Next two Swansea games are crucial for Michael Laudrup following Stoke defeat
Stoke 2 Swansea 0
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Your support makes all the difference.The Swansea manager, Michael Laudrup, feels it is vital his team make the most of their forthcoming double-header of home games as they look to halt their recent slump in form in the Premier League.
The Welsh side recorded back-to-back victories over Queen's Park Rangers and West Ham at the start of the campaign – Laudrup's first two competitive matches in charge – and followed that up with a draw against Sunderland. Their three league games since have all ended in defeat.
With their next four league fixtures seeing them play Reading and Wigan at the Liberty Stadium before travelling to Manchester City and then hosting Chelsea, Laudrup has stressed the importance of those first two home assignments.
"We have to admit that the numbers never lie and it is three games with no points and no goals," he said. "We have still only played six games and we have seven points – that is still acceptable. But now we have to take the second round of six games and I think we should at least get the same amount of points from them. We have to start well in the two home games."
The Dane, whose side scored a total of 10 goals in the clashes with QPR, West Ham and Sunderland, was frustrated at Swansea's inability to create much going forward on Saturday against Stoke City. They rarely threatened during a contest in which Peter Crouch proved the match-winner, the Stoke striker scoring twice.
"We did not create chances like we are used to – only two or three in the whole game," Laudrup said. "It is not so much that Stoke scored – maybe we have to look a little more into why we did not create more chances and score goals, because, we know our team can, with the way we play, concede goals but also score goals."
Match facts
Stoke: BEGOVIC 6/10; SHAWCROSS 6; HUTH 7; CAMERON 7; WILSON 7; N’ZONZI 7; WHELAN 6; WALTERS 7; KIGHTLY 7; ADAM 6; CROUCH 8
Swansea: VORM 6; DAVIES 5; WILLIAMS 6; FLORES 5; RANGEL 5; HERNANDEZ 5; BRITTON 6; MICHU 6; KI 6; DYER 6; GRAHAM 6
Goals: Stoke Crouch 12, 36. Subs: Stoke Etherington 7 (Adam, 68), Whitehead (Whelan, 81), Jones (Crouch, 87). Swansea Routledge 6 (Hernandez, 62), Moore (Michu, 75). Booked: Stoke Walters. Swansea Davies. Man of the match Crouch. Match rating 6/10. Poss: Stoke 39%, Swansea 61%. Attempts on target: Sto 5, Swa 3. Referee J Moss (Yorkshire). Attendance 27,330.
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