Arsenal’s ten-match unbeaten run comes to an end as they waste chance after chance against Swansea at the Emirates. Fit-again Bafetimbi Gomis emerges from the bench to help sneak an unlikely win for the Welsh side.
Gunners silenced by resilient Swans
Arsenal failed to translate their dominance into tangible returns as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Swansea City on Monday night. The Gunners spurned a plethora of opportunities to take the lead, ending the encounter with 23 shots to the Swans’ eight after testing Lukasz Fabianski on nine occasions.
Bafetimbi Gomis’ late winner consigned the North London club to their first defeat in 11 matches, having emerged victorious in all but one of their fixtures (a 0-0 draw with Chelsea) since a 2-1 away loss to rivals Tottenham Hotspur back in Gameweek 24. Arsenal picked an inopportune moment to fail to score in successive home ties for the first time since April 2011 – just as they gear up for a double Gameweek 37.
Those that drafted in coverage early were punished by the poverty of attacking returns and the absence of a clean sheet. Olivier Giroud drew a blank for the fourth consecutive match and struggled to impart his presence against Garry Monk’s disciplined outfit. The French marksman mustered just one shot on target across his 68-minute spell – which, incidentally, was his first accurate effort in four outings. Given Giroud’s clear lack of form, the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Alexis Sanchez will likely feature higher up in many managers’ plans.
Despite Sanchez’s fruitless evening, the 145,000 managers that recruited the Chilean livewire prior to Gameweek 36 were given plentiful encouraging signs. The ex-Barcelona star fashioned four shots on goals and crafted two chances, whilst Ramsey posted similarly impressive numbers, attempting five shots, and creating three chances.
Perhaps more surprisingly, Santi Cazorla posed the biggest attacking threat among the Gunners’ ranks, engineering two more attempts on goal (seven) than any other midfielder this Gameweek. Allied with his free-kick proficiency, Cazorla’s heavy involvement in the final third could attract a new wave of investors.
Arsenal now travel to Old Trafford to face off against Manchester United in the first of their double fixtures, before hosting Sunderland four days later. Arsene Wenger’s troops have won their last five road matches, so the Red Devils clash promises to be a well-contested affair. A Black Cats side fighting for survival will likely prove stern competition, though depending on results elsewhere this weekend, Dick Advocaat’s side could already be safe by the time they roll up to the Emirates in midweek – a scenario that could prove advantageous to the Gunners’ main men as they attempt to clinch second spot behind Chelsea.
Gomis late show puts Swans on verge of Europa
Swansea are closing in on a Europa League berth after Bafetimbi Gomis’ header in the 86th minute afforded the visitors’ a dramatic victory over Arsenal. The former Lyon frontman was handed 17 minutes at the end of the encounter as he made his first appearance since succumbing to a hamstring injury in Gameweek 32. Now primed to start next week and boasting four goals in as many outings, Gomis (6.5) could be deemed a viable last-gasp differential as Swansea prepare to host Manchester City and visit Crystal Palace in their final two.
Swansea complemented their third win on the trot with back-to-back clean sheets. In light Sergio Aguero’s red-hot form, a shut-out next week against the Sky Blues looks a little far-fetched, yet Crystal Palace’s recent paucity of goals (one in four fixtures) works in the favour of Swansea’s rearguard for that tie.
