Joel Campbell’s day of liberation

Swansea City 0 Arsenal 3<br>Joel Campbell was on the verge of leaving Arsenal in the summer after four, frustrating years at the Emirates. A switch to Besiktas had been planned and the 23-year-old Costa Rican international was poised to re-launch his career in Turkey.

When the move fell through, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger put his arm around Campbell in a bid to keep alive his hopes of becoming a Premier League hit.

They were tough times for the young Central American who joined Arsenal in August 2011, from Deportivo Saprissa.

The Gunners had fought off competition from Sevilla and Fiorentina to land one of world football’s most gifted teenagers. Unfortunately, problems over a work permit meant Wenger had little choice but to pack his new addition off to mainland Europe, on loan.

Campbell spent the best part of a season in France, with Lorient and a similar spell with Real Betis in Spain. Eventually, in the summer of 2013, a work permit was granted. But with the potential pathway in to Arsenal’s first team having been temporarily closed, the two years since have been equally as frustrating.

A loan move to Olympiakos improved his stock before Wenger chose to use the young Costa Rican as a makeweight in the deal to bring Gabriel Paulista to north London. Campbell headed to Villareal on loan amidst rumours that he would seek to leave, on a permanent basis, at the end of the season.

Then, on Tuesday night, the youngster’s hopes were raised. Injuries to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott, added to the fact that Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere were already sidelined, meant Campbell was in line for his first Premier League start, at Swansea. After four long years, his time had come.

The rest, as they say, is history. After going close, twice, before the interval, Campbell saw team-mates Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny put Arsenal two goals to the good. Then, the unthinkable. Mesut Ozil’s whipped in a cross to the far post where Campbell had time to not only reflect on four years of frustration, but to compose himself and duly find the back of Lukasz Fabianski’s net.

“I’m very happy for him. He has waited a long time,” said Wenger. “He wanted to leave because he wasn’t playing. You can understand that.

“But I didn’t let him go because I felt he was a guy who has quality. He is still young and is a team-player.

“People always want you to buy more and more players, but then you end up with a few who don’t play. I always say, that when you get the chance, you’ve got to take it. That’s what he’s done.

“To leave Costa Rica, come to Europe and go out to different leagues and survive, shows his character. He worked very hard, defended very well and created chances. Then, in the second half he got his goal. I’m so pleased he scored.”

Campbell’s resilience is a common theme throughout the Arsenal side at present. Admittedly, they survived one or two early scares when Bafetimbi Gomis should have broken the deadlock and Per Mertesacker was fortunate not to concede a penalty when clearly handling a free kick from Gylfi Sigurdsson. However, thereafter, they were good value for their fifth successive Premier League victory.

Giroud lost Ashley Williams in the 48th minute, to convert Ozil’s corner with his head and though Swansea manager Garry Monk felt Fabianski had been impeded by Giroud, 20 minutes later, referee Kevin Friend waved play on and Koscielny had a tap in from half a dozen yards.

“Overall it looks like the team has stabilised and is growing as a unit. So let’s grow even more,” said Wenger. “I think we are becoming more resilient. We are certainly more stable defensively. But this has been going on since January 1st, not just the start of this season. If you look at the points we have taken from January 1, you can see we have taken more points than anyone else. It is true, this could have gone the other way but let’s take advantage when things could go against you but don’t.”

Arsenal have the small matter of a Champions League game against Bayern Munich on Wednesday, while for Swansea, Saturday’s trip to Norwich is all but a must win game. Monk is certainly not under the kind of pressure that will lead to his dismissal.

However, having finished last season with a bang, they have shown serious inconsistency this season.

Still, Monk was in no mood to chastise his players. “We just need to take our chances and stop making one or two mistakes.”

SWANSEA CITY (4-2-3-1): Fabianski (5), Naughton (5), Fernandez (6), Williams (5), Taylor (6); Ki Sung-Yueng (6) (Britton 85, 5) Shelvey (7); Ayew (6), Sigurdsson (6), Montero (6) (Barrow 78, 5); Gomis (6) (Eder 85,5)

Subs Not Used: Norfeldt, Rangel, Bartley, Cork.

ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Cech (7); Bellerin (6), Mertesacker (7), Koscielny (8), Monreal (6); Coquelin (7), Cazorla (7); Campbell (7) (Gibbs 84,5), Ozil (7) (Iwobi 90,5), Sanchez (6); Giroud (7) (Chambers 84,5).

Subs not used: Macey, Gabriel, Flamini, Debuchy.

Referee: K Friend.