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Defensive meeting gets Arsenal back on target over Swansea
PER MERTESACKER says a defensive meeting called after their derby defeat by Tottenham has helped Arsenal to successive clean sheets.
Mertesacker said: “There was a lot of room for improvement after the Tottenham game. We saw a lot of things when we watched it back.
“We prepared ourselves for Munich and for Swansea and it was much, much better.”
This win came thanks to Nacho Monreal’s first goal for Arsenal and Gervinho’s late strike.
With three of their next four league games at home, Mertesacker thinks Arsenal still have Champions League qualification within their grasp.
He said: “Swansea was a vital win. There’s a good international break now, a little breather for everyone, and then we can concentrate on the last nine games.”
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger hailed Gervinho after he stepped off the bench to seal the game in injury time.
It was his first top-flight goal since September 27 and he has become a figure of ridicule for some Arsenal fans, but Wenger thinks he can play a big part in their push for fourth.
Wenger said: “I’m convinced it will give Gervinho a major boost. He had the African Nations Cup and came back a bit jaded. Now I’m sure until the end of the season he will be a big force for us.
Swansea boss Michael Laudrup said his players have not relaxed after lifting the League Cup.
He said: “I really cannot complain about the attitude from the players.”