Arsenal 0-1 Swansea City: Bafetimbi Gomis heads late winner with help of goalline technology

Lukasz Fabianski in action against Arsenal

Arsene Wenger always suspected Lukasz Fabianski was a special goalkeeper and on Monday night he was proved correct.

Fabianski walked out of Arsenal last summer at the end of his contract despite Wenger’s best attempts to convince him to sign a new deal.

The Poland international goalkeeper returned to produce a brilliant performance of clean handling and confident shot-stopping to frustrate his former club in their pursuit of second place in the Barclays Premier League.

Wenger’s team now go to Old Trafford on Sunday aware that Manchester United can over take them with a win. Arsenal have a game in hand on United but the heat is suddenly back on if they are to avoid the usual Champions League play-off in August.

Fabianski grew in stature as Arsenal pummelled away at his goal and repelled an endless barrage of shots, the pick of them a splendid double save to thwart Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott.

Then, as if that was not bad enough for Wenger, Swansea broke swiftly down the left and substitute Bafetimbi Gomis headed in the winner from a cross by Jefferson Montero, five minutes from time.

It was only awarded thanks to goalline technology. Gomis jumped high, flexed his upper body and produced a fabulous header, well directed, just inside the post. David Ospina clawed it out and insisted he had made the save but it had crept over the line and replays proved that Kevin Friend’s technology was working perfectly.

As a 10-match unbeaten run came to an end, it seemed harsh to lay the blame on Arsenal’s goalkeeper, but it fuelled a classic what if. What if Fabianski had stayed? Would he have ousted Wojciech Szczesny, as Ospina has done?

Would he have enjoyed the fine form he has during his debut campaign in South Wales? Or did he need to escape to flourish?

Swansea did not dwell on it as they celebrated a Premier League double over Arsenal which boosted a late dash which could yield an unexpected return to Europe. They are within a point of Southampton in seventh, which will be a Europa League place if Arsenal win the FA Cup.

Garry Monk’s team arrived having already broken the club’s Premier League points record and with their young manager’s reputation growing fast. Then he plotted Arsenal’s downfall, albeit with a little luck.

With Nelson Oliveira injured and Gomis only fit enough to be a substitute after a hamstring problem, Monk deployed a system without a definitive centre-forward. Jose Mourinho would have been proud.

Gylfi Sigurdsson was up there when they needed a physical target but it was a fluid system, designed to generate movement from midfielders Jonjo Shelvey and Ki Sung-yueng.

There were early signs of promise for the visitors with their slick passing and quick wingers. Sigurdsson released Montero down the left and Angel Rangel overlapped on the right and forced Ospina to make his first save of the night with a low drive from an acute angle.

When Arsenal had possession, the visitors dropped and defended deep and in numbers. Sigurdsson worked back into midfield and added another body to the task of smothering the passing options.

It worked well in the first-half, frustrating the home team while threatening on the break.

Fabianski was barely involved as Olivier Giroud headed one chance over and curled another effort wide from the edge of the area. It would be one of those nights for Giroud, eventually replaced by Walcott. 

From one free-kick in a dangerous position, Mesut Ozil whipped a shot straight into the head of Per Mertesacker as he peeled off the defensive wall. So much for German efficiency.

Wenger became more animated, grumbling about physical attention from centre-halves Ashley Williams and Federico Fernandez and time-wasting and silently fuming about the defensive tactics.

Arsenal have been in irresistible form since the turn of the year and Wenger has settled on this as his preferred line-up. At least he had. It looked a little stale, short on ideas as Swansea defended well.

After a quiet first-half, Sanchez came alive after the break to rattle the side-netting, Aaron Ramsey did the same and the game swung back and forth. Arsenal over-committed in search of a breakthrough only to find they were exposed to the counter-attack.

The added urgency made for greater entertainment but proved no more satisfying for the home crowd. A chance fell to Giroud on the edge of the box but Fabianski saved, diving to his right.

From this point, his confidence soared and he began to look unbeatable. He saved from Santi Cazorla and sprang to pluck a cross out of the air from Jack Wilshere, sent on as Wenger sacrificed Francis Coquelin, his defensive shield.

On came Walcott, too, and almost converted a low cross from Hector Bellerin which was deflected into his path. Arsenal rolled forward. A goal seemed inevitable. Fabianski denied Ramsey, then Sanchez and Walcott, twice.

Monk’s response was to send on Gomis. It did not alter the pattern of the game, but it did influence the result as Swansea’s French striker headed the only goal.

Fabianski, as he soaked up the applause from both sets of supporters after the final whistle, gave his head a little shake in disbelief.

Source:dailymail.co.uk.sport