Not all square pegs fit, Swans can still wing it and take heart from the result

SWANSEA City’s outside hopes of landing a spot in the Championship play-offs were dealt a blow by their 2-1 defeat against Leeds United at Elland Road this week.

Here are the key talking points to emerge for a tough evening...

The square pegs in round holes

GRAHAM Potter has regularly indicated that his players will have to be versatile this season.

Given the events of the two transfer windows since Potter made the move from Sweden to South Wales, that’s fully understandable.

And with the likes of Martin Olsson and Joe Rodon being sidelined with long-terms injuries while others have had problems too, it’s forced Potter into something of a juggling act of late.

Bersant Celina has operated on the left at times rather than in his regular No. 10 position, Barrie McKay started as a false nine at Leeds in the absence of Oli McBurnie and Courtney Baker-Richardson and Daniel James briefly moved to the right wing to accommodate the introduction of substitute Joel Asoro.

Further back, George Byers has replaced the injured Leroy Fer in a holding midfield role having played higher up the pitch at Bristol City while Matt Grimes started at left-back at Elland Road due to Declan John’s injury.

It meant Kyle Naughton returned to right-back, with Connor Roberts - who has had a lot of game-time on the left side of Swansea’s back four of late - being deployed in a more advanced role on the right against the Whites, although the roles of Roberts and Grimes changed in the second half.

You can’t point the finger at Potter for having to be, creative, so to speak, because he’s had the rug pulled from underneath his feet when it’s come to the last two transfer windows.

But there’s only so many square pegs that can be put into round holes, particularly when it comes to facing the big guns like Leeds who threatened to run riot against the Swans for long periods.

The wing dilemma

SWANSEA are chronically understocked in certain areas, but the wide position is not one of them.

Despite allowing Jefferson Montero to join West Brom on transfer deadline day, Swansea still have McKay, James, Wayne Routledge, Nathan Dyer, Asoro and Luciano Narsingh in their ranks.

And yet, it’s been a struggle for the majority of those mentioned to nail down a regular starting spot.

Youngster James - in his first full season as a professional - has actually started the most games for Swansea this term out of the six wingers currently in the squad.

Asoro has only recently returned to the first-team fold while Narsingh’s cameo at Elland Road was his first competitive appearance under Potter.

Experienced duo Routledge and Dyer both appeared destined for the exit door in the winter window having barely featured in the opening four months of the season, although the pair have made a positive impact since being phased back into proceedings by Potter.

And as for McKay, he’s featured 23 times this season, the same number of times as James, although the Wales international has started on 16 occasions, with McKay playing from the outset on 15 occasions in all competitions.

When he has been handed opportunities, the Scot has failed to convince the Jack Army he’s worth a