Frustration the word to describe this result as Garry Monk’s side ground out a real smash and grab, with compliments to former Gunner Lukasz Fabianski. who put in a man of the match performance. #
So after Swansea grabbed an unexpected result at Emirates to complete a league double over Arsenal, let’s rate the home side’s individual efforts.
David Ospina – 7
The Columbian didn’t have an awful lot to do but when he was called into action, he was decisive.
His headed clearance to prevent Nathan Dyer reaching a lofted ball in the first half – the highlight. However, he couldn’t do quite enough to keep out Bafetimbi Gomis’ headed goal, which had just about crossed the line late on.
Hector Bellerin – 6.5
The Spaniard dealt with the threat of Jefferson Montero better than Calum Chambers had in the reverse fixture. He was combative defensively but wasn’t as effective in the final third as he’s been in previous matches.
Per Mertesacker – 6.5
The big German was relatively untroubled at the back and was efficient as always.
Laurent Koscielny – 6.5
Was his usual self at the back and dealt with Gomis’ well in the second half in every aerial duel, but couldn’t prevent him scoring the winner.
Nacho Monreal – 7.5
Monreal was one of Arsenal’s better performers on the night. He wasn’t offensively confident in the first half but shone in the second in that department. He was great with defensive covering as well but failed to challenge Gomis’, who out-jumped the Spaniard to score the goal.
Francis Coquelin – 6.5
Didn’t have a bad game – something which is rare with the Frenchman – but in a game where Swansea set-up to frustrate the home side, he didn’t have an awful lot of defensive work to do. Was rightly substituted in the 2nd period.
Santi Cazorla – 6.5
It wasn’t Santi’s best game as he wasn’t allowed to be as magical as we know the Spaniard can be.
Mesut Ozil – 7Â
Good performance from the German. Played some lovely passes to his teammates and showed great intelligence in and around the Swansea box.
Aaron Ramsey – 6.5
The Welshman was enthusiastic going forward but maybe made some bad decisions in the final third.
Alexis Sanchez – 6.5
The Chilean wasn’t at his best tonight. He was guilty of failing to convert Arsenal’s best chance of the game to open the scoring, hitting his shot straight at Fabianski when he finally found himself in behind the defence.
Olivier Giroud – 6
The Frenchman was ineffective up front although he was unlucky to be substituted in the second half. The team visibly missed his height when balls were frequently flying into the box in his absence.
Subs
Jack Wilshere – 6.5
Maybe this was a game the Englishman would’ve benefited from starting, but he made the same old frustrating decisions in the attack – opting to pass rather than shoot when the opportunity arose.
Theo Walcott – 6
Walcott came on for Giroud to provide a different kind of challenge for the opposition defenders, but was also ineffective. He wasn’t the man to have up front when crossing balls into the box and he should’ve scored the rebound, off of Fabianski seconds after Sanchez had missed.