Swansea City manager Luke Williams has delivered a scathing assessment of his squad following a frustrating 3-1 defeat against Stoke City, admitting his side are “nowhere near good enough” to compete in the Championship.
Defensive Lapses Prove Costly
The Swans took the lead through Josh Tymon in the 61st minute at the bet365 Stadium, but their advantage was short-lived as defensive errors saw Stoke respond with three goals. Wouter Burger equalised, Bae Junho put the hosts in front, and Lewis Baker sealed the win with a stunning strike from inside his own half.
Williams was visibly frustrated by his team’s inability to defend set-pieces, with two of Stoke’s goals coming from dead-ball situations. The Swansea boss did not hold back in his post-match comments, expressing concerns over the quality of his squad for the remainder of the season.
“I would say statistically in football it’s nearly impossible to lose the game 3-1 when you score first at that point in the game, after an hour or so. We found a way. I think we need a couple of wins to be safe, but from having a very decent first half of the season we’ve completely wasted the second half so far.
“We’re eight points away from the bottom, but we need to get the job done so we can start building for next season quite honestly because this is nowhere near a good enough group now to be able to have a good season in the Championship. They’ve proven that.”
The defeat leaves Swansea on 37 points, just two ahead of Stoke, having played a game more. While still eight points above the relegation zone, Williams wants his side to secure safety as quickly as possible to begin preparations for the next campaign.
Writer’s View
Williams’ brutal honesty reflects the mounting frustration within the Swansea camp. After a promising first half of the season, their form has plummeted, raising questions about whether they have the resilience to turn things around. With defensive frailties costing them dearly against Stoke, the pressure is on for Williams to find solutions before their Championship status becomes a real concern.
