Phil Sumbler
The pressure has definitely lifted on Michael Duff over the past two weeks. That is, of course, the kind of thing that happens when your side has won two on the bounce and even more so when each of those wins have been by a three goal margin.
Goals yesterday afternoon from Jamal Lowe (penalty), Matt Grimes and Mykola Kuharevich were the difference between the two sides but on the back of that win last week against Sheffield Wednesday it was a first away win as Swans boss that would have pleased Duff.
It is now seven points from nine since the meek surrender at Cardiff two weeks ago and it is only a stoppage time equaliser at QPR that has prevented a maximum return for Duff in those three games. Three games, seven points, seven goals and two clean sheets makes this look and feel just a little bit different to the mood after that Cardiff game.
Far from thinking his side has completely turned a corner though Duff reflected back on the game and talked about how there was more to come from his side but was definitely in a mood to reflect on the positives from the game.
“We’re really pleased,” said Duff.
“It’s a difficult place to come, and I think we showed all aspects of the game today.
“In the lead up to the penalty, there were more than 40 passes and in the lead up to the second goal there were more than 25 passes.
“Millwall came out in the second half and put us under pressure, and we had to change shape a couple of times, but then we came back out of it.
“There were lots of positives to take.”
The Swans now face two more tests before the second international break of the season. Norwich are the visitors to the Swansea.com Stadium on Wednesday evening before Duff takes to the road again at Plymouth next weekend.
If the Swans can put themselves in a position after those games where the average points gained per game is above the 1 point mark then it will feel like a corner maybe has been turned and we can look to return in the middle of October in a very different place as we could have imagined we may have been.
“We want to get to a point where we’re dominating the ball all the time, but in the Championship there will always be points we come under pressure and that’s when we need the togetherness, team spirit and shape to come through.
“For the last ten minutes, it was really comfortable, because we’d given ourselves the platform.
“We’re miles away from where we want to end up, but with a lot of change at a football club it takes time to settle, but it was nice to watch the last ten minutes relaxed because of the defending we’d shown. We could just watch the players play good football.”
