Swansea look to restore order after QPR mauling
Eight of the 13 goals Swansea have conceded in the league this season have come in just two games, at Southampton and QPR
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Swansea City's humbling defeat at Queens Park Rangers was the type that leaves you reaching for the history books.
The last time Swansea were beaten by a greater margin in a league game? April 2002, when the Swans – in the first game of Nick Cusack's ill-fated spell in charge – were beaten 7-1 in a fourth-tier fixture at Hartlepool United.
These are much happier times, of course, and one dreadful afternoon at Loftus Road does not mean a crisis for Vitor Matos' class of 2026-27.
But after a home defeat against West Ham United seven days earlier, Swansea are licking wounds at the end of the worst week of a season which has usually featured much brighter days.
Saturday's 5-0 mauling was the heaviest defeat of Matos' 11-month reign, surpassing 3-0 losses against Ipswich Town and Coventry City last season.
The thrashing was the result of a performance which was out of sync with almost everything else Matos' team have produced so far in this campaign.
Matos rues Swansea's heavy defeat at QPR
Swansea, after all, had conceded only eight goals in 11 league matches before shipping four in the first 45 minutes at QPR.
"You play the leaders [going into the weekend], you win 5-0 and you deliver this performance," suggested Rangers boss Julien Stephan.
"It's a very rare moment, not only the season but in a career."
Stephan reckoned his team's performance had been "close to perfection".
For Swansea, it was something nearer to the other end of the scale.
Yes they were missing players, with news of Moussa Yeo's injury a blow given his influence in recent weeks, but that can be no excuse.
The depth of Swansea's squad has been central to their successes in the first quarter of this season, and there was plenty of know-how and quality in the team Matos sent out this weekend.
Yet QPR were allowed to stroll into spaces as they opened the scoring inside two minutes and, while Swansea carved opportunities to get themselves back into the game, their uncharacteristic defensive frailties paved the way for Rangers to romp home.
Swansea lost only once in their first 10 league games this season, but have since been beaten twice in succession
The sight of Matos jumping for joy has become a familiar sight for Swansea fans in recent times.
On this occasion, by contrast, Matos and his players were apologetic as they faced their supporters at full-time.
"We all feel the responsibility. We all feel we were not at our standards and that we need to do much more," Matos said.
"It starts with me. That [apology] is what we wanted straight away to give to our fans. Their support was massive, even at the end."
The best news of Swansea's day came from the other side of London, where West Ham were beaten at home by Southampton.
As a result, Matos' side remain in the automatic promotion places as focus turns towards a home fixture against Blackburn Rovers.
Even if Swansea were to lose once more against Rovers, their start to the season would be regarded as positive.
But after a chaotic day at QPR, Matos will be desperate to restore some order by delivering next weekend.
