Jamie Paterson | If we learn the lessons we can make strides as a team

Jamie Paterson believes Swansea City will make important strides as a team if they learn the lessons from their first-half showing in defeat to Southampton.

The Swans suffered a 3-1 defeat to the Saints at the Swansea.com Stadium, with all the goals coming in the first half.

Che Adams and Will Smallbone gave the visitors a 2-0 lead, before Paterson pulled one back for the Swans, only for Flynn Downes to restore Southampton’s two-goal advantage.

But the Swans were far more positive in the second half, and spurned a number of chances to narrow their deficit with Paterson and Jerry Yates hitting the woodwork, while Charlie Patino, Joe Allen and Yannick Bolasie also went close.

Paterson admitted the home side had not been at the level required in the first half, but feels the learning they will take from that could prove invaluable.

“It was a game of two halves. We are trying to play a certain way and it takes time to implement that, and it’s not always easy to do mid-season,” said the midfielder.

“The first half was tough, no doubt about it, but I think it could prove to be a blessing in disguise really because we can learn a lot from it, and I think we started showing that in the second half.

“We played the type of game we have been talking about and I don’t know how we haven’t at least scored a second goal.

“But it shows we are making progress, it shows the potential of where we want to get to. That’s one of the best teams I have played in the Championship, and I think we more than matched them in that second half and had chances we should have scored.

“We need to keep building, we can take a lot from that game. We did not go under at 3-1, we came out fighting and we needed to take those chances.

“The fans stayed with us too, they were great, which is what we need, to be all together moving forward. There are positives to take.”