Following a significant defeat against Swansea City last month, Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray drew parallels between the Swans and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. Mowbray expressed admiration for Swansea’s high-pressing style, noting that facing Vitor Matos’ squad brought back memories of tackling Klopp’s Reds side.
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“Liverpool of those days were absolutely amazing because they didn’t let you breathe, and you can see bits of that with this team,” Mowbray remarked.
Statistics support Mowbray’s sentiments. Under Matos, Swansea has established itself as one of the Championship’s most aggressive pressing teams, ranking highly across various critical metrics and often reclaiming possession in advanced areas of the pitch.
Swansea’s approach allowed them to collect 23 points from their first 10 league matches, although their performance has tapered recently.
In fact, the Swans secured only one victory in their last five outings, suffering losses against West Ham, Queens Park Rangers, Portsmouth, and Birmingham City.
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Even with the decline in results, Swansea’s pressing metrics remain impressive.
The challenges arise, it seems, when they are in possession of the ball, rather than losing it.
While Matos’ team continues to induce errors and capitalize on turnovers, they currently rank 12th in goals scored and 19th in total shots, indicating a gap between effective pressing and struggling to convert those chances into goals.
Swansea have dropped to sixth in the table having lost four of their past five matches [Huw Evans Picture Agency]
Pressing is the only way
Swansea ranks first in the Championship for high turnovers that result in a shot attempt, with only Bolton Wanderers converting a higher percentage of those recoveries into goals.
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This reflects the aggressive, proactive playing style Matos has instilled since taking the reins.
The Portuguese coach, who spent six years on Klopp’s coaching staff at Liverpool, has acknowledged the significant impact that time has had on his approach to football.
“Liverpool influenced me a lot in terms of counter-pressing, pressing, intensity, and what makes you grow as a team,” stated Matos.
Where the issues lie
Interesting statistics reveal Swansea’s position regarding shot quality and volume. Despite sitting 19th in the Championship for total shots, Swansea ranks seventh for conversion rate and holds the top position for expected goals (xG) per shot.
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Thus, when Swansea generates chances, they are often of high quality.
Their expected goals count is 11th in the Championship, and their output of 22 goals slightly underperforms against expectations.
The data suggests it’s not a matter of consistently missing opportunities but rather creating fewer chances overall. Swansea enjoys high-quality chances but fails to generate them in ample quantities.
This striking difference between high xG per shot and low total shot volume complicates Matos’ challenge as the season continues.
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Who is scoring the goals?
Leading the scoring for Swansea this season, Adam Idah has netted four league goals, while Joseph Opoku, Zan Vipotnik, and Moussa Yeo have each scored three.
For a team with aspirations of promotion, the absence of a definitive goal-scorer stands out.
However, the statistics indicate Swansea’s forward line is not significantly underperforming.
Idah has scored four goals from 3.97 expected goals, nearly aligning with expectations. Similarly, Opoku’s three goals from 3.75 xG and Vipotnik’s three from 3.58 xG also suggest only minor underperformance, rather than a side that is regularly squandering clear opportunities.
Adam Idah has scored 10 goals in all competitions for Swansea since joining in September 2025 [Huw Evans Picture Agency]
Ultimately, the statistics suggest the problem lies not in wastefulness but in a lack of opportunities created.
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The scoring responsibility is shared across the squad rather than falling on one standout player.
As successful as Matos’ pressing strategy has been, Swansea continues to search for a player capable of translating territorial advantage into goals.
Vipotnik filled that role last season, but with striker duties being shared this year between him, Idah, and Ross Stewart, there’s no clear primary goal-scorer at Swansea at present.
The challenge for Matos
Statistics, akin to the league standings, indicate that Swansea does not necessarily need to alter its identity.
Matos has crafted a team proficient at disrupting opponents, regaining possession in advanced positions, and producing high-quality goal-scoring chances.
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To elevate their game further, however, they need to enhance their scoring production from this solid foundation.
Whether this involves quicker transitions after winning back the ball, more players making runs into the penalty area, or an increased scoring contribution from the forwards, Swansea must convert positive moments into goal-scoring opportunities.
The international break may provide a timely opportunity for Matos and his players to regroup, especially after their recent underwhelming performances.
If the Swans can combine their intense pressing with more consistent scoring, they are likely to regain the momentum that previously positioned them among the Championship’s top two.
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