Arsenal vs. Swansea City: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Arsenal's Premier League title challenge is in serious trouble following Wednesday night's 2-1 defeat at home to Swansea City.
Still reeling from a 3-2 loss at Manchester United last weekend, Arsenal took the lead through Joel Campbell in the 15th minute. But Swansea hit back with a controversial equalizer scored by Wayne Routledge in the 32nd minute and took all three points after Ashley Williams bundled in a Gylfi Sigurdsson free kick 16 minutes from time.
Adding to Arsenal's woes was a late hamstring injury to goalkeeper Petr Cech.
"Petr Cech is injured. I think it will keep him out of the game against Tottenham at the weekend," manager Arsene Wenger told BBC Sport. "But I have full confidence in [backup goalkeeper] David Ospina."
Here, Bleacher Report selects winners and losers from the match.
Loser: Arsene Wenger
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Ever since the Invincibles season of 2003-04, Arsenal have made a sort of cottage industry out of throwing away title challenges. But even by their dubious standards, this defeat might just make the current season one of the most disappointing.
Despite repeatedly failing to take hold of the title race, Arsenal and Arsene Wenger had a huge opportunity on Wednesday night. Leaders Leicester City had dropped points the night before, and second-placed Tottenham Hotspur were losing at West Ham United in a game going on simultaneously.
The door was open, and things seemed to be going the Gunners' way when Joel Campbell fired the home side into an early lead. But Swansea slowly and surely came into the game, visibly growing in confidence as they steadily realized not only a draw but also a victory was more than possible. When Ashley Williams bundled in the winner, the reaction at the Emirates was equal parts rage and resignation.
They've seen this all before, and so have the rest of us. Arsenal are blowing it yet again.
It's shameful, really. This was a makeshift Swansea side that featured six changes from the defeat to Tottenham over the weekend. The visitors from South Wales seemed to be looking forward to Saturday's home date against Norwich City, a match that could be pivotal in the relegation battle.
It was almost as if—at kickoff at least—Swansea were conceding this game to Arsenal. But somehow, some way, the Gunners managed to throw it away.
Again.
"This game sums up Arsenal's league season so far. Should be winning it, but keep finding ways to give it away," tweeted ESPN FC's Mattias Karen.
"It's almost as if Premier League clubs got together and decided to give Wenger one last title...he just doesn't know how to take it," added Kevin Palmer of the Sunday World.
It's not over. Not yet. Even after winning just two of their last eight Premier League games, Arsenal remain just six points off the top of the table.
That's hardly an insurmountable deficit. But based on the evidence, can you see the Gunners turning this around?
Winner: Gylfi Sigurdsson
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Gylfi Sigurdsson came off the bench and made a decisive impact for Swansea City. His 74th-minute free kick led to the winning goal, which Ashley Williams bundled in.
Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech will be disappointed with himself, and rightly so. He should have done better with the cross, but Sigurdsson's delivery was outstanding—it featured pace, precision and bite, forcing Cech into a miscue.
Loser: Robert Madley
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Referee Robert Madley drew Arsenal's ire in the 32nd minute after failing to spot a clear foul. No big deal, right? Well, this blown call led directly to a goal for Swansea.
The incident in question involved Jordi Amat and Mesut Ozil. Both players stood near the halfway line as they contested a high clearance coming out of Arsenal's end when, as replays clearly showed, Amat fouled Ozil.
Madley should have blown the whistle, but instead, Swansea countered quickly and grabbed the equalizer through Wayne Routledge.
Make no mistake: Arsenal were guilty of dreadful defending on the play...but it never should have happened.
Winner: Joel Campbell
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Theo who?
Following the defeat at Manchester United over the weekend, Wenger drafted Joel Campbell into the starting XI. Playing a position often filled by Theo Walcott, Campbell played like a man who had a point to prove.
If Wenger was paying attention, it was a point well made.
By the time he had scored the opening goal in the 15th minute, Campbell had already contributed more than Walcott did in an hour of work at Old Trafford. Just seven minutes into the match, the Costa Rican picked out Hector Bellerin with a good pass on the right. Bellerin pulled back for Olivier Giroud, whose shot was blocked.
Campbell was at it again four minutes later, chipping a lovely pass to Ozil. The latter flicked the ball on to Alexis Sanchez, who shot off the base of the far post with his second attempt.
After setting up two good chances, Campbell converted one of his own in the 15th minute. Sanchez clipped a superb ball into the box, where Campbell slid and turned in one smooth motion before shooting past Lukasz Fabianski on the half-volley.
Bizarrely, Wenger hauled off Campbell in the 64th minute, introducing Danny Welbeck to the fray. That's not a knock on Welbeck but a critique of Wenger. Perhaps the Frenchman should have removed the ineffective Giroud instead.
Loser: Per Mertesacker
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Statuesque on Swansea's first goal. Lead-footed and hopelessly slow when Gylfi Sigurdsson stole into the box and missed a 65th-minute chance.
Per Mertesacker is a good leader for Arsenal, and he's performed well for the club many times over the last five years. But he's just too slow.
The German's lack of pace makes him a liability at the back. This match only (re)confirmed it. Wenger must find reinforcements this summer.
Winner: The Woodwork
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This is not a person, of course, but the woodwork was one of the most influential ingredients of the match. Arsenal hit the post once and the crossbar twice, and if any of those chances had gone in, the Gunners would have taken at least one point from this contest.
The hosts' poor luck began in the 11th minute as Sanchez accepted a flick from Ozil and hit the base of the far post with his second attempt. Four minutes before halftime, Mertesacker nodded down an Aaron Ramsey cross for Giroud, who smacked a powerful volley off the crossbar.
Then, with the score level at 1-1 in the 68th minute, Sanchez' curling free kick took a slight deflection off Sigurdsson's head and slammed onto the bar.
With a bit more luck—or better finishing—Arsenal could have taken all three points.
"I believe we were really unlucky with our finishing and some decisions today," Wenger told BBC Sport. "[Swansea] had two shots on target and two goals."
