WhoScored speaks with Swansea captain Matt Grimes on promotion potential

"It was good to get the three points, and to carry that momentum through the Christmas period will be massive." Matt Grimes spoke candidly as WhoScored sat down with the Swansea captain this week. A 3-1 win over Middlesbrough on Saturday ended a six-match winless run to leave the team outside of the playoff places. 

However, sat just one point off the top six, and with just six points separating fourth and 14th, victory over Boro could prove to be the catalyst to reignite their promotion push. "We've got a very busy schedule coming up over Christmas time and obviously you want as much momentum as possible to go into those run of games so you're full of confidence and I think Saturday was the perfect result for us." 

Indeed, the win against Middlesbrough was just Swansea's second at the Liberty Stadium since the end of August. Swansea's home record puts them 12th in the table, and it's their away form that has kept them within touching distance of the top six. A 5-1 loss at West Brom on their last away game was an exception to the rule as defeat ended an 11-match unbeaten run on the road stemming back to April. 

"I think we're up against it when we're away. When we're, not under the cosh, but when they're enjoying a little bit more of the ball, our shape, our defensive organisation, is fantastic, and I think that's what we, sometimes, base our performances around away from home. Not saying we're negative away from home. We don't go to sit off, but when you have to weather a storm, I feel like we do that really well and it gives us that platform to then go and win the game." 

You only have to look at the fact that Swansea have one of the best away records in the Championship this season, picking up 17 points from their 10 matches on the road, which is remarkable in itself when, in theory, playing in front of your fans should provide home advantage. Next up for the Swans as they aim to build upon Saturday's victory is a trip to a Luton side battling relegation. 

That said, it won't be walk in the park for Swansea, even taking into account the Hatters' perilous position. "We know it will be a very tough game," Grimes said. "I think they've won a lot of their points at home this season (14 of Luton's 20 points have come at Kenilworth Road), so we know it will be a tough one going up there, but our away record is strong. 

"We'll be going there full of confidence off the back of the win on Saturday as well, so we'll do our preperations as we do all week and go into it and try and win the game." It will take a captain's performance from Grimes to ensure Swansea get back to winning ways away from home on the final weekend before Christmas against a resolute Luton side, that goes without saying. The 24-year-old was handed the captain's armband over the summer by Steve Cooper and, having been named Swansea player of the season in 2018/19, it's been a personal confidence boosting few months for the midfielder. 

"To come back here last year and have the faith that Graham (Potter) put in me and obviously this year with Steve (Cooper) as well is fantastic and it does just fill your confidence and gives you belief every week that you can go out there and perform to the best of your ability." It's another milestone in Grimes' Swansea career following his arrival from Exeter in 2015 and a culmination of the hard work he has put in, both with Swansea and elsewhere. 

Grimes has spent time on loan with Blackburn, Leeds and Northampton before he established himself as a first team regular in south Wales. But just how important were those spells in in his development? In his words, they were: "Massive stints. They were all very helpful in their own way really. Each one of them provided a new challenge and a new learning curve for myself, so it was important to go away and get the experience that I did. 

"I enjoyed my time at every single one of them for various different reasons and when I look back now, they were massive building blocks for me and my career to put me in this position I am today." That position is a first team regular under Cooper at the Liberty Stadium. Potter quickly recognised Grimes' ability both on and off the ball following his appointment 18 months ago and made him a key player last season as Grimes featured in 45 of 46 league matches. 

He has played every minute of the current Championship campaign, one of only 10 outfield players to achieve the feat this term, and Grimes believes little has changed since the change in manager. "It's different getting different managers in. Each have their own ideas, but  I think the gaffer now was very insistent that him coming in the summer wasn’t going to change too much from last year. He just wanted to build on it and bring his own ideas in, which he did and I think we just kept the ball rolling over the summer. 

"We had a fantastic start to the season and we’ve shown everyone in the league what we can do and the threats we can possess. We’ve got some very good players in the squad, a great staff, a fantastic manager as well, so we’re building towards a very good future." And Grimes is right in that there are very good players in a Swansea squad that has a bright future ahead of them. At 24.8 years of age, it's one of the youngest in the Championship and the departures of Oliver McBurnie and Daniel James could have derailed Swansea and their promotion push. 

However, Andre Ayew and Borja Baston have impressed upon their respective returns to the Liberty Stadium, while youngsters Sam Surridge, Freddie Woodman and Ben Wilmot have each impressed following their loan arrivals, and that's been important, Grimes states. "We obviously lost two of our key players, so it was important that we got new players in. Andre (Ayew) coming back, Sam (Surridge), Ben (Wilmot); they've settled in perfectly, and I think that's a testament to the group and the staff to get them to settle in so quickly and they're obviously top players otherwise they wouldn't be here, so it's really important that we all click as a team." 

In terms of new signings, they have been important in their own right, but the arrival of Cooper has helped iron out one major weakness for Swansea. Last season, the Swans conceded more goals from set-piece situations (24) than any other Championship side. This season, only Stoke (3) have conceded fewer set-piece goals than the Swans (4), and it was an area that Grimes identified as one that needed work, but that Cooper has worked wonders to improve upon. 

"The gaffer has obviously come in and addressed set plays in the summer because that was one of our biggest weaknesses. I’d say that has probably changed more than anything else and then it’s just how the staff and the manager set us up in defensive organisation." While statistical analysis may or may not have played a part in identifying this area in need of work, Grimes has noticed that the use of stats has risen since he turned pro back in 2013. 

"I’ve recognised an increase in their use for sure. I tend to not look too much at it, but it is nice if you see that you’re up there in some of the stats. It is a good confidence boost, but I definitely have seen a big increase in the use of it and I think they’re very important in the game today." And boasting five statistically calculated WhoScored strengths, Grimes named four off the bat when asked if he has checked out his WhoScored.com player page. 

"'Passing' is one. 'Crossing'. (Taking) 'Set-pieces'... I'm going to guess 'tackling'? I would say that's what I call my strengths." And when informed that 'Passing' was deemed to be very strong, he added: "That’s what I base my game around; getting the ball, keeping it ticking over and giving it to the more creative players that are going to win us the game." 

It's no wonder, too, that 'Passing' is deemed to be very strong, with his 65.7 passes per game ranking fourth in the Championship this season. And with four crunch Championship matches between now and the FA Cup third round clashes at the beginning of January, it's this quality to his game that'll stand Grimes and Swansea in good stead as the club's captain and second highest rated player with a 7.15 continues to shine. 

At such a young age, there is plenty yet to come from Grimes, and to skipper the side to Premier League promotion would be a massive achievement for both player and club. First things first, however, and a looming trip to Luton awaits Swansea, but three points in Saturday's clash would go a long way to securing a place in England's top tier next term.