Arsenal hit by Swansea sucker-punch

Arsenal 0 Swansea 1: Arsenal’s bid to secure a top three finish and avoid the Champions League qualifying round suffered a setback when Bafetimbi Gomis ensured Swansea City completed a double over Arsene Wenger’s side and strengthened their own efforts to qualify for Europe.

Gomis headed the decisive goal five minutes from time to end Arsenal’s 10-game unbeaten league run. Defeat means Wenger’s side lie three points behind second placed Manchester City and two points ahead of Manchester United in fourth.

The Gunners have game in hand on both Manchester clubs but travel to face United at Old Trafford on Sunday. Having started the game eyeing a a top two finish for the first time in 10 years, Wenger’s side are now also looking over their shoulder.

Victory may have come against the run of play, and courtesy of a goal that was only confirmed by the use of goal-line technology, but none of that mattered to Garry Monk’s side. Their season continues to go from strength to strength and they are positioned in eighth, just two points behind Tottenham who occupy sixth place which guarantees a place in the Europa League. “I knew if we got a chance or two at the end we’d take one, and thankfully we did,” Monk said.

Arsenal faced Swansea having won nine of their previous 10 league games strengthening the manager’s view that his side could have mounted a sustained title challenge had the first half of the season not been marked by serious injuries to key players.

By his own admission though, Wenger acknowledges his side must add steel to their undoubted flair if they are to top the table in 12 months time and win the championship for the first time since 2004.

For a manager who has so often appeared reluctant to acknowledge the need to strengthen, that is a significant, if belated admission. If the Frenchman’s words are matched by his actions during the summer transfer, Arsenal could be Chelsea’s strongest challengers next season.

Before then, Wenger is anxious to maintain momentum in the run up to the meeting with Aston Villa in the FA Cup final at Wembley although there was little evidence of their recent fluency in an uninspiring first half against a well-organised Swansea.

Monk’s success in keeping the Welsh club in contention for a place in the Europa League in his first full season in charge has brought him deserved recognition with Wenger suggesting before this game Monk’s achievement should be rewarded with the manager of the year award.

You can imagine how that would go down with Jose Mourinho, but the Chelsea manager would certainly have found plenty to admire about the way Swansea set themselves up to nullify Arsenal’s threat in the first half.

Olivier Giroud headed onto the roof of the net in the fourth minute but from that point on, Swansea keeper Lukasz Fabianski was rarely troubled before the break. The visitors had a brief scare midway through the half when Alexis Sanchez went crashing to the floor when attempting to reach Santi Cazorla’s free-kick but referee Kevin Friend adjudged the forward had not been fouled by Neil Taylor.

Mainly though, Arsenal appeared to be in danger of their old bad habit of dominating possession almost for the sake of it and rarely threatened to unpick Swansea defence. For their part, the visitors were similarly unadventurous, with most of their attacking moved focused on releasing Nathan Dyer down the right hand flank.

The game was in danger of turning into a meaningless end of season clash but was lifted by Arsenal’s more vigorous approach after the break.

The intent returned to Wenger’s side who pinned Swansea back for virtually the whole half. Sanchez should have done better than shoot into the side netting after being set free by Giroud’s excellent flick. Then moments later, Giroud directed a first time shot straight at Fabianski.

Wenger introduced Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott and both substitutes made an impact. Walcott was unable to get a full enough contact on a Hector Bellerin cross but should have done much better when he followed up after Fabianski had parried Sanchez’s shot, only to send his own effort too close to the keeper.

Arsenal’s dominance was total and as the effects of a sustained rearguard action began to take its toll on the visitors, a goal appeared inevitable.

The shock, however, was that it came at the other end. For once, Swansea got forward with Jefferson Montero finding space to deliver a cross from the left wing. Gomis rose at the far post and by the time David Ospina got his hands to the ball, it had crossed the line.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1):

Ospina 6; Bellerin 6, Mertesacker 6, Koscielny 6, Monreal 7; Coquelin 7 (Wilshere 67, 6), Cazorla 7; Ramsey 7, Ozil 6, Alexis 7; Giroud 6 (Walcott 69,6).

Swansea City (4-1-4-1):

Fabianski 9; Rangel 7 (Richards 60, 6), Fernandez 7, Williams 8, Taylor 5; Cork 7; Dyer 7 (Barrow 79, 6), Ki 6 (Gomis 74, 6), Shelvey 6, Montero 6; Sigurdsson 6.

Referee:

Kevin Friend 6