A trip to the the Liberty Stadium has fast become one of the more onerous tests in English football, so Arsenal deserve praise for coming out of there with 3 points, maintaining their winning run away from home, and consolidating their position at the top of the table.
Wojciech Szczesny - 7 – He had one reckless moment in the first-half, but otherwise Szczesny's display was immaculate. He made some decent saves in the second-half, and claimed the majority of the crosses that came into the box when Swansea pressed for an equaliser.
Bacary Sagna – 7 – He had a strong first-half, when Arsenal had to hold firm after not getting their passing game going. He was slightly culpable on Ben Davies' goal, but overall, it was another solid outing.
Per Mertesacker – 7 – He's grown into one of Arsenal's most important players. His positioning ensured he was first to a number of crosses and attempted through-balls. It would be harsh to blame him for the Swansea goal, as I think the credit should go to a sumptuous assist from Wilfried Bony.
Laurent Koscielny – 7 – Koscielny's developing a very secure partnership with Mertesacker. He gave an unfussy display, and had a tough job dealing with Bony when he came off the bench. However, he stuck at his task manfully.
Kieran Gibbs - 7 – We didn't see the best of Gibbs as an attacking force. However, I've increasingly seen Gibbs improve in his defensive duties, and he played Nathan Dyer excellently.
Aaron Ramsey – 7 – Ramsey didn't have the best opening 45 minutes. He appeared to be trying to do too much (as evidenced by a pass success rate of only 80%). However, he's become such a decisive player that even when not at his best, he's proving invaluable to the cause. He assisted the opening goal, before scoring his 8th goal in his last 8 games.
Mathieu Flamini – 7 – Flamini was another who's best work came in the first-half. Like the defence, he was a crucial part of the team holding together as Swansea probably edged the first-half. He's proven that he has a vital role to play in this squad.
Mesut Ozil – 6 – Despite the early positives in his Arsenal career, I still think we've yet to see the best of Ozil. His reputation proceeds him, as he was tightly marked by the Swansea midfield, and was unable to make the most of occasions when he had the ball. I think this education into the English game will serve him well at the turn of the year.
Serge Gnabry – 7 – It was Gnabry who took the responsibility to inject some life into what had hitherto been a sluggish Arsenal performance, creating a good chance for Giroud before half-time. He continued in this vein after the break, taking his goal with real aplomb, and doing a lot of good defensive work. One shouldn't forget that he's only 18.
Olivier Giroud - 6 – The Frenchman failed to hold up the ball well enough in the first-half, and missed a chance that he should have scored with. However, his sheer presence is pivotal to Arsenal's pattern of play, and he deserves credit for the assist for Ramsey's goal.
Jack Wilshere – 7 – He cut a frustrated figure in the first-half, being a constant victim of kicks from the opposition. But Wilshere gave a good account of himself in the second-half, with his tackle starting the move that led to the winning goal. He's industry has been laudable, especially as he's being played out of position at present.
SUBS
Mikel Arteta – Brought on to thicken up the midfield
Nacho Monreal – Gave some extra protection on the left-hand side
Carl Jenkinson – Another substitution used to shore up the lead.
It's far too early to be talking about winning the Premier League, but Arsenal are putting themselves in a good place to be in the title picture for the first time since 2008. And let's be honest, if you can't enjoy being top of the table right now, then maybe being a football fan isn't for you.
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