Don´t blame Wenger by Sam P
I agree that Arsenal were a bit disappointing last night as we slumped to a shock defeat against Swansea City. It brought back memories of the old Arsenal as well, dominating possession but failing to break down a determined and defensively organised team before leaving ourselves exposed to the counter attack.
The result also makes it a lot more likely that the Gunners will finish in our usual fourth place and that would be extremely disappointing after it looked like we had pushed on. So I can understand the frustration many fans are feeling and the subsequent suggestion that it is all Arsene Wenger´s fault and that we will never regain the glory days with the Frenchman in charge.
The fact that Wenger picked the same starting XI for the fifth game in a row was made much of as it was the first time in his reign he had done this. Some will point to the Chelsea game and say that the boss should have learned from this but I would point to the Hull game last week when the same team tore the tigers apart.
For me the fault for last night lies in the poor finishing of the players to some extent but more on the pace, or lack of it, that our passing had in the first half. When you face a well drilled and compact team you have to zip it around to stretch them and make space. But you also have to tire them out by making them chase and chase and then it should be their legs going at the end, not them breaking forward to stun you.
The fact that Arsenal were much better after the break shows that Wenger made this change and he also gave Wilshere and Walcott a decent chance to influence the game which they nearly did so for me he got it right.