Can Swansea's pressing kings add to their threat?

Swansea City, currently sixth in the Championship, are set to face fifth-placed West Brom after returning from the international break. Blackburn Rovers' Tony Mowbray, who managed Swansea last season, compared the team to Liverpool under Jürgen Klopp, praising their high-pressing approach. Mowbray noted that facing Swansea brought back memories of dealing with Klopp's Reds, who were known for their relentless pursuit of possession.

Swansea's pressing style has been a key factor in their offensive success this season. Under Mowbray, they have become one of the most aggressive pressing sides in the Championship, leading the division in several key metrics and frequently winning possession high up the pitch. This approach resulted in 23 points from their first ten league games, although their recent form has not been as strong.

Swansea has won only one of their past five matches, suffering defeats against West Ham, Queens Park Rangers, Portsmouth, and Birmingham City. However, their pressing numbers remain among the best in the division. The problem seems to lie in their ability to convert possession into goals, particularly when they have possession.

Despite their issues on the attacking end, Swansea's stats reveal that they create some of the highest-quality chances in the Championship. They rank 19th in total shots, but top the division for expected goals per shot, indicating that when they do create opportunities, they are often good ones. Their expected goals tally is 11th in the Championship, with 22 goals for the season, just slightly below expectations.

The challenge for Mowbray and his team is to translate this promising attacking output into more goals. Currently, no single player stands out as a consistent goal scorer, as the attacking duties are shared among several forwards. The next step for Swansea is to find a way to convert their promising chances into more goals, turning their strong pressing into tangible results.