Joel Campbell Finally Proves His Worth in Arsenal's Win at Swansea

Joel Campbell has had to wait some time for his chance at Arsenal. After signing for the club in the summer of 2011, it is only now he has been afforded his full Premier League debut. In the midst of an injury crisis, Campbell suddenly found himself in line for a start against Swansea City on Saturday.

With Arsene Wenger telling Sky Sports it was “now or never” for Campbell, the onus was on him to seize the opportunity. He did that in some style, capping a strong overall performance with his first goal for the club.

He’ll desperately hope the performance can give him a foothold at Arsenal. At 23, Campbell is already a journeyman. After starting his career at Deportivo Saprissa in his native Costa Rica, he has had loan spells with Lorient, Real Betis, Olympiakos and Villarreal. However, his ambition must surely remain to establish himself in north London. He’s still a long way from doing that, but his showing against Swansea was certainly a step in the right direction.

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Speaking to the club's official website after the game, Campbell said:

"

I’m very happy. I had to wait for this moment and now we have to keep working to strengthen our team.

I’m very happy but the important thing is the team wins. We had a good game so we have to keep going and prepare for the next game against Bayern Munich.

The fans were incredible. They supported us the whole game and it was very important for us.

"

He’s right to be satisfied by his performance. Selected to start on the right-hand side, he worked tirelessly up and down the flank. He offered protection for Hector Bellerin in his duel with Jefferson Montero but also got forward to support Olivier Giroud in attack.

According to Squawka, he made four tackles, three clearances and two interceptions in his 83-minute appearance. For a player who is ostensibly an attacker, that shows an impressive commitment to defensive duties. 

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He also showed his ability going forward by tucking away Arsenal’s third goal of the day. When Mesut Ozil squared a pass across the penalty area, Campbell showed good composure to bring the ball under control and curl it beyond Lukasz Fabianski.

Campbell’s display is likely to ensure he retains his place in the team until after the forthcoming international break. With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott all sidelined, there is no obvious alternative on the right flank.

What he showed in the 3-0 win at Swansea is he’s perfectly capable of doing a good job in that position. He might not have Walcott’s electric pace or Ramsey’s excellent understanding with Ozil, but he still has attributes that make him a valuable squad member. Most encouragingly, he is clearly a team player—like Alexis Sanchez on the opposite flank, his work rate does not appear to come into question.

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Wenger will surely have reminded Campbell it was this time a year ago that Francis Coquelin came in from the cold to establish himself as a first-team player. Given the list of players ahead of him in the pecking order, it’s unlikely the Costa Rican will be able to replicate that extraordinary rise.

However, more encouraging performances in the matches against Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur could convince the Gunners boss that Campbell has a part to play at Arsenal in the longer term. Arsenal’s most successful squads have always been characterised by reliable fringe players.

Campbell may never quite make the cut as a first-team regular. However, what he did at Swansea showed he can still make a vital contribution this season.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout 2015/16. Follow him on Twitter here.