Vitor Matos | We need to be more aggressive

Head coach Vitor Matos has urged Swansea City to be more aggressive in the final third after watching his side suffer a 2-1 defeat to Derby County.

The Portuguese took charge of the Swans for the first time, having had very limited training time with his players.

There were some encouraging glimpses of what he wants to implement during the opening half, but the Swans trailed at the interval to a close-range header from Joe Ward.

Lars-Jorgen Salvesen doubled Derby’s lead early in the second half and, while Ethan Galbraith pulled a goal back with a fine strike in stoppage time, the visitors were able to see out the final moments to take the three points and condemn Swansea to a fourth defeat in a row.

“It was not the result we wanted,” said Matos.

“I felt we had better moments in the first half, especially before the goal.

“But we know we need to improve. From the ball possession we have in terms of quantity, we need to become much more aggressive and create more chances.

“We need to be much more effective in the last third, and that is the step we need to make.

“Additionally, we need to start being a team that counter-presses and is much more aggressive in these moments because that will allow us to attack again and have the team more balanced.

“At the same time, we will have much more energy, that is what we need, and to do that we need to train and make the right steps in the right moments.

“Now we have had a game, we have a place to start from.”