West Brom clash highlights long-term Swansea City problem: View | OneFootball

Swansea's trip to West Brom highlighted their striker problems which have plagued them since Luke Williams' arrival

After a decent enough start to the season, Swansea City endured a tough week with two 1-0 losses against Wycombe Wanderers and West Brom respectively.

Swansea have looked solid at the back so far this season, and haven't conceded more than one goal in a game, but it's their lack of goalscoring threat which is a cause for concern for the Jack Army.

Ever since Joel Piroe departed for Leeds United last summer, Swansea haven't had a striker who's been able to step up and replace him, and Saturday's trip to The Hawthorns highlighted the club's problems up front.

After loaning youngster Josh Thomas to League Two side Bromley on deadline day, Luke Williams has just two strikers to choose from in the form of Zan Vipotnik and Liam Cullen, and with Cullen injured on Saturday, Swansea had just one striker at their disposal for their trip to the Baggies.

It was Vipotnik's first league start, and while too much can't be expected from him at this stage, he struggled to get involved and was subsequently replaced, despite the fact he was Swansea's only striker, and they were chasing the game.

Swansea City have long-term problems at striker

Piroe scored 24 goals and 20 goals respectively during his two seasons at the club, and while it was always going to be tough to replace him, Swansea would have hoped for better from the strikers they've had on their books since his departure.

Jerry Yates and Jamal Lowe were the club's top scorers with just nine goals each last season, but both have departed, with Lowe joining Sheffield Wednesday after his loan spell came to an end, while Swansea chose to loan Yates to Derby County.

Yates came with high hopes after impressing at Blackpool, but struggled to impress the Jack Army despite a decent start, but he has already impressed the Derby faithful, which suggests Swansea could be a difficult club for strikers to perform well at.

Swansea's strikers really struggle to get involved in games, and Vipotnik has struggled to make an impact in his early showing, just like Yates did, and you wonder whether it could be the club's tactics that mean they struggle, not necessarily because of the players' abilities.

Cullen, who missed Saturday's fixtures, is a decent Championship striker and has scored twice already this season, but again, while he has a knack for scoring goals, he's not someone who is too involved in games.

Williams needs to find a way to get his strikers more involved, and perhaps it's unfair to judge the likes of Yates and Vipotnik if they're not getting any service.

The Swansea boss certainly knows how to get the best out of a striker, as he managed Macaulay Langstaff at Notts County when he scored a whopping 41 goals during the 2022/23 season, and if he can get Swansea's strikers scoring, there's no reason why they can't have a decent season as their defence is certainly solid.

Having just two strikers on the books could also be problematic for Swansea, and as Saturday showed, if one is unavailable it leaves them short, with Ollie Cooper playing out of position up front in the second half at The Hawthorns.

Striker was a problem position for Swansea last season, and it feels that nothing has changed this time around. Having lost their three top scorers from last season, they could well struggle for goals, and without scoring goals, you don't win games.

Swansea City really need Zan Vipotnik to find form

It's been a difficult summer for Vipotnik with his Bordeaux side relinquishing their professional status, meaning he became a free agent, and it's clear that he's not quite up to speed.

Being at the Euros with Slovenia probably hasn't helped either, but Swansea really need to see more from the 22-year-old after the international break.

In fairness to Vipotnik, he has opened his account for Swansea, scoring in their 3-0 win over Preston, but Williams has made it clear he expects more from the striker.

Speaking to BBC Sport after their defeat at The Hawthorns, the Swansea boss said: "Vipi, he showed some glimpses of what we expect from him. I would like to think, in a few weeks down the line, he does better with the chance. He hesitated a bit. Overall, he's okay, but he has a way to go."

His biggest problem has been getting involved in games, and he averages just 5.5 touches per game, as per Sofascore.

You can't expect any player to perform well if he doesn't get the ball, and there's no doubt that Vipotnik can score goals, as shown by his time with Maribor and Bordeaux. Swansea just have to do all they can to get him more involved.