One of the most exciting sporting events in England has to be when the English Football League (EFL) competitions are drawing to a close, and the winning teams compete to get into the Premier League.
In the Championship, the teams that come first and second are automatically promoted to the Premier League. The teams that come third, fourth, fifth and sixth then battle it out in a series of playoffs to determine who gets the third Premier League promotion. Four teams stand a chance, but only one will make it into third place. It’s nail-biting stuff.
However, the buildup to the final playoffs can be just as exciting, as each participating team tries their best to make it into the top six. As with every sporting league, there are moments of huge elation and, of course, disappointment.
We’re more than midway through the season at this point, and with visions of Premier League membership on the horizon, it’s time to evaluate how the various teams are placed. In this article, we’re looking at Swansea City and whether they still stand a chance of sixth place or better.
How Swansea have fared so far
After their win against Watford on 31st January, Swansea are currently placed in 15th position in the Championship with 39 points. In sixth place are Wrexham with 47 points. It’s an eight-point difference and not insurmountable, considering that there are 16 games left.
The difference in points between Swansea and Wrexham in sixth position is eight points, which is not huge.
However, many of the teams that are currently ahead of Swansea are in great form, with consistency in goal scoring and performance on the field. Swansea have had some ups and downs, and their mixed form has delivered more losses than wins, with six ties. This has counted against them, but the ratio of wins to losses is marginal, and there is still time to remedy the situation.
With 16 games to go, and assuming that they have a good run with at least 10 wins, this would give them an additional 30 points, bringing their tally up to 69.
Of course, if the eight teams ahead of them continue with the good performance that has seen them consistently winning matches so far, then Swansea will need more than just 10 wins to catch up. Sixteen straight wins will undoubtedly bring them closer to the goal.
Success in football isn’t just about goals achieved. In Swansea’s case, the current difference between goals for (GF) and goals against (GA) is -3, which may be an indication that their defence needs some work.
The appointment of Vitor Matos
Swansea were off to a bad start at the beginning of the season. With five losses in five games, it seemed that they were heading for the lower relegation scores – a depressing prospect and one that does not promote confidence.
However, the appointment of Vitor Matos as their new coach in November has gradually turned the team around and is bringing results. Under Matos’s lead, the team now averages 1.13 goals per game, which is significant progress compared to their previous average of 0.93. However, when compared with Coventry, in the lead, at 2.10, and Wrexham at sixth place with an average of 1.47, Swansea still have some work to do.
As Matos gets to know his players, he is working towards consistency, placing talent where it belongs, and bringing out the best in his team. There have been some injuries, but Matos is managing those and is fortunate to have some flexibility with all-rounders who can fill in the gaps when necessary.
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Consistency pays
When considering the above, it’s still possible for Swansea to make it into the top six. However, the feeling among supporters and bookmakers seems to be that it’s unlikely to happen.
On a positive note, though, the team have come a long way since the start of the Championship, and with determination and consistency, it can be done. Is it too late, perhaps? If they don’t make it this year, then at their current rate of improvement, 2027 promises to be a good year for Swansea City.
Image Credit: Swansea City Football Club