Swansea City manager Steve Cooper has said that his side 'got what they deserved' at The Hawthorns yesterday, after being beaten 5-1 by Championship leaders West Brom.
Goals from Semi Ajayi, Matheus Pereira, Hal Robson-Kanu, Matt Phillips and Kyle Edwards contributed to the Swans' biggest defeat under Cooper, and what was their sixth in the Championship so far this season - unbelievably though, that's their first away defeat.
Sam Surridge's third goal of the season was nothing more than a consolation at 2-1 down and after defeat to Fulham the weekend before, Swansea drop to 11th in the Championship table - two points off 6th-placed Sheffield Wednesday and now 13 off the automatic promotion spots.
Speaking to the Swansea City official club website after the game, Cooper spoke about his team's 'naivety' against the Baggies:
“It was a tough afternoon, the scoreline says it all really. It’s been a difficult day and that was self-inflicted in large parts, if I am honest.
“I think it is all well and good having some decent moments in general play, but if you are going to be as naive as we were with the goals you are asking for trouble."
West Brom have now opened up a two-point gap to Leeds United in 2nd having won the last six in the league - they're also the highest scorers in the Championship with 41 goals this season.
“That’s especially the case coming here with how dangerous they are and the players they have at the top of the pitch - We picked the worst day possible to give such opportunities away.
“That naivety cost us. The first goal we should have dealt with the long ball before the corner better. For the second goal we were in comfortable enough possession up the pitch.
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“We then get back in the game, we are in the ascendancy, and then we give away the third goal the way we did – from our own throw-in in a comfortable part of the pitch – sums up our naivety.
“Unfortunately that continued with the fourth and fifth goals. We got what we deserved.”
Since the start of October, Swansea have taken just 12 points from a possible 33. They had early dreams of an unprecedented promotion campaign in Cooper's maiden season in management but that seems like a pipe dream now, and a top-half finish would probably be a good result come May.
The verdict
It's saddening to see how much Swansea have fallen and in such a short space of time. Cooper looked to be a real find by the Swansea board but let's not forget that they only finished 10th last season and on a shoestring budget this season, Cooper is doing relatively well.
His side host an in-form Blackburn Rovers side on Wednesday, where Tony Mowbray's Rovers will be looking for a fifth-straight league win.