‘Find Solutions’ – Cifuentes Speaks Pre-Swansea

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‘Find Solutions’ – Cifuentes Speaks Pre-Swansea

Martí Cifuentes is keen to see further development in the team’s performances ahead of our trip to Swansea City this weekend.

2025-10-04T07:45+01:00

by Sam Jones

Published

04 Oct, 2025

‘Find Solutions’ – Cifuentes Speaks Pre-Swansea

Martí Cifuentes is keen to see further development in the team’s performances ahead of our trip to Swansea City this weekend.

Sam Jones

2025-10-04T07:45+01:00

‘Find Solutions’ – Cifuentes Speaks Pre-Swansea

Martí Cifuentes is keen to see further development in the team’s performances ahead of our trip to Swansea City this weekend.

Sam Jones

2025-10-04T07:45+01:00

‘Find Solutions’ – Cifuentes Speaks Pre-Swansea

Martí Cifuentes is keen to see further development in the team’s performances ahead of our trip to Swansea City this weekend.

Sam Jones

2025-10-04T07:45+01:00

‘Find Solutions’ – Cifuentes Speaks Pre-Swansea

Martí Cifuentes is keen to see further development in the team’s performances ahead of our trip to Swansea City this weekend.

Sam Jones

2025-10-04T07:45+01:00

The Foxes are back on the road on Saturday, making the trip to Swansea.com Stadium for a 3pm BST kick-off on matchday nine of the 25/26 Sky Bet Championship campaign.

Our Manager was in the hot seat on Thursday afternoon speaking to reporters from inside the team’s base at LCFC Training Ground, offering thoughts on a busy week of action for his side.

‘Use the squad’

It's a quick turnaround for the Foxes this week.

With a third game in eight days on the horizon, the idea of shuffling the pack once more in south west Wales is one that Cifuentes will consider, though he is keen to strike the right balance after making four changes to the side against Wrexham.

“It’s always depending on the moment of the team and the moment of the season,” the Spaniard commented. “Something that I learned over the last two seasons in the Championship is that you need to use the squad properly.

“Too many changes can disrupt the rhythm a little bit. Too few can provoke a lack of energy, especially in these three game weeks.

“I’m very happy about what all those four players bring. Some of them, like Bobby, [De Cordova-Reid] we knew was coming back from an injury. He was doing really well but couldn’t play more than 60-65 minutes.

“Everybody showed good things from those four changes and then we’re going to take a decision about what to do on Saturday. Of course, I am a big believer in using the squad and a lot of them are training well and deserving the opportunity.”

‘An important test’

The Irishman has guided the Swans to a strong start to the season.

Saturday’s hosts sit eighth in the table ahead of the weekend’s fixtures, one point behind Leicester, having emerged victorious in their midweek clash with Blackburn Rovers. He is impressed with what he has seen from Alan Sheehan’s side.

“It’s a team that is doing well,” he analysed. “I think they have got a solid foundation from last season. It’s a club that usually has a clear identity on the way they want to play. They usually want to use possession to attack and they are really strong on transitions as well now.

“It’s a team that is difficult to beat because of the way they play but also because they have players who are very experienced at this level. They have started well, so definitely it’s a very important test for us before the international break.

“I’m aware that having a positive result will help us to move on a little bit with a better feeling from the disappointment of the last game.”

‘Possession is a tool’

De Cordova-Reid came closest to a second against Wrexham.

The post-match chat surrounding the midweek draw at Wrexham has been one of frustration and disappointment, emotions which Cifuentes still shares, wanting to use them to our advantage in the lead-up to our latest Championship outing.

“Hopefully in 48 hours, if we get three points at Swansea, my feeling is going to be much better, but at the moment I’m still frustrated,” the former QPR Manager admitted. “I was honest with my team, that’s my way.

“I think they understood. No one needs to convince me about possession, because I’m coming from Barcelona and a big believer on positional play and to use the possession for a meaning. Possession is a tool to create chances and attack.

“Especially in the second half, we were losing this target to keep scoring. We thought that the game was already under control. A game is only under control if you are winning 4-0. Otherwise, it is not, especially here in England. It doesn’t matter if you are playing well.

“Now it’s a work in progress and part of the learning as well for me and the group to improve to what we want. There were very good periods in the first 60 minutes. We counter-pressed at a really high level, something that you can only do when you travel and attack together.

“The first goal was a brilliant combination and we want more of those. We were really good at playing through and breaking through Wrexham, but of course all of us are disappointed at the end not to get the three points, but football is like this.

“If Bobby, instead of hitting the post, scores, perhaps everyone would be so positive about the development of the last weeks and how the team is progressing. But that’s the game and I’m aware of those small margins that make a big difference in football.”

‘Always about improving’

Working on the training pitch.

With 29 shots on goal recorded across the last two games, but just two of those landing on target, finding a more clinical edge in the final third, as well as creating more opportunities, is now on the agenda.

The Spaniard explained: “Unfortunately, in the last few games the numbers have not been enough to score more, but it means I must help them find a way. My job is try and find solutions to create even more [chances]. That’s what we are working on and it’s always about improving.

“I’m very calm about the quality that we have in the squad and I’m sure the efficiency will get better. At the same time, it’s not just about the amount, but the quality of those chances and how we get there.

“The team is taking steps forward in the performances. When I compare Sheffield Wednesday and Wrexham, it’s far from perfect or the level that we still want to achieve, but for 60 minutes the team did very well.

“It encourages me to see the development that we have on the training pitch and now we want to get another win as soon as possible, because for Leicester it will be never good enough to get four draws in a row.

“It doesn’t matter how many games we are undefeated at the moment, the important thing is to win three points. We are not far from where we want to be in terms of the table, but there’s still a lot of progress to be made in the way we want to play and develop as a team and what I want to achieve as a manager.”

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