The big talking points from Swans’ reviving win over Wednesday
Guehi grabs his chance
WITH Ben Wilmot and Joe Rodon being ruled out for the remainder of the season due to injury, Marc Guehi was presented with the opportunity to prove his worth.
In an unfamiliar shape, the Swans desperately struggled and should have fallen behind against the Owls in the first half.
But the defensive effort particularly that of Guehi - ensured Swansea somehow went into the break level.
Chelsea loanee Guehi was making only the ninth appearance of his professional career so far, but he filled in admirably for those usually ahead of him in the pecking order.
He won four aerial duels, more than any other Swansea player, while Jake Bidwell was the only man to better his tally of interceptions and clearances. Guehi also produced a vital block to thwart Alessio Da Cruz.
The 19-year-old rightly earned the praise of his manager after the game, and it will no doubt give the Jack Army real confidence following what was a crushing week when it came to injury updates, with Mike van der Hoorn also featuring for the first time in six months.
“I thought Marc was outstanding, that was a tough game for a centre-half and he showed what a good player he is,” said Steve Cooper.
“Mike came back after a long time out, so there were a lot of pluses. He couldn’t have started and he was only going to have 30 minutes at the maximum if needed.
“We talked about him being on the bench, he was keen but we knew it had to be 20 or 30 minutes.”
The half-time team talk
SWANSEA were fortunate to reach the half-time interval without being behind, although, to their credit, they were far better after the restart having received a team talk from Cooper.
It could so easily have been different, particularly given the woeful nature of Swansea’s last home display against Luton.
But Cooper’s words at the break clearly did the trick.
“It was just about having belief in ourselves and being better than we were,” he said.
“It was about showing a bit more courage with the ball, showing a bit of responsibility.
“I wasn’t very happy [at halftime], but I didn’t scream and shout. I made it very clear that certain individuals can do better.
“We gave chances away in the first half, and on another day they can go in and life could be a lot more difficult.
“But we were fighting in terms of defending, there were some good blocks. We just needed to be better on the ball, and we were.”
The Cardiff City ploy Cooper could revisit
RHIAN Brewster was unable to finish the game after aggravating a shoulder problem he initially sustained in the 1-1 draw with Millwall.
The striker – who notched his seventh goal for Swansea during the win over Sheffield Wednesday – left the pitch with his arm wrapped in a makeshift sling, with Liam Cullen playing up top in the final stages. But Cooper was quick to reassure the Swansea faithful that the 20-year-old’s injury was not a serious one.
“Rhian had a bad shoulder anyway after the Millwall game where he took a bump on it early,” he said.
“It is not dislocated or anything, and I am sure he will be fine and want to play against Birmingham and help the team.”
Cooper took Brewster out of the firing line at Hull back in February in a bid to keep the Englishman fresh during the run-in.
And with games coming thick and fast, he may have to do the same again at some point in the final weeks of the campaign, particularly if the forward’s shoulder issue becomes a concern.
Cullen could of course lead the line, although Cooper would be more likely to deploy Andre Ayew up front between now and the end of the season should Brewster need a breather.
The head coach utilised the tactic to perfection in the 1-0 derby win over Cardiff City in October, and, if required, it could be one he uses again if Brewster is struggling.
Two records overturned
PENALTIES proved to be something of an Achilles heel for the Swans last term.
Oli McBurnie, Bersant Celina and Wilfried Bony all missed spot-kicks under Graham Potter. They scored just four of their eight Championship penalties last term at a rate of just 50%.
However, things have been very different this time around.
Swansea have had six penalties this season. And they’ve converted all six, making them one of only eight sides in the Championship with a 100% record from 12 yards out so far this term.
Borja Baston twice struck from the penalty spot in August while Ayew has done so twice against Middlesbrough as well as scoring against Blackburn and Sheffield Wednesday. And their latest triumph also means they are now four points better off now than they were at the same stage last season. Potter’s side had 56 points after 41 games while Cooper’s troops are on 60 points with five fixtures remaining.
The class of 2018/19 claimed an impressive nine points in their final five games, and you’d think Cooper’s men would need to better that tally to stand a chance of securing a play-off spot.