Did Arsenal sell the wrong goalkeeper?
It was a very good night for goal-line technology but an even better one for Lukasz Fabianski on his return to the Emirates. He made a string of good saves before David Ospina, the man brought in to replace him last summer, was slow to prevent Bafétimbi Gomis’ winner.
Arsenal were of course powerless to stop Fabianski leaving once his contract expired but his refusal to sign a new deal had been a direct result of Wojciech Szczesny’s questionable status as Arsène Wenger’s No 1.
Wenger knows his best team
This was the fifth consecutive league match that Wenger has named the same starting team. It is a luxury that tells us much about Arsenal’s good form and lack of recent injuries but still leaves two major questions for the FA Cup final.
Arsène Wenger has just two selection questions ahead of the FA Cup final
• Arsenal v Swansea City: as it happened
Wojciech Szczesny and Danny Welbeck each started the FA Cup quarter-final and semi-final and it would appear that he has an unspoken agreement that the goalkeeper and striker positions should be rotated. So does Wenger stick or twist at Wembley later this month? He should simply pick what is clearly now his favoured team.
Swansea have become pragmatists under Monk
The image of Swansea City as the plucky and principled underdogs carries a ring of truth but is largely overstated. Yes, Garry Monk has tried to keep the best of the passing philosophy that was embedded into the club by Roberto Martínez and Brendan Rodgers but he has also introduced a sizeable sprinkling of pragmatism this season.
Garry Monk, the Swansea City manager, has instilled a steeliness to his side
That was first evident when they went to Southampton, sat back, absorbed pressure and struck on the counter-attack. Similarly tactics were again employed here. Swansea have become more balanced and the result is likely to be their highest ever Premier League finish.
Wenger really does want Walcott to sign new deal
We all know that Theo Walcott hopes to become a centre forward like his hero Thierry Henry. We also all suspect, despite his many public utterances to the contrary, that Wenger is unconvinced by his capacity to play with his back to goal. We also know that Walcott will soon have only one year remaining on his contract.
Theo Walcott came off the bench to play in his favoured role
Wenger has been talking in glowing terms of Walcott recently and the decision to bring him on as a striker sends the very clear message that he wants him to stay.
Swansea players and fans would relish Europe
You could understand the wariness of Garry Monk when asked about the prospect of qualifying for the Europa League. Yes, his squad is not the biggest and, yes, it could impact on their league form.
Swansea City are a well organised unit and may excel in European competition
But, really, you have to ask what is the point of building a club as diligently as Swansea to then only be preoccupied with remaining in their Premier League. The performance of the players and the noise from travelling Swansea supporters thankfully told a different truth. They would relish a European adventure.
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