It wasn't the prettiest of wins, but in the context of his Swansea City reign, this might well have been one of the most important for Luke Williams.

As he made his way over to the away end on Sunday afternoon to toast his side's hard-fought 1-0 success at Bristol City, he was treated to a level of jubilation for the first time in what must have felt like an eternity.

Swansea's start to the year, as has been well publicised, had previously been a rotten one, with just one point coming their way in six games. A chaotic and hugely disappointing transfer window has further soured the mood, but this win will hopefully offer the club a much needed lift.

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Even so, there are still some potentially choppy waters for Williams to navigate over the coming weeks. Sign up to our Swansea City newsletter here.

The loss of Matt Grimes in particular, could remain a looming challenge between now and the end of the season, with Williams admitting afterwards that his exit has left his team "in transition".

Swan fans that followed Rob Page's Wales might well recoil in horror at the mere mention of that word, but it's tough to argue otherwise, such was the midfielder's influence in this side. Indeed, some have previously argued Williams maybe relied on Grimes too much, but that's a separate conversation.

The main focus now is how Swansea find this new identity for themselves. What exactly does it look like?

Well, to put it bluntly, it depends how wedded Williams is to the previous system.

Previously, Grimes would drop back from the base of the midfield into what was effectively a makeshift, high-lined, back three, where he would then look to break the lines with a threaded pass, or alternatively help settle the team into possession by mopping up on the edge of his own box.

Critics argued it blunted the skipper's creativity and slowed Swansea's work on the ball too much. But when it clicked, Grimes would often be the one at the heart of efforts to overload the midfield and unlock defences.

At Ashton Gate, Kyle Naughton appeared to be playing a similar role, albeit from the heart of a more traditional back three. It's no coincidence that the veteran created his side's two best chances in what was a first half that was otherwise devoid of attacking intent.

Moving on from the four-man defence for a back three is something we're likely to see more of in the coming weeks, with Williams likely to lean more heavily on a ball-playing centre-back to help fill the Grimes-shaped hole.

It's perfectly plausible that Harry Darling could well fit the bill once he returns to the side, with Sunday's win the last of his three-match suspension. But, at the age of 36, Naughton has shown it's possible he could have an important role in the post-Grimes age.

However, as Williams himself alluded to in his point about transition, there are likely to be a few teething problems with this tinkered set-up.

There were certainly a few players at Ashton Gate who initially looked a little unsure of themselves at times, particularly in the first half.

But things unquestionably kicked into gear after the break, and when Josh Tymon tucked home, there appeared to be a notable surge in confidence. The performance that would then unfold arguably gave us all a glimpse about what could be to come.

Getting the right blend, particularly in midfield, could well be the main obstacle for success now.

The 3-4-3 with a double pivot of Goncalo Franco and Jay Fulton didn't really work against Coventry City, while there's an argument the system at Ashton Gate perhaps didn't bring out the best in a couple of Swansea's more attacking players.

But on the whole, the win over the Robins might just signal step in the right direction. Some fans, however, might feel Williams should go even further in his remoulding of this team.

Lewis O'Brien's promising debut, which contained some impressive contributions at both ends of the pitch, suggests Swansea have an all-action box-to-box number eight that they've perhaps been lacking in recent years.

“I try to do a bit if everything, that’s your job as a midfielder to help start the attacks and to finish them as well," O'Brien himself said ahead of the trip over the Severn.

“I hope I can come here and make an impact.”

That might well cause some to wonder whether this is perhaps an opportunity for Williams to move towards a different way of playing, and to maybe look at building a midfield round their current number eight accordingly.

That approach, however, arguably comes with two big risks. Firstly, it's a change that may well take time to yield positive results. Secondly, there's no guarantee O'Brien will be here beyond the end of the season, which means Williams could well be back to square one come the summer. Laying down the foundations for a more long-term vision feels a more sustainable approach right now.

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Nevertheless, the importance of finding a solution for the here and now can't be overlooked, and O'Brien is, whatever happens, likely to be central to the blueprint for the rest of the season.

Then again, there's still a chance Williams may also look beyond his current squad for answers, with the free agent market still a possibility.

The Swans boss has confirmed the club have identified players that could be of interest, and it remains to be seen whether there's anyone out there that might potentially appeal to them.

However, it's worth stressing again that free agents seldom tend to be more than a short-term solution.

But if it helps offer the club's hierarchy a positive glimpse into what might be possible with the right backing in the summer, it could still end up being worthwhile exercise for everyone.