Ben Cabango | Hard work on set-pieces is paying off

6th October
First team
Ben Cabango celebrates with Nathan Wood

Ben Cabango has saluted the hard work put in on the training ground by set-piece coach Andy Parslow after the defender’s header from a free-kick sealed Swansea City’s win at Watford.

Parslow joined the Swans coaching staff in the summer having previously worked at AFC Wimbledon, where he made a noticeable impact on their effectiveness from dead-ball situations in both boxes.

Cabango’s stoppage-time header from Ryan Manning’s centre sealed three points at Vicarage Road, just days after Matty Sorinola had turned in another of the Republic of Ireland international’s pin-point deliveries to open the scoring in the win at West Brom.

The Swans scored two goals from set-pieces last season, but have matched that tally inside the space of the last five days.

And Cabango praised the detailed work Parslow has done with the players.

“It was a crazy end to the game with all the added time, but we stuck together as a team,” said the defender.

“We performed well, which is the main thing. We showed our quality but we also showed our resilience to come back.

“One of the big things this season has been putting the defensive side of our game together and we have also worked so hard on set-pieces.

Andy Parslow

“Those elements of the game help so much, just look at the last two games. We have had two set-piece goals and we have won by one goal in each game.

“It shows the difference it can make, those little details can be so important over a season and they were in this game.

“I hope Andy Parslow will be buzzing because he has been talking to me about the need to score more goals, it has come now and I am happy with that. I hope we can keep it going.”

Head coach Russell Martin hopes his side can continue to prove effective in their set-piece work at both ends of the pitch.

“The lads have really been buying into the detail, Andy does so much work and research into the opposition,” he said.

“He always tries to present to us clear information on their strengths and weaknesses, where we can exploit and the things we need to be aware of.

“He has been great since he came in, he has been a really good addition and I hope it can keep paying off.

“We have two set-piece goals in two games and the lads need to keep being relentless with that, as they are with the rest of their game.”