Your latest Swansea City headlines for Monday, September 5.
Pundit highlights 'very unusual' outcome to tweak
Pundits Sam Parkin and Dean Ashton believe Swansea's willingness to adapt their game has proven to be a key driver in their improvement.
The Swans have taken four points from their last two matches but have seen their amount of possession drop in the fixtures with Stoke City and Queens Park Rangers.
READ MORE: Swansea City's 'shining light' and their 'invaluable' star as key concern answered in QPR win
Indeed, the Hoops saw more of the ball in their 1-0 loss to Russell Martin's side on Saturday, making them the first team to have more possession than the Swans in a match this season.
A key factor in that statistic was Martin's decision to play goalkeeper Steven Benda over Andy Fisher - with Swansea going more direct from deep inside their own half as opposed to remaining intent on playing out from the back.
And Parkin says Swansea adapted well to QPR's ability to retain possession. "He's [Martin] spoken a lot about having his philosophy and sticking to it but I think we've seen in the last couple of games more bodies getting forward and maybe taking a pass out of the build-up," he said on ITV's EFL highlights show.
"QPR are very comfortable in possession, I think that's a point that has to be made. Very unusual for Swansea, especially at home, to be giving up the lion's share of possession."
And Ashton concurred with his fellow pundit. "No [Harry] Darling and [Andy] Fisher, the players he had at MK Dons, he brings in Benda in goal and [Ben] Cabango at the back as well," said the former striker.
"It just looked, the way they set up, as if he'd made a change and he wanted to make them a different type of team. For the first time this season to be inferior in terms of possession against a side says a lot, especially when they're at home, it says a lot about how he wanted to approach the game."
Saturday's win over QPR saw Swansea have less possession than their opponents for the first time since the 3-3 draw with Bournemouth in the penultimate home game of last season.
Duo receive glowing reference
Having pored over Swansea's altered approach, Parkin boldly stated that head coach Martin potentially had one of the best strike partnerships in the Championship at his disposal.
The Swans battled hard to keep hold of Piroe and Michael Obafemi amid transfer interest from Leeds United and Burnley respectively in the forward players.
Obafemi was left out of the matchday squad for the Swans' 1-0 win over QPR, although Parkin believes the former Southampton man and Piroe - who netted 36 times between them last term - have the potential to be the best strike pairing in the second tier.
"For him [Piroe] to go on a little goal-scoring run, he's beautifully assisted by Ollie Cooper, the weight of that we really enjoyed," said Parkin.
"Piroe and Obafemi were spoken about in the voice over, have got the potential to be one of the best strike partnerships in the division, I believe.
"It's not happened at this point, but they should get enough chances created to go on a really good run."
Obafemi told to refocus
Matt Grimes has urged Michael Obafemi to refocus following a turbulent week for the forward.
The Republic of Ireland international started the 1-1 draw with Stoke City on the bench and was the subject of fierce transfer interest from Burnley on deadline day.
Swansea rejected three bids for the 22-year-old in the latter stages of the summer window - although he was not included in the matchday squad for the win over QPR.
Speaking after the match, Russell Martin confirmed the striker would resume training at the club's Fairwood complex on Monday morning. And club captain Matt Grimes stressed that Obafemi and Joel Piroe are both integral parts of the squad at present.
"When it does happen it's difficult to focus at the time," Grimes said on the impact of transfer interest in a player. "Michael is an unbelievable character in the dressing room and he needs to refocus and get his head around playing the way he was playing towards the back end of last season, because everyone knows on his day he's an unbelievable talent.
"It is difficult as a young lad when things are being said about you and it can lead to difficult times. He's part of this group, he's an integral part of this group, just like Joel is, and we're much better for having him than not."
Unexpected injury boost
Swansea have received an unexpected injury boost as Joel Latibeaudiere has resumed training just three weeks after dislocating his shoulder.
The defender suffered the injury midway through the first-half of Swansea's 2-2 draw with Millwall last month and was expected to be out of action for several months.
It's understood the former Man City starlet opted against having surgery on his shoulder, meaning he is able to return to the field sooner than previously expected.
And ahead of the Swans' trip to Birmingham City, Latibeaudiere confirmed he had resumed light training following his spell on the sidelines.
"Rehab going well, back on the grass, back even sooner," he wrote on Twitter.
It is hoped Latibeaudiere will be available for first team action in the latter stages of September or early October.
Phillips praises record crowd
Ceri Phillips lauded what was a record breaking attendance as Swansea City Ladies kick-started their Genero Adran Premier title defence with a 2-0 win over Cardiff Met.
A total of 1,426 supporters - a new record for a women’s domestic fixture in Wales - were in attendance as the Ladies played at the Swansea.com Stadium for the first time.
Goals from Katy Hosford and Stacey John-Davis earned the hosts all three points in the contest, and head coach Phillips lavished praise on the Jack Army for the support they showed his side on Sunday evening.
“It’s a great way to start the season, a great occasion and a great performance to go with it,” he told the club website.
“The girls thoroughly enjoyed it, I think they did well to strike the balance of playing the game not the occasion but enjoying it and embracing it at the same time, so kudos to them.
“I went to say a big thank you to the club and everyone involved for making it happen, it’s been a great evening for all involved - spectators, players, staff, volunteers, so it’s a great way to start the season."
The Swans return to action against Abergavenny on Sunday.
READ NEXT:
