Swans succumb to Gunners defeat

Saturday 16th March 2013, Arsenal face Swansea at the liberty stadium in Wales. Last week most Arsenal fans would have been preparing for the worst in this game. Swansea away is never an easy game for anyone. However Arsenals mid-week ventures saw them in Germany taking on Bayern Munich, and winning 2-0 so most gooners would think little of this Swansea game.

 

This being Arsenals game in hand over bitter rivals Tottenham meant they would need to capitalise on the spurs loss last week and draw the gap down to 4 points. So before the offing a lot was riding on this from Arsenals behalf. Swansea however didn’t need the win as much. Not at risk of relegation, but also out of the battle for the top 4 this left not as desperate as Arsenal were.

Arsene Wenger showed he basis his teams on performance by starting a number of the young players from the Bayern match including Fabianski, Oxlade-Chamberlain and new signing Nacho Monreal. Swansea’s Michael Laudrup however going with his strongest team possible including, without a doubt the signing of the season Michu.

The game was full on from the start, in only the fourth minute Alex
Oxlade-Chaberlain twisting and turning past defenders into the box only to hit the bar with his powerful shot.

Swansea replied immediately with a number of great chances including a turning shot from Michu which (despite his form this season) narrowly missed the goal.

The swans effectively dictated play for the rest of the Half with a wide corner being headed inches over the bar, there was however the odd attack from the gunners one of which saw a blistering shot from 30 yards out by Oxlade-Chamberlain again striking the same spot on the bar.

The second half however showed how effective Mr. Wenger is. I don’t know what he said in the changing room, but it had made a difference. Arsenal looked much better this half and to their delight Swansea looked significantly worse. The power had shifted and now Arsenal controlled the ball.

The 74th minute saw a brilliant attack from Arsenals Spanish midfielder Santi Carzorla running the ball wide to play into the middle, just as it was going to reach Ramsey to drill into the goal before the long French leg of Giroud took the ball from his feet and the attack looked over. Well until the ball got to the left back Nacho Monreal to strike into the bottom corner of Swansea’s goal, giving him his first Arsenal goal. This could have come at a better time from Arsenals perspective.

Swansea weren’t going down without a fight though; they battled on and created more and more chances only to be squandered by the brilliant Lucasz Fabianski.We reached the 90 minute mark and saw an extra three minutes to be added on.

But any fear of losing the lead late was quickly put to bed by substitute Gervinho getting a goal from a deadly counter attack to put the score 2-0 to Arsenal.

As a gunner I couldn’t have been happier. Only four points behind spurs with a game in hand after their loss to Fulham at home on Sunday. This rekindled my hopes of a Champions league spot after all.

Giles Robinson (@giles_robinson)