SWANS: ‘We know what to expect’: Cabango braced for set pieces and long balls at Millwall

Ben Cabango says Swansea City know exactly what is waiting for them at Millwall on Tuesday night.

The centre-back captained the Swans in Saturday’s 2-1 comeback win over Norwich, which kept them top of the Championship.

Next up is a trip to the Den (7.45pm), and Cabango is expecting a battle. “We know what to expect going to Millwall away. It’s always going to be a physical game, a demanding game and the set pieces, the long balls, it’s going to be a tough test and a different one to today,” he said.

‘They did fantastic things last season’: Cabango on Alex Neil’s Millwall

Cabango has plenty of respect for Alex Neil’s side. “Carrying on at Millwall as well, which is always a test, you know. They did fantastic things last season,” he said.

Millwall finished third in the Championship last season with a club-record 83 points, missing out on automatic promotion by a single point.

Their bid ended in the play-off semi-finals, where they lost 2-0 on aggregate to Hull City.

This season they sit eighth, six points behind the Swans after nine games.

Depleted by injuries, they had won only one of their previous six league games before beating Preston North End 1-0 on Saturday.

Cabango said: “But we’re going to obviously recover, prepare for it and go on with that confidence and belief like we do.”

Norwich, Millwall and West Ham in ‘a hard week’

Millwall is the second of three games in eight days, with third-placed West Ham United visiting the Swansea.com Stadium on Saturday.

“Norwich, West Ham and Millwall is always going to be a hard week in a Championship, but getting off the mark with the three points today is a real good feeling,” Cabango said.

“We’re going into Millwall now with more belief and more confidence and we’re going to prepare well for that and give it our all.”

‘There’s never any panic’ when the Swans go a goal down

The Swans fell behind to Jacob Wright’s first-half goal before Moussa Yeo and Adam Idah turned it round. Cabango admitted there was rust after the international break. “There was a little bit of rustiness from the side in that first half and a lack of precision,” he said.

“It was just them little passes were sort of bobbly or just slow passes. We then got on top of that second half, and came out looking at a new team.”

He says the side has shown that resilience before. “I feel like that’s the third time I think we’ve come back from one nil down this season. I don’t think there’s ever any panic when we do go one nil down.”

The Vitor Matos ‘cup final’ mindset

Cabango credits Vitor Matos for the belief in the squad. “There’s real belief right now in the squad and we’re playing with that confidence, aggression constantly, and that comes from the gaffer,” he said.

“Every game he’s always saying, treat the next game like the cup final and we don’t look too far ahead. I’d say we’re a humble squad and I’m just pushing to get better every day.”

‘People are going to get excited’ about the title

He knows supporters are starting to dream. “I’ve said to the manager, people are going to get excited, you know that don’t you? I can already feel that to be honest with you,” he said.

He wants the focus kept on Tuesday, though. “I guess while we get excited, we want to talk about the league and winning titles, you’ve just got to look at Millwall, then West Ham and then whoever comes after.”

“There’s no point thinking about the end of the season already, we’re nine games in and obviously it’s been a great start. But we’ve got a great platform now to build on and we’re looking at every game and wanting to win, so we’re looking to win on Tuesday night.”

Cabango came back from international duty with Wales, and says the break did the squad good. “It’s been a good international break for a lot of them in the squad. We’re all just looking to build on that now and we can really feel the confidence in the squad,” he said.