Kevin Whitcher
So the unbeaten run in the Premier League since the defeat at the Lane on 7th February is over. Although credit is due to the team for the sequence of nine wins and a draw, they would not have expected to lose at home to Swansea.
The result also puts the club at risk of dropping down to fourth place should they lose at Old Trafford on Sunday, although beating Sunderland and West Brom in the two following home fixtures would avoid that. After last night’s largely lackadaisical display though, little can be taken for granted.
Arsenal seemed to have lost their mojo for the first hour of this game. Certainly Swansea’s line-up, with former Spurs midfielder Sigurdsson as their nominal front man, indicated their own approach to the match. It was the park the bus stuff which Arsenal fans will have become accustomed to over the years. Let’s face it, the majority of teams that visit the Grove start matches this way, and the onus is on Arsene Wenger’s team to break them down. The first half highlights were so thin that the kids half-time penalty shoot out finished about four minutes before the players came out for the second half, rather than the customary 30 seconds.
It was a Grade C game, so the majority of the seats were priced around £35, but fans would have been left feeling short changed. The hope was that the first goal would come and a football match might break out. But Arsenal passed the ball around a great deal whilst Swansea stopped them passing it anywhere effective. It wasn’t entertaining, but Gary Monk’s team achieved what they set out to do. Result football at its worst, and from a team for whom the points are relatively meaningless. There was an end of season feeling about this game, although the home side finally seemed to move up a gear after an hour.
More substantial chances followed, although only two I would call gilt edged, both in the same move when Alexis fired at Fabianski, who parried the rebound to Theo Walcott who did the same as the Chilean and shot at the former Arsenal keeper. That was the chance. The Gunners certainly showed a great deal more desire in the final 30 minutes, and created a number of other reasonable chances that either missed the target or were straight at the keeper. But at the death, some pretty rank defensive work from Bellerin, Monreal and Ospina allowed goal-line technology to become one of the few genuine talking points from the game. And there is no argument with the electronics. For once, we were able to view a controversial incident on the giant videoscreens in the stadium, as it was shown that the ball had indeed crossed the line.
Given their approach, the most Swansea deserved from the match was a point, but looking at their position in the table, the club’s resources and Gary Monk’s relative lack of experience as a manager, one has to give them credit for their season. Most, I suspect, would have had them down as likely participants in a relegation battle at the start of the campaign, given their roster and Monk’s lack of time in the job. Could Arsene Wenger have achieved as much on the resources that Swansea have had to work with? I think it fair to say the club have overachieved this season.
As for Arsenal, one thing to come out of last night is that the team cannot win more points than they did last season, and only match it if they win their remaining three fixtures. Whether that represents progress is one for debate, although 79 points would guarantee a minimum third place. Last season, Arsenal drew 7 and lost 7. This time around, the same, although from 35 fixtures so far.
There are going to be games like this. Sh*t happens. When it does, then at least the quality of the defensive work should be enough to ensure a point. Last night, at the key moment, it simply wasn’t. The team have time to get back on track, but we’ll have to see which Arsenal turn up at Old Trafford on Sunday. If you gave me a draw there now I’d bite your hand off, and maybe they should play that game not to lose it as their starting point. It seemed to work for the visitors yesterday…
A final note. My old mate Chris Hudson was unlucky in the cup final ballot. So in the unlikely event that someone has a spare and fancies sitting next to a living legend, just get in touch with me and I will put you onto him. He hasn’t asked me to do this, but the man bleeds Arsenal and cares deeply about the club, so I have.
I am now on Twitter@KevinWhitcher01.
The current issue of The Gooner can also be bought online here. There will be a new issue – a 64 page Cup Final special with a £3 cover price – out for the home match v Sunderland.
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