Duff ‘pleased with attitude and desire’ despite late QPR equaliser denying Swans first win 

A last-gasp Lyndon Dykes stoppage-time leveler proved to be the ultimate sucker punch for the Swans after a far better showing saw Josh Ginnelly’s early opener almost be enough to take all three points back to South Wales. 

It would, however, be a missed opportunity for the away side to gain a morale-boosting victory and end what is the Swans worst start to the season for more than 30 years. 

It is now a seven-match run without a win in the league which has left the club languishing deep within in the bottom three of the table. 

With pressure mounting on the Northern-Irishman, Saturday’s return to the Swansea.com Stadium for action against fellow strugglers Sheffield Wednesday is now looking like a monumental six-pointer in the early stages of the Swansea head-coach’s tenure at the club. 

For now, Duff feels despite the result, there were pleasing aspects to the performance in the application and response from his players from the 2-0 derby defeat to Cardiff at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday. 

“I thought we started the game very well. Controlled it, passed it, moved it and hurt them in different ways. We played through them, played around them and played over them, which is what we wanted it to look like. We scored a good goal,” explained Duff. 

“We are obviously a little short of confidence at the minute, but in terms of attitude, application, energy and togetherness we were really good. 

“They’ve had a lot of pressure, but I don’t really remember Carl [Rushworth] making a save. They’ve scored a header from a cross in the 94^th minute which shows a little bit where we are at the moment. 

“I’m pleased with the effort and application. That needs to be non-negotiable, and the starting point. Then we can start to try and improve with the ball. 

“At the minute we’re good for 60 minutes and then we are poor. We need to put a 100-minute performance together. 

“We changed the shape today, so we haven’t had a lot of time to do any work with it. The first 20-25 minutes was a real positive with the ball and then the doggedness of the last part of the game was a positive for me as well. 

“We have had not even a day really with it because Monday is the second day after recovery from a Saturday night game and then you’re travelling. 

“My one disappointment is that I thought the subs could have come on and impacted the game a bit more. When we do need to change it, we need it to be game changers for us, not help them. 

“I understand you have to win games to get that time, but from my point of view, you’re looking at players giving everything. 

“When the final whistle blew, I think six or seven of our players dropped to their knees, that is all I can ask for. I thought our two centre halves were also fantastic tonight. 

“The character is not in question, but the quality is sometimes. You can’t do everything at once and I’d rather start with the foundations of the defensive side and the other side of the game.” 

The Swans will go into the match with the Owls on the weekend with several absentees and doubts after losing both Josh Key and Liam Cullen to injury against Queens Park Rangers. Whilst the late dismissal of Ollie Cooper for a second yellow card will see the Welsh international serve a one match ban. 

The duo will be assessed in the week, but there was not such good news surrounding the status of experienced duo Kyle Naughton and Joe Allen. Naughton will sit out the visit of Xisco Munoz’s side, whilst Allen will seek specialist advice on a groin issue suffered in the warm-up to the match with Cardiff on Saturday.  

“We don’t know about Josh [Key], he said he just felt like he ran a marathon after 25 minutes. It’s unlike him because he’s a fit kid and is one of the top runners at the club. We will have to look at whether he is ill or his recovery strategy,” continued Duff. 

“Culls [Liam Cullen] took a whack on the ankle and said look I’m not going to be able to run around and help the team. He’s sacrificed himself for someone else but like I said the downside was the impact of the subs. 

“Joe [Allen] is going to be a while now, he has seen his specialist today. We will have to see what the outcome of that is. There are two or three outcomes which they need to make a decision on.  

[Lead Image: Swansea City FC]