Wenger frustrated by Arsenal finishing

Arsene Wenger felt Arsenal were punished for a lack of composure in front of goal in Monday’s 1-0 defeat to Swansea City at the Emirates Stadium.

The hosts wasted several second-half opportunities as they were punished by a mixture of wasteful finishing and a top-drawer performance from Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, who was playing at the Emirates for the first time since leaving Arsenal for south Wales in the close-season.

Bafetimbi Gomis subsequently headed home an 85th-minute winner to help Swansea complete a smash-and-grab victory.

“It’s frustrating to lose, but there was a lot of positives. You play these games 20 times and you win 19, and the once when you lose was tonight,” Wenger told Sky Sports.

“It was a question of maybe finishing better, being more patient and not making a mistake at the back.

“We did well, I cannot fault any individual player offensively. Maybe in the finishing we weren’t calm enough, we wanted to rush and we needed more technique.

“You have to learn from defeat and take encouragement from a defeat like that.”

Defeat leaves Arsenal three points adrift of second-placed Manchester City and, although the London club have a game in hand, Manuel Pellegrini’s men have a superior goal difference.

Wenger now prepares his side for a visit to old rivals Manchester United on Sunday in what is a vital game for their hopes of claiming a runners-up spot this term.

“We have to prepare for our next game,” he added. “The players are disappointed but we’ll recover and get firing again on Sunday, it’s an important game.”