Sanchez strop taints Arsenal rout
Alexis Sánchez’s frustration boiled over when he was substituted by Arsène Wenger with 11 minutes remaining, kicking away his gloves in disgust and then sitting in the dugout with his jacket over his head and his arms crossed. It was almost impossible to reconcile this bizarre image with his side’s supremacy on the scoreboard and it clearly did nothing for Arsenal hopes that the Chilean will sign a new contract.
Wenger insisted it was a “minor, very minor” incident, putting it down to Sánchez’s nationality. “All the players are frustrated when they come off, some show it, some not,” he said. “I’m long enough in the job to know that.
“He’s a good guy who gives a lot and who always wants to do well for the team. There’s no problem there, the culture is different. Some South Americans are different from Europeans. You have to respect that.”
However much Wenger tried to downplay the tantrum it inevitably cast a shadow over the result. Two weeks ago, Sánchez’s mist descended despite Arsenal coming back from three down to draw at Bournemouth.
Yet this time Sánchez had been the game’s most impressive performer and his display deserved better than this childish ending.
“He was very sharp. I rested him for two weeks, gave him a little breather,” Wenger said. “I think he benefited from that. I gave him another rest for today, so he will benefit from that as well. He’s hugely influential. When you look at the numbers, he’s been involved in about 25 goals in our team. But we were 4-0 up, so it was a good opportunity not to be stupid.”
The manager was obviously keen to focus on the victory, their first in four away league games, which took them back into the top four. It was Paul Clement’s first home game in charge at Swansea, yet it was a miserable South Wales welcome as his side slipped back to the bottom of the table.
Swansea actually began well, but that, and their triple slice of misfortune, were of little cheer to Clement as they tailed off dramatically to make it 20 goals conceded in the last seven games.
Their fitness levels seem as poor as their confidence levels. However, Wenger offered them some consolation. “In their position of course it’s mentally difficult but they should take some encouragement from their performance today because they showed in the first half they have quality,” Wenger said. “I still feel they have enough quality to get out of it.”
Alas, the fixture list does not provide almost as much hope. Next up is Liverpool away before trips to Chelsea and Manchester City in the following four games.
Olivier Giroud, in contrast, says bring on everyone and anyone after a strike which meant he has scored in each of his last nine starts. In the 37th minute, he failed to get to Aaron Ramsey’s cross but a few seconds later made no mistake after Sánchez had whipped it back in and Mesut Özil’s header had ricocheted off Alfie Mawson directly into the Frenchman’s path. There was no celebration from Giroud – scorpion or otherwise – as he injured himself in the process. “He has an ankle problem,” Wenger said. “He is limping quite a lot. I hope it’s not too bad.”
Swansea at least had a grievance to take into the cold night air when Ki Sung-Yueng went down in the box. It seemed a certain penalty when Laurent Koscielny put out his foot. But instead Mike Jones booked Ki for diving.
“I’ve had a look from all the angles and it was a penalty,” Clement said.
This was Swansea’s one chance at an unlikely comeback, although the nature of Arsenal’s second and third hardly stopped the Liberty faithful from cursing the heavens.
If Mawson’s deflection was harsh then Jack Cork’s was beyond cruel in the 54th minute. Alex Iwobi’s shot was innocuous enough, but it hit the home captain’s shin and looped over Lukasz Fabianski.
Thirteen minutes later Kyle Naughton was peering on in befuddlement as his right leg diverted Iwobi’s cross into the net. It was almost a relief when Arsenal scored a “clean” goal all of their very own. Sánchez’s volley with 15 minutes remaining was yet further proof of why they cannot dare allow him to leave the Emirates. But neither should Wenger be dictated to. Their relationship should be fascinating over the next few months.
Swansea City (4-2-3-1) Fabianski 6; Naughton 5, Fernandez 6, Mawson 6, Kingsley 5; Cork 5 (McBurnie 71, 6), Ki 5; Dyer 5 (Fer, 55, 6), Sigurdsson 6, Routledge 5; Llorente 5 (Borja 70, 6). Subs van der Hoorn, Nordfeldt (g), Rangel, Fulton. Booked Fer, Ki. Arsenal (4-2-3-1) Cech 6; Gabriel 6, Mustafi 6, Koscielny 7, Monreal 6; Xhaka 6, Ramsey 7; Iwobi 7, Ozil 7 (Welbeck 79, 6), Sánchez 8 (Perez 79, 6); Giroud 7 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 60, 6). Subs Ospina (g), Holding, Reine-Adelaide, Maitland-Niles. Referee M Jones (Cheshire).