Luke Williams may have suggested it would be “silly” to say Swansea City can compete at the “very peak” of the Championship, but Iwan Roberts is not so sure.
Earlier this month, head coach Williams played down the chances of his team contending in the second tier this season because of the lack of experience in his squad.
But former Wales striker Roberts believes Swansea have shown potential in the opening weeks of 2024-25.
“If you look at Swansea, Luke Williams has tried to take the pressure of his squad saying ‘we have nowhere near the squad to be competing for the play-offs’,” Roberts said.
“I don’t think he believes that himself. I think they have.”
Swansea go in search of a third straight victory when they host Bristol City on Sunday.
They sit seventh in the early-season table, having won three and lost two of their first six league games.
Williams’ team have conceded just four league goals so far, a record bettered in the division by only West Brom and Sheffield United.
“Swansea are the second lowest scorers in the top half – their success in the first six games is their defence has been rock solid,” Roberts added on this week’s Feast of Football podcast.
“I am looking at Ben Cabango and Harry Darling, two players I have criticised over the last two or three years. I think they have been absolutely magnificent.
“I think Ben Cabango’s start to the season has been brilliant. I wouldn’t have had a problem if he’d started both games for Wales [earlier this month].
“He is strong, he is comfortable on the ball, he is good in his own box.”
Centre-backs Cabango and Darling see their current contracts expire at the end of this season.
“The problem Swansea have got is that those two are playing so well and are out of contract in the summer,” Roberts said.
“Whoever sorts [contracts] out at Swansea needs to be sitting down with those two.”