Arsenal came out 3-2 winners in the game against Swansea City at the weekend.
Swansea City’s Gylfi Sigurdsson in action with Arsenal’s Nacho Monreal
Arsenal beat Swansea City 3-2 on Saturday in what was an enthralling match for a number of reasons – here’s five things we learned from the game at the Emirates.
Bob Bradley will improve Swansea
The way Swansea battled when they went two goals behind was mightily impressive and had the likes of Leroy Fer and Gylfi Sigurdsson not been so profligate in front of goal then the Swans may have stolen a point. If this is a sign of things to come from Bradley, the fans can rest assured that their club has made the right call.
Swansea City manager Bob Bradley
Cynicism paying off for Arsenal
The sending off of Granit Xhaka was rather absurd, given the fact that you see a few of those sorts of fouls in every game. But the cynical edge which the Swiss midfielder appears to have given the Gunners may have saved the game in the end. Modou Barrow was on the verge of starting a four-on-two break had Xhaka not brought him down. Snide? Maybe. Smart? Most definitely.
Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka is sent off by referee Jonathan Moss
Monreal needs a rest
Nacho Monreal, having played for Spain as well as Arsenal this season, looked wearied against the tireless running of Barrow on the Swansea right. The very winnable game against Ludogorets on Tuesday appears to be the perfect time to give the 30-year-old a deserved rest – if he does not get one soon, better wingers than Barrow could take full advantage.
Cork out, Ki in
Jack Cork had a pretty horrid time on Saturday. Arsenal’s creative players ran rings around him in the middle of the park, and he must have been a relieved man when he was replaced by Ki Sung-yeung in the second half.
And Ki made a real difference – he’s a better ball-player than Cork yet retains the same physicality and strength. Swansea moved the ball much better with the Korean in the middle, and this trend should continue with him in the side in the weeks to come.
Iwobi is the real deal
We knew Alex Iwobi was good going into this game, but his calmness and conviction matched with the flair which makes a good player a great player was evident whenever he touched the ball on Saturday. His mazy run and cross into the Swansea box in the second half would have been fawned over had Lionel Messi or Neymar done it, so it’s about time we start taking Iwobi seriously as a player.
Swansea City’s Wayne Routledge in action with Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi
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