In their opening match of the new season, Swansea City suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Middlesbrough. While the result was a frustrating start for manager Alan Sheehan’s side, the performance at the Riverside Stadium offered several talking points and revealed some key areas for the team to focus on.
Here are five things we learned from Swansea’s loss to Middlesbrough:
1. A Lack of Creativity is a Major Concern
For long stretches of the game, Swansea looked solid defensively and were able to keep Middlesbrough at bay. However, their struggles came at the other end of the pitch. As Sheehan himself admitted after the match, his team “didn’t create enough” chances. While there were some promising moments in the first half, with Ronald’s half-volley narrowly missing and Liam Cullen’s header saved, the Swans lacked the cutting edge to truly trouble the Middlesbrough goalkeeper. Their build-up play was often neat and tidy, but a lack of movement in the final third and a poor final ball meant that sustained pressure was hard to come by. This is an issue that plagued the team at times last season and will be a priority for Sheehan to address if they are to climb the table.
2. Set-Piece Vulnerability Continues to Haunt the Swans
The one goal that separated the two sides came from a set-piece, a familiar and frustrating narrative for Swansea fans. Dael Fry’s header from a corner kick was the decisive moment of the match, and it highlighted a persistent weakness in the team’s defensive setup. Despite knowing that Middlesbrough had been working on their attacking set-pieces in pre-season, Swansea failed to deal with the delivery, allowing Fry to get ahead of his markers and score. While it was a well-worked routine, the ease with which Middlesbrough scored from the corner will be a cause for concern for Sheehan and his coaching staff.
3. Ben Cabango’s Injury Could be a Big Blow
A further setback for Swansea was the injury to captain Ben Cabango, who was forced off the pitch in the second half. The Welsh international is a key figure in the heart of the Swans’ defense, and his absence was felt as Middlesbrough grew in confidence after taking the lead. While his replacement performed adequately, Cabango’s leadership and defensive solidity are difficult to replace. Sheehan will be hoping that the injury is not serious and that his skipper can return to action as soon as possible, as the team will need his experience and quality to navigate the tough challenges of the Championship.
4. Positive Signs from New Signings
It wasn’t all bad news for Swansea, as there were some encouraging performances from the new faces in the squad. Both Cameron Burgess and Ethan Galbraith made their league debuts and showed glimpses of what they can offer. Burgess, in particular, looked solid alongside Cabango before the latter’s injury, making several important clearances and tackles. While the team as a whole struggled to create, the individual performances of the new players offer a degree of optimism for the season ahead.
5. Fine Margins Will Define the Season
As Alan Sheehan himself stated, the game was decided by “fine margins.” Neither team dominated, and both defenses were largely on top. The difference came down to a single moment – Middlesbrough’s ability to capitalize on a set-piece. This game served as a stark reminder that in the Championship, a league where teams are often separated by just a few points, these small details can be the difference between a win and a loss. Swansea will need to become more clinical in attack and more resolute in defense if they are to turn these tight encounters into positive results. The team has work to do, but the season is long, and there is plenty of time for them to learn from this defeat and bounce back stronger.
