Arsenal welcome Swansea to the Emirates on Monday night knowing that a win will move them ever closer to their highest league finish in a decade.
Here’s everything you need to know about Swansea.
Swansea City | |
Manager | Garry Monk |
Home Ground | The Liberty Stadium (20,532) |
League Position | 8th |
Record Signing | Wilfried Bony (£12m in 2013) |
Ex Gunners | Lukasz Fabianski, Kyle Bartley |
Top Scorer | Wilfried Bony (9) |
Top Assister | Gylfi Sigurdsson (10) |
Most Yellow Cards | Neil Taylor (10) |
Star Player | Jonjo Shelvey |
Biggest Liability | Kyle Naughton |
Style of play
Since their ascent to the Premier League in 2011, Swansea have had something of a reputation for possession football, albeit without the calibre of players of the likes of Arsenal to maintain that possession in the attacking half of the pitch. That has seen them get into some sticky situations trying to play everything out from the back, and has occasionally been their undoing. In every season since their promotion, they have conceded more than 50 goals, with last season actually being their worst.
Since Garry Monk took over at the Liberty, he has added a little more defensive steel which sees them on course for conceding fewer than 50 goals for the first time. This has meant they have sacrificed a little attacking thrust, with the departures of players like Michu and Bony, relying instead on a more rounded game.
Sigurdsson has been an astute signing for the Swans. A player who first impressed the fans on loan in 2012 before being snapped up by Spurs, he has finally returned to some semblance of form since signing permanently last summer. With eight goals and ten assists, his contribution has been important in the new, tighter line-up, and Arsenal must keep him quiet on Monday night.
A number of other Spurs rejects have ended up at the Liberty, including the frankly useless Kyle Naughton, but the other player who has stood out this season is Jonjo Shelvey. The former Liverpool man has something of the ‘Gerrard factor’ about him in the way he can haul his team back into games with moments of brilliance. In particular, our defence must make every effort to block any shots from distance as his ability to hit a ball cleanly is almost unparalleled.
Nearly all Swansea’s attacking goes down the wings, and Calum Chambers will not remember his tangling with Jefferson Montero at the Emirates back in November with any fondness. It will be up to Hector Bellerin to put in a better showing against the tricky player. That said, if Gomis does not start then it may be relatively easy to nullify the inexperienced Emnes in his attempts to convert.
Former Gunner Fabianski will surely be up for this game, and Arsenal fans will be well aware of his shot-stopping ability. However, clinical finishing will be the order of the day, as Swansea have only scored more than two goals this season on two occasions – against Hull and Newcastle. With the right mindset on Monday evening, Arsenal should have the firepower to blow them out of the water.
Anticipated lineup
Gomis |
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Sigurdsson |
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Montero |
Shelvey |
Cork |
Dyer |
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Taylor |
Williams |
Fernandez |
Rangel |
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Fabianski |
Season so far
Swansea’s season started with a bang, winning their first three games including the scalp of Man United on the opening day. Defeats to Chelsea and Southampton, coupled with draws with both sides from Teeside soon brought them back to earth. They have only won back-to-back games four times (twice against Hull and Villa) and they come into the game at the Emirates hoping to win a third game in a row for the first time since August.
In the first part of the season, Swansea were averaging 1.43 points per game, despite the strong start. However, since selling top scorer, Wilfried Bony, to Manchester City in January, they have won seven and drawn two of their 14 league games, at a significantly higher 1.64 points per game. This is including the patchy availability of their only striker of any note – Gomis – and with Sigurdsson’s form having dried up somewhat.
Outside of the league, Swansea’s League Cup campaign was curtailed by Liverpool in the fourth round, while their FA Cup pretensions were also ended early by Blackburn Rovers at the same stage.
Without the autumn drop off in results, Swansea could have been a shoe-in for European football judging by the recent travails of Spurs and Southampton in particular. As it is, although they are guaranteed to set a new record points total in the Premier League, the lack of progress in the cups will make this a season that doesn’t live too long in the memory, other than a double scalp over Manchester United. Arsenal must ensure that they do not become a second member of that rather unattractive club.
Versus
Arsenal’s last 5 results against Swansea: WWWDL
Competition | Date | Venue | Result | Scorers |
League | 09/11/2014 | (A) | L 1-2 | Arsenal: Sanchez (63)
Swansea: Sigurdsson (75) Gomis (78) |
League | 25/03/2014 | (H) | D 2-2 | Arsenal: Podolski (73) Giroud (74)
Swansea: Bony (11) Flamini OG (90) |
League | 28/09/2013 | (A) | W 2-1 | Arsenal: Gnabry (58) Ramsey (62)
Swansea: Davies (82) |
League | 16/03/2013 | (A) | W 2-0 | Arsenal: Monreal (74) Gervinho (90)
Swansea: – |
FA Cup | 16/01/2013 | (H) | W 1-0 | Arsenal: Wilshere (86)
Swansea: – |
Record for Arsenal v Swansea:
Overall record between the two clubs:
Form
Swansea’s last 5 results: WDLWW
Competition | Opposition | Venue | Result | Scorers |
League | Stoke | (H) | W 2-0 | Montero, Ki |
League | Newcastle | (A) | W 3-2 | Oliveira, Sigurdsson, Cork |
League | Leicester | (A) | L 0-2 | – |
League | Everton | (H) | D 1-1 | Shelvey |
League | Hull | (H) | W 3-1 | Ki, Gomis (2) |