By Paul Jones
Swansea City head coach Luke Williams has told his players their lack of bravery is making him feel “sad”.
Williams launched a calculated blast at his players after their 3-2 defeat at home to Sunderland at the weekend, when he questioned their bottle, their ambition, and their professional hunger.
It was as though he felt personally let down by a display that so miserably failed to live up to the team’s billing as standing on the cusp of competing for the play-offs.
The Swans took an early 2-0 advantage with goals from Zan Vipotnik and Liam Cullen, the latter delivering a superb free-kick. However, Sunderland fought back, with Dan Ballard halving the deficit before halftime, followed by second-half strikes from Dan Neil and Jobe Bellingham that sealed the comeback for the visitors.
Sunderland cut the gap to the Championship’s automatic promotion places to two points as they came back from 2-0 down to claim a thrilling 3-2 victory at Swansea City ⚽#BBCFootball
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) December 15, 2024
Williams did not hold back in his post-match assessment, criticising the mentality of his players and their inability to handle the pressure of competing with top teams.
“Miles off the level,” Williams said.
“Miles off the top-six level. We’re not even close. That’s very obvious after watching that. Thinking about it [the top six] is one thing. But playing against the top six and getting destroyed makes you realise that we’re nowhere near it.”
Williams admitted the second-half collapse stemmed from his players’ inability to cope with the expectations that come with success.
“We couldn’t cope with the pressure of being two up after a run of decent results. Couldn’t cope with the pressure,” he lamented.
“I’m sad for the group of players in there. They obviously have a fear of achieving their potential. That makes me sad because I love those guys, and they have an unbelievable opportunity, and they are scared of it.”
The head coach’s frustration extended beyond the result. He described his team’s performance in the second half as riddled with doubt, contrasting their strong start with their failure to sustain momentum.
“Today was an example of us doubting what we can do and what type of group we want to be. There was a lot of doubt – it stank of it. I could feel it coming off the pitch into the technical area,” Williams added.
️ The gaffer reflects on this afternoon’s defeat pic.twitter.com/Lkwa9ADNj6
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) December 14, 2024
The defeat comes as a blow to the Swans’ ambitions to compete with the Championship’s top teams.
Despite a solid run of form leading into the game, they now sit seven points outside the playoff spots in 10th place, having failed to beat any of the league’s current top seven this season.
Williams acknowledged the gap between his squad and the league’s elite, highlighting the need for a stronger mindset and greater consistency if they are to challenge for promotion.
“We are talking about competing with the top six, and we are struggling to break through that barrier,” he said.
“We get tested in those games. We’ve done very well in parts of all of those games, but ultimately, we’ve failed because there is a difference between the genuine top-six sides and the rest of us. We want to break into that group, but there is a lot for us to do to achieve that.”
Williams expressed hope in his squad’s quality but reiterated that individual talent alone would not be enough.
“I believe that we have enough quality in the group if we play together,” he said.
“I don’t think we are that type of Galactico group where we don’t always play well, but somebody will always pull a rabbit out of the hat. That’s not us.
“As soon as we start to hide a little bit, as soon as we are not brave enough, then the sum of the individuals is not anywhere near the same.”
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Despite their struggles, Swansea’s effort in the first half showed glimpses of promise. However, the second-half performance exposed the gulf between a side hoping to push into the play-offs and one already established among the Championship’s elite.
“The opposition were fighting blow for blow with us in the second half, but in the second 45 minutes, they continued and we stopped,” Williams observed.
“In that situation, the gap becomes very, very obvious. To be clear, I am talking about the difference between the top sides and the rest of us, and that was what was on show.”
With the Swans being watched by new American director Jason Cohen, who invested in the club as part of last month’s change of ownership, the performance raised questions about their ability to deliver on their potential under pressure.
Williams made it clear he is not interested in settling for mediocrity.
“I don’t want to be average,” he stated. “I didn’t come here for that. That’s my job; I am in tune with my group, and I know when they are desperately trying to find a way out of a pressure situation.”
The defeat serves as a stark reminder of the work ahead if Swansea are to compete at the level Williams expects.
For now, bridging the gap between their potential and their performances remains the priority.
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