Leroy Fer: Swansea City must play their way out of trouble

Leroy Fer reckons Swansea City must look to play their way out of trouble in their crunch Christmas home clashes with West Ham and Bournemouth.

The Swans have been left licking their wounds after a 3-0 reverse at Middlesbrough followed their midweek defeat at West Brom.

They return to action at the Liberty when the Hammers visit on Boxing Day, then welcome Eddie Howe' Cherries on New Year's Eve.

They are two huge games for a side who are 19th in the Premier League table, and only above Hull City on goal difference.

But though the pressure will be on, Fer reckons the only way for Bob Bradley's team to thrive is if they play the possession game which has for a long time been the Swans' trademark.

"We have done well at home recently, winning against Crystal Palace and then Sunderland," he said.

"The two games we have next are going to be vital, and now we have to try to win those.

"If we are going to do it, we have to play our football. That's what we are good at - playing good football with lots of possession. That's what we have to try to do again now."

Fer came on as a second-half substitute as the Swans finished up well beaten at the Riverside.

Bradley's men began brightly enough against Aitor Karanka's team, but fell behind when Alvaro Negredo steered a shot beyond Lukasz Fabianski.

Negredo made it 2-0 from the spot after Jordi Amat tripped Adam Forshaw, and Boro wrapped up the victory just before the hour when Marten de Roon volleyed home.

It was another painful away day for the Swans, whose defensive record must improve if they are to turn this season around.

"We have to do better defensively," Fer added. "We know it has to be better so we have to work on it and try to improve it.

"Middlesbrough was the second game in a row where we have started well, but we need to score a goal to give ourselves more confidence when that happens.

"When they scored, we didn't play our football anymore. We have to work on that because this is not the first time it has happened.

"In the position we are in now, we need to stick together and work on responding when we go a goal behind.

"We played good football in the first 15 minutes or so, but when we concede it seems everything against us. We have to try to play our game in that situation."