn’t have much personality and after last weekend, that surprised me.
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Both clubs had recorded significant victories at the weekend, with Swansea winning for the first time in seven games – at Oxford – and Watford thumping Sheffield Wednesday, 6-2.
But Swansea’s momentum seemed stronger and they dominated the opening half hour.
Scoring goals, however, has been an issue for the hosts and although they created three clear early chances, they were unable to seize any of them.
Myles Peart-Harris struck the foot of the post when he might have done better, before the Brentford loanee curled an inviting ball into the path of Zan Vipotnik, who failed to add the crucial touch.
Ben Cabango did have the ball in the net midway through the first-half, but Harry Darling had strayed offside before his headed assist.
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It looked like it might be another frustrating night for home fans, but Watford’s vulnerability from crosses was exposed 10 minutes before the break as the Swans went ahead.
Goncalo Franco’s cross from the right found Ronald unmarked and his header was swept home by Peart-Harris.
For a team that had struck six in their previous outing, Watford’s goal threat was minimal and manager Tom Cleverley was quick to make a change at half-time when he replaced Yasser Larouci with Kwadwo Baah.
But they should have fallen further behind when the ball dropped perfectly for Franco who sliced his shot over the bar from 10 yards out.
Swansea’s two goals at Oxford were the team’s first for nine hours and their inability to take chances was still evident here.
Soon after Franco’s miss, Ronald counter-attached and although Watford keeper Daniel Bachmann was well off his line, the Brazilian over-hit his lofted effort which sailed over the bar.
