the Arsenal boss went off with a real bang
yesterday.Aaron Ramsey fires home the Gunners second goal
[GETTY]
Goals from German teenager Serge Gnabry and
Welsh hot-shot Aaron Ramsey were enough to see off
battling Swansea and secure an eighth league away
win in a row for the high-flying Gunners.
But even more importantly was that this latest
victory sent the north Londoners back to the top of
the table – and put some proper daylight between
themselves and their rivals.
Arsenal, who last lifted the Premier League way back
in 2004, are now two points clear of second-placed
Spurs, who could only manage a draw in their
midday clash against Chelsea.
Good reason, then, for Wenger, the longest serving
one-club manager in English football, to celebrate
another year hitched to his beloved Arsenal.
Not that he will be popping open the champers just
yet. He knows better than anyone that it is very early
days and that false dawns have become an all-too
familiar tale for his team during eight trophy-less
years.
But so far so good and, with a relatively kind fixture
list over the next four games, the Arsenal bandwagon
certainly appears to be gathering serious pace.
It is an astonishing turnaround for the club that was
deemed to be in total turmoil six weeks ago following
an opening-day home defeat to Aston Villa.
Since then they have been faultless and not even a
visit to Swansea's Liberty Stadium could check that
startling progress.
This place has a reputation as one of the toughest
grounds in the country. Yet despite the Welsh club's
tremendous Europa League displays, that is
misleading. For in the Premier League they have now
gone eight without victory.
If Arsenal needed any extra incentive yesterday,
shock defeats for both Manchester clubs and the
White Hart Lane stalemate definitely provided it.
Not that you would guessed it for much of the
opening 45 minutes as the Gunners struggled to
impose their authority on events.
"It is an astonishing turnaround for the club
that was deemed to be in total turmoil six
weeks ago following an opening-day home
defeat to Aston Villa"
It was Swansea who settled the better, a fact
confirmed when all-action midfielder Jonjo Shelvey
let fly from 30 yards.
The visitors' response was decent as almost
immediately they carved out two opportunities of
their own. German defender Per Mertesacker headed
Bacary Sagna's centre inches wide, then top scorer
Ramsey's blistering low drive flew even closer.
By no means were Arsenal having it all their way –
and in the 27th minute they very nearly committed
defensive suicide.
Or rather their whacky Polish stopper Wojciech
Szczesny did. Trying to shepherd the ball out for a
goal kick, Michu beat him to it and from there Wayne
Routledge agonisingly fired across an empty six yard
box.
If disappointing before the break, Wenger's away-day
wonders – they have now equalled the Premier
League record held by their class of 2001-02 – were
the complete opposite in the second period.
They deservedly broke the deadlock in the 57th
minute, Ramsey's cute pass, picking out Gnabry, who
cracked his first goal for the club with a beautiful
finish into the far corner.
Five minutes later, they were all but out of sight as
Ramsey grabbed the killer second – his eighth of the
campaign – courtesy of superb exchange between
Olivier Giroud and Jack Wilshere.
Game set and match?
Not quite.
Ben Davies' scrambled 82nd minute reply for the
hosts ensured a tense finale but ultimately proved no
more than a late consolation.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.
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