Arsenal made a sloppy start to the second half with several over-hit passes. Xhaka, especially, was having difficulty finding an unmarked team-mate from five yards away. With the crowd growing more frustrated, the team forced the issue a bit. Lacazette managed to squirm his way behind the Swansea and get the ball back to Ozil, who sliced it across goal. It deflected into the path of Kolasinac, who hammered it into the far corner to get Arsenal level.

Then, in true Arsenal style, they almost went straight behind as Swansea attacked and found space in their box. Abraham turned the ball in, but was caught offside. Evidence, if you ever needed it, that concentration has never been this side’s strong suit.

The momentum, though, was with Arsenal. Some sharp combination play between Lacazette and Ramsey earned us a free-kick. Alexis whipped in a devilish cross that found a free Koscielny. He couldn’t make full contact, and the ball bounced wide. That should have been 2-1 right there.

Thankfully, they didn’t rue that missed chance. 57 minutes gone, a wonderful switch of play from Xhaka found Kolasinac free on the left. He had time to take it down and find Ramsey in the box. His deft finish squeezed in at the near post to give Arsenal the lead and brighten the mood of the home support.

With over an hour gone, confidence seemed to be flowing through the Arsenal team. The passing was snappier, and the delivery into the box was much improved. Bellerin was played in down the right hand side, and his driven cross just missed the head of Lacazette. The French striker then hit the target a minute later, turning in the box and striking a left-footed effort straight at Fabianski.

Arsenal continued to push for that third goal. A Swansea corner was just about cleared and set Bellerin away on the counter. He found Ozil, who switched the play to Ramsey. The Welshman clipped the ball towards the back post to a stretching Bellerin, who managed to steer the ball onto the crossbar.

With fifteen minutes to go, the game slowed to walking pace. Arsenal were comfortable in possession and keeping Swansea’s minimal attacking threat under control. Kolasinac, who had changed the second half, limped off for Rob Holding. His first involvement was to play an under-hit forward pass and force Xhaka to slide in and concede a free-kick.

A little later than usual, but expected nonetheless, Olivier Giroud came on for Alexandre Lacazette with ten minutes to go. Swansea, meanwhile, introduced two pacey wingers in Nathan Dyer and Luciano Narsingh in an effort to liven up their front-line. Seven minutes to go, young striker Oliver McBurnie was thrown on.

Arsenal were still looking comfortable and making openings down the left hand side. Xhaka played Monreal in behind, whose cross found Giroud. His volley went wide. With the 90 minute mark approaching, Giroud had another effort. He worked some space on the edge of the Swansea box and fired a shot just wide.

What started out as a very frustrating afternoon full of growns, sighs and boos ended with a comfortable 2-1 victory for the Gunners.