Jay Fulton has declared this Swansea City squad the deepest the club has had since their Premier League relegation in 2018. The midfielder's assessment comes with the Swans sitting top of the Championship after their best start to a season in eight years.
Fulton, now in his ninth consecutive campaign with the club, pointed to fierce competition across the pitch. "I think so. If you look at it on paper, there's almost two players in every position," he said. That strength in depth is a key factor behind the team's early surge, which has seen them take 23 points from the first 10 games.
Fulton credits Matos for fresh approach
The 32-year-old was quick to credit manager Vitor Matos, who arrived last November, for cultivating this environment. Fulton highlighted the Portuguese coach's commitment to using his entire squad, noting Matos is one of only two Championship bosses to have used all 50 available substitution slots this term. The message from the manager, Fulton explained, is that "every game counts, every minute counts, every action counts." This philosophy has translated into tangible success, with Swansea's substitutes contributing four goals already, the joint-second highest total in the league.
Personal resurgence for experienced midfielder
Fulton's own journey mirrors the team's upward trajectory. After featuring in just six of the opening 15 league games last season, he has been a near-ever present this term, missing only one of the ten matches. He started the recent 1-0 win at Millwall, a result that extended their winning run to four games. "It's been really enjoyable, I think you can see it from the games we've played and how together the team looks," Fulton added.
The statistics show the team's collective strength. They have the best away record in the division, averaging 2.4 points per game on the road, and are unbeaten in five home matches.
Attention now turns to a significant test this Saturday when third-placed West Ham visit south Wales. The Hammers arrive just four points behind after a midweek victory, setting up a key early-season clash at the top. For Fulton and his teammates, it is another opportunity to prove the depth and quality he has identified. The full squad list shows the options available to Matos for this key fixture, which kicks off at 3pm.
More detail at bbc.co.uk
