Michael Duff wants energy and intensity from Swansea City

Swansea City head coach Michael Duff has urged his side to make sure they start with energy and intensity when they host Coventry City this afternoon.

The Swans host the Sky Blues looking to bounce back from a first defeat of the season against West Bromwich Albion, while buoyed by the news of captain Matt Grimes’ contract extension.

Duff was happy with the character his side showed at The Hawthorns, as they rallied late on to nearly earn a point, but he wants them to make sure they don’t fall behind before starting to find the levels he wants to see.

“If you look at every stat from the first two league games, apart from the main one that matters, we have been the better team.

There have been positives but can we better? Absolutely,” he said.

“We need to be better with the football, but it’s about working on everyday habits. There has been a lot of change and it takes time.

“We want to hurt teams with the ball, we have had most of the ball in the two games so far, but it’s about having that zip in our play and starting games with the right energy and intensity.”

Coventry visit SA1 on the back of an emphatic 3-0 win over Middlesbrough, who they faced in the play-offs at the end of last season.

Swans boss Duff has a great amount of respect for the job Mark Robins has done in reviving the fortunes of the Sky Blues, and believes the way they have steadily built and improved is an example for other clubs.

“Mark is a really good guy, they have a belief in what they do, there is no kneejerk reactions in terms of what they do if they have a defeat,” he said.

“He has put in his ideas and implemented things over time and you now look at them and every player they sign fits a Mark Robins team and how they wanted to play.

“They had a difficult start to last season, but they didn’t rip it up and start again because the time they have spent there has shown they were doing things the right way.

“They got to a play-off final, I was at that game, and they were really unlucky. It shows what you can do.”