It wasn't that long ago Russell Martin was seemingly a man under pressure.
An indifferent start to season that, for many, failed to live up the promise of a full pre-season hadn't quite sparked full-scale revolt on SA1, but there was certainly an air of discontent around the club.
The critics said there was too much passing, too many elaborate goal kicks, too many sloppy errors.
In the space of little over a week, and after four wins on the bounce, those same critics are a lot quieter.
READ MORE: Swansea City news as goal ace explains key improvement after Sunderland win
In many ways, Saturday's win over Sunderland was a decent summing up of where Swansea are right now.
It further emphasised their renaissance from set-pieces for one. 'Viva Andy Parslow' was cheekily muttered by one voice near the press box as another free-kick routine proved the inspiration for a deserved second goal.
Parslow's influence has already seen Swansea overtake last season's tally of two goals from set-pieces, and their newfound threat from the dead ball has given them a welcome new dimension in the opposing penalty area.
But despite Swansea's recent improvements, you'd have been forgiven for feeling an equaliser was coming in the seconds after Jack Clarke pulled one back on Saturday. After being outclassed in the first half, Sunderland's intensity soared after the break, and Swansea floundered in their bid to find a suitable answer.
To have blown such a comfortable lead would have been a travesty, but it's a script that's been frustratingly familiar at times.
The Swans threw away a two-goal lead at home Millwall here in August, before letting victory slip through their fingers at Stoke City a couple of weeks later.
Then, there was Sheffield United, where the Swans created more than enough to claim all three points, only to be sucker-punched by a late Rhian Brewster winner.
On this occasion, Swansea held their nerve, in a performance that once again demonstrated the improvements made in the way they approach the latter stages of games.
“I think we’re a young group and I feel like game management is something we’ve definitely improved," said goalscorer Ollie Cooper, who surely has to at least be a part of the Wales conversation soon.
“You can see that in the last couple of games. Not only have we won them, we’ve scored goals late so hopefully, we’ve turned a corner."
Indeed, were it not for their late jitters earlier in the season, we would likely be talking about Swansea as a serious early contender for promotion. The five points dropped would actually leave them two points clear at the top of the table.
It just goes to show the importance of fine margins in the Championship. The small details of what it really takes to excel in this division.
There now appears to be an increasing level of appreciation for the footballing small print from this young group, who haven't just held out recently, but have actually won games late on themselves.
The victories at Watford and West Bromwich Albion were both built on late goals, and if they can continue to reverse those previous trends so successfully, it will surely worry the rest of the Championship.
"Last season it was the opposite," Martin said when quizzed after Saturday's game. "We had a problem at the start of games when teams had real energy and intensity. I think this season we've scored the most goals in the opening 15 minutes of games in the league.
"So that's brilliant. They learned a lot from that.
"We spoke about this again and the late goals because even in the position we're in now, we're still frustrated we've not got more points. I feel like we should have with the late goals we've conceded.
"The players have used that frustration to drive them on. They're definitely learning. They're learning all the time and sometimes it takes mistakes. You have to experience certain things on the pitch to learn.
"That's the harsh reality of football, and life. Sometimes you have to experience a bit of pain to understand what it takes and to learn.
"Hopefully we continue with that."
There's a long way to go, of course, and it would be wrong to get too carried away as things can so often change in the Championship.
But after a tricky start, many in SA1 are quietly hopeful that things are finally starting to click.
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