Potter sees substance as well as style for Swans

His side are winning no shortage of plaudits for their style of football, but Graham Potter believes Swansea City are showing there is substance to go with it.

The Swans have enjoyed an excellent week, winning three homes games in a row as part of their best run of league form at the Liberty in 11 years.

Their attractive, attacking style of play has really clicked into gear in recent weeks and players and supporters are enjoying it in equal measure.

But one of the key features of the win over Stoke on Tuesday was not down to what Swansea did with the ball, but rather what they did without it.

Time and again, disciplined but intense pressing allowed the home side to win the ball back high up the pitch and keep the pressure on their opponents.

And Potter was delighted with the way the Swans handled that side of their play.

“We know we have to be willing to work hard and do the ugly side of the game if you like, and everyone is doing it and you could see that,” said Potter.

“Everybody wants to do it, they can see the benefits of it. Collectively we have reduced teams to not too much in terms of chances against us.

“There are areas we can still improve, but it was very good in that regard. It’s nice to see.

“People talk about our identity and our philosophy but we have to give those words meaning and shape, otherwise they are just words.

“That is as much about when we don’t have the ball as when we have it. We have to be a team that is trying for each other, that fights for each other, that does not give up.

“If we do that the supporters respond, but without that basic foundation you are in trouble.”

Swansea have now won five league games in a row in SA1, their best such sequence since Roberto Martinez was in charge and the club were on their way to the League One title during the 2007-08 season.

And the manager is pleased to be putting smiles back on faces after the difficulties following relegation from the Premier League.

“You can sense at the Liberty that the fans have had a tough time, and it is nice to bring a smile back to their faces because that is what football is about,” he added.

“It’s about coming to the game, being entertained and going home happy thinking you would like to come back again.”