By David Williams
Russell Martin has asked Swansea City fans for patience as he strives to bring more consistency to a team now treading water in the Championship.
The club’s most recent defeat – a 1-0 loss away at Blackburn Rovers – means it’s just one win in five for the Swans, who have dropped down to 12 th place in the Championship.
They are seven points adrift of the play-offs and 11 above the relegation zone and they have won just three times in 16 league matches.
Head coach Martin gave an impassioned defence of his team – and their development during his 18 months in charge – but suggested there will be more pain to suffer for supporters, before they have a team capable of challenging for promotion.
'It's a fact, it's not a lie' — Russell Martin insists Swansea City are 'fundamentally miles better' than 18 months ago #swans https://t.co/3dRgQbw6NH
— Swansea City Online (@SwanseaCityLive) February 19, 2023
“The team is better in every metric than when we played here 18 months ago or whenever it was when we first walked into the building,” he said.
“The team is much better than it was at the end of last season, albeit with very different players. I think the frustrating thing for us is we are building something, at times it is really brilliant, like the first half today. The second half is difficult.
“The young guys will be much better for that experience this time in a year’s time, six months’ time, three months’ time, in the next game, we have to try to piece it together again and put the first half and second half together.
“But the team is much better, in our performance, the chances it gives up, although we concede too many goals, the chances we have, the amount of goals we score, the amount of control we have, on the majority, albeit today was a bit different second half.
“But we’re not building a block at a time; we build, then we lose a lot of the foundations. Then we have to build again. I just got asked a question out there: ‘It’s 18 months now, have you progressed?’ Yeah, we have. The team is fundamentally miles better than it was when we walked in.
“The players are a lot better for us now than they were 18 months ago in this style of football in terms of what they produce on the pitch, Jay Fulton, Matt Grimes, all these people. But it’s not like we are keeping this group then adding one or two every now and again.
“Because when you are able to do that, the results will improve and a be a bit more consistent than they are now. But we’re not.
“We still have a back three that’s two new players who have never played at that level this season, Harry (Darling) and Woody (Nathan Wood), who were great today. Them three and Ben (Cabango) defended brilliantly, I thought.
“People will say ‘ah, that’s an excuse’ and all that stuff, it’s not. It’s the facts. It’s the truth. I got asked out there, will people be patient and stuff. I have to be patient.
“So I hope people understand that. And if they’re not and just want to win and all that stuff, we’re also not in that position where we can go and get loads of players who are ready-made for the Championship and just play Championship football and win.
“We’ll keep building. Today is really frustrating, it’s another chance to learn. It’s unacceptable, the goal that we concede. So yeah, we’ll keep building.”
Daniel Ayala’s late winner gave Blackburn their win to move them level on points with the top six in the Championship.
⏰ FT | 🔵 1-0 🦢
Full time in Blackburn.#BLAvSWA | @SkyBetChamp pic.twitter.com/W0LVFhS3hD
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) February 18, 2023
It looked like becoming five successive draws for Rovers but Dominic Hyam and Ayala, who both returned from injury, combined for the Spaniard to head home his first goal of the season in the 89th minute to reignite their faltering play-off push.
Swansea are seven points off the play-offs after a third game without victory on the road and will rue not turning their possession into goals.
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