Bob Bradley and Swansea travel to the Emirates in his debut, but it will be Arsenal and Arsene Wenger who will be under the most pressure on Saturday.
New Swansea manager Bob Bradley will be in the dugout with his new team for the first time on Saturday. His first test: Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Bradley will be free to gamble and experiment with his squad, and he has had an extra week to prepare for his debut. Although Swansea sit just one position above the relegation zone, the pressure is off at least for right now. Any positive result at the Emirates would be a bonus for Bradley’s men considering the stature of the opponent and the fact that it’s the American’s first match with the club.
Arsene Wenger on the other hand, has been given nightmares by Swansea in the past. If anyone is feeling pressure on Saturday, it’s him. Swansea has taken 3 of 4 against the Gunners, including the last two in London. He knows better than anyone not to take the Swans lightly, and that current league form must be put aside when these two teams face off.
This will be the third meeting in a row between these two that a different manager will be at the helm for Swansea. That could be a positive for Arsenal, and their unimpressive record against Swansea may very well just be a fluke. However, Swansea is always capable of pulling off upsets against superior opposition even during times of struggle, as evidenced by their 2-1 win at the Emirates this past March.
Bradley could opt for a defensive, counter-attacking strategy, or he could employ an all-out attack. The latter has been what Swansea supporters have been clamoring for this season and throughout former manager Francesco Guidolin’s tenure. Speedy wingers, attacking fullbacks, and attack-minded midfielders are there for Bradley to use, but that may be too risky.
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Achieving a point or a smash and grab win may be the best way to set up. Bradley would do well to take a look at the Burnley blueprint from two weeks ago, and look at what they did to hold off the usually high powered attack led by Alexis Sanchez, at least up until stoppage time.
Speaking of Alexis, Swansea may not have to deal with the Chilean due to a late return from the international break. Swansea have reason to be optimistic due to past results against Arsenal. If Alexis is rested, they should realistically believe they have a chance to grab a point on Saturday, if not three.
A win for Bradley would put him in the good graces of Swansea supporters, and would continue a South Walian tradition that has been nothing short of incredible over the past few years.