Championship: Swansea City 2-0 Blackburn Rovers

Terms like consistency and stability are rarely attributed to Swansea City these days.

For Steve Cooper, this week has been a welcome exception.

Six points from six, back to back clean sheets, and two efficient displays void of hiccups or late tension.

Goals from Ben Cabango and Andre Ayew against Blackburn yesterday ensured Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Stoke didn’t go to waste. The Swans now lie second, albeit still at a stage where predicting any kind of final outcome in the Championship is wholly futile.

But until now, the general assumption has been Swansea have punched above their weight under Cooper. Now with a squad boasting a degree of depth, and solidarity growing, you dare ask if something greater than merely upsetting the odds is happening?

The answer to that question may be clearer in seven days’ time. Tough away fixtures at Brentford and Norwich lie in wait this week. The results won’t define Swansea’s season, but they will give a clearer indication as to where their promotion credentials rank.

Ironically, Swansea maintained momentum yesterday on the back of removing their greatest constant in recent times. Club captain Matt Grimes, who has played every minute of the club’s last 89 league games, was an unused substitute.

It’s perhaps a compliment to Cooper’s recent work in the transfer window, albeit work that was overshadowed by Joe Rodon’s underwhelming transfer fee, that his presence wasn’t missed.

The hosts were far from dominant, but attacked with purpose. Yan Dhanda’s stock has risen this week, and one delightful pass with the outside of the right boot played in Jamaal Lowe, who botched the chance.

On 26 minutes a breakthrough came. Right back Connor Roberts excelled all afternoon with his overlapping runs and crossing, but he created the opener from a set piece as his outswinging corner was planted home by the head of Ben Cabango.

It capped a fine display at the other end of the pitch from Cabango, whose defensive partnership with Marc Guehi is currently negating Rodon’s absence.

Blackburn did have their moments though. Before the break Adam Armstrong had a shot deflected narrowly wide and was then denied by Woodman, while Ben Brereton’s bullet header just missed the post.

Early in the second half and Tom Trybull wastefully scuffed his effort from eight yards out.

But it was far from an onslaught. Swansea looked solid, composed, and critically, always likely to threaten when time and space allowed.

Sure enough on 61 minutes Ayew, who should have scored with a first half header from a Roberts cross, made amends in style by nodding home another sublime ball from Dhanda.

That was effectively that, and the sight of Cabango brushing aside Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott late on to regather possession underlined how Swansea had imposed themselves on the visitors.

Cooper won’t be getting carried away by the top two position. He’s been in this job a little over a season, but will already be well accustomed to the fluctuating fortunes of the Championship.

Quietly however, on the field if certainly not off it, you sense something building at Swansea.

Swansea City: Freddie Woodman; Kyle Naughton, Ben Cabango, Marc Guehi; Connor Roberts, Korey Smith, Jay Fulton, Jake Bidwell; Yan Dhanda (Kasey Palmer 75); Andre Ayew (C), Jamaal Lowe (Viktor Gyokeres 66).

Subs not used: Steven Benda, Ryan Bennett, Ryan Manning, Matt Grimes, Wayne Routledge.

Blackburn Rovers: Aynsley Pears; Ryan Nyambe, Darragh Lenihan (C), Derrick Williams, Joe Rankin-Costello; Tom Trybull, Lewis Holtby, Corry Evans (Tyrhys Dolan 60); Harvey Elliott, Adam Armstrong (Jacob Davenport 79), Ben Brereton (Sam Gallagher 60).

Subs not used: Antonis Stergiakis, Scott Wharton, John Buckley, Harry Chapman.

Referee: Dean Whitestone