Arsenal meet Swansea City at the Emirates on Monday and the Gunners will only have victory on their minds as they look to finish the season strong. They will not only try to finish second in the League, but the Gunners will also look to send a message to all their rivals on their title ambitions next season.
The North London club come into the game after a masterful performance away performance at Hull, as they breezed past them with Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey shining bright. They are on a high at the moment, unbeaten in 10 games and right under the noses of second placed Manchester City, level on points with a game in hand.
“We feel we have made progress in our consistency, our quality and our stability,” Wenger told Arsenal.com. “That is what we want to continue and I believe it is important to finish as close as possible to Chelsea and come out of the season and think we are ready to challenge next season.”
With a couple of reinforcements we look very likely to give Chelsea a run for their money next season and it looks more and more like Arsene Wenger wants to bring that elusive Premier League trophy to the Emirate’s trophy cabinet.
Ramsey picked up a knock at Hull and it looks unlikely that he will be risked after Wenger said there is a 50-50 chance of the Welshman playing.
Swansea on the other hand also come in to the game on the back of a 2-0 win against Stoke City in the previous match, scoring two in the final 15 minutes of the game. Gary Monk’s side are on a mini two match unbeaten run at the moment with a mid table spot more than certain for them in this campaign.
Swansea shocked the Gunners in November, when they cancelled out Sanchez’s goal by scoring twice in 3 minutes also courtesy of a magnificent free kick by Gylfi Sigurdsson, who has endured a fantastic season, chipping in with 10 assists to his name already. The Welsh team welcome Bafetimbi Gomis who was out for a month following a hamstring injury. The Frenchman was Arsenal’s nemesis the last time these two met after scoring the match winner late on which gave Swansea the victory.
Arsenal will be without Danny Welbeck (knee), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (groin) and Mathieu Debuchy (hamstring). Ramsey who started his career at Swansea looks like he would need to pass a late fitness test.
Ramsey has been deployed on the right wing in recent games and he has exceeded expectations giving quality performances. Wenger would be tempted to give Walcott a run on the wing, giving his contract situation after recently saying that the Englishman is heading towards his Golden years’ at Arsenal.
“Being 26 to 32 is the best age as a striker and I wouldn’t like to miss that golden age. He is part of us” Wenger said. “Of the whole squad he is the player who has played the most games for us. He loves the club and I think he wants to stay. I don’t think his desire is to leave” concluded Wenger.
It should be a tough game but given Arsenal’s current form, it looks likely that they might just breeze past the Swans. What do you say Gooners?
