There’s a fine line between cautious optimism and outright delusion, and Swansea City are dangerously close to stumbling over it as the new Championship season approaches.
Injuries, Imbalance and a Worrying Lack of Progress
Pre-season defeats are never worth panicking over in isolation, but patterns matter. Losing to Cheltenham and Exeter is not about the scorelines themselves, it’s about what those performances say regarding preparation, sharpness and squad depth. And right now, the message is concerning.
The elephant in the room is the injury list. Ricardo Santos and Ben Cabango are both out, leaving a gaping hole in central defence. There are knocks to Zeidane Inoussa, Eom Ji-sung, Josh Key, and Josh Tymon, and even if none of them are long-term absentees, Swansea are starting the season short at both ends of the pitch.
We’re now at the point where Jay Fulton, no longer the dynamic midfield presence he once promised to be, is being deployed in defence. It’s not a criticism of Fulton’s commitment, but rather a brutal reminder of how poorly the club have recruited in key areas. This isn’t tactical flexibility, it’s necessity born of vulnerability.
Where Is the Striker?
A second pressing concern is up front. Liam Cullen remains a likeable and honest player, but he is not a lone frontman. His tendency to drop deep leaves the Swans without a genuine outlet or focal point in attack. Žan Vipotnik may be the club’s best natural finisher, but his role remains unclear, and there seems little confidence that he is Sheehan’s preferred option to lead the line.
The reality is that since the departure of Joel Piroe, Swansea have failed to replace that cutting edge. Jerry Yates was brought in with pedigree, but it’s telling that even with Inoussa and Bobby Wales also on the books, the squad still feels desperately short of someone who can score 15–20 goals. Florian Bianchini, exciting though he may be, is not a ready-made solution.
If there was a plan to replace Piroe with goals spread across several positions, that strategy has yet to bear fruit. With Eom Ji-sung recovering from injury and Josh Ginnelly yet to rediscover his best form, Swansea look as toothless as they did during their worst spells last season.
The Midfield That Never Quite Clicks
There is also a real issue with midfield balance. Gonçalo Franco has quality, Melker Widell looks like he could be a long-term contributor, and Ethan Galbraith adds guile. But that trio hasn’t yet played consistently as a unit. Fulton is more likely to feature than most fans might want, and Ollie Cooper remains a divisive figure. His numbers don’t lie: three goals and five assists in his last 67 league appearances, for an attacking midfielder approaching his prime, that simply isn’t good enough.
Cameron Congreve and Joel Cotterill both have potential, but neither are going to turn the tide in a Championship match at Elland Road or Carrow Road. At some point, Swansea need to stop leaning on youth to fix structural flaws in the squad. Promise only gets you so far in this division.
Have the Club Learnt Anything?
The biggest concern, however, is not individual quality but collective preparation. For all the talk about a new era under Michael Sheehan, this pre-season feels all too familiar. Some early deals created hope, Franco, Widell, Bianchini, but the momentum has flatlined. The result is a patchy, injury-hit squad with no obvious solutions waiting in the wings.
This isn’t a one-off either. Swansea have started the last few campaigns undercooked, and by the time the window has closed, the damage has already been done. The idea that the first month of the season is somehow a “free hit” while the squad settles is absurd. Three points in August mean the same as three points in April. Championship survival or progression can hinge on narrow margins, and throwing away a quarter of the season through lack of readiness is reckless.
If there is a plan, it’s being held together by hope. Hope that Inoussa can return quickly. Hope that Bianchini and Wales adapt fast. Hope that Eom stays fit. Hope that Vipotnik settles. But at this point, it looks more like gambling than planning.
Don’t Let the PR Fool You
Some of the goodwill around the club this summer has been built off-field. Celebrity investment. Slicker media output. Talk of a brighter, more modern Swansea. But none of that matters if the product on the pitch continues to fall short. The Championship is unforgiving, and you cannot PR your way out of a relegation scrap.
Swansea aren’t in crisis. There’s still a core group of players who could deliver a mid-table finish. But the early signs aren’t good, and the club’s inaction as injuries mount and problems persist is worrying.
They need a centre back. They need a striker. They need a spark.
Because if the plan is to start the season with Fulton in defence and Cullen up top, then they’re not just going to have a “choppy start”. They’ll be back to firefighting by October.
And they’ve been here far too many times before.
