Wenger savours ´vital´ win

Arsenal’s first win of the season may not have been pretty, but manager Arsene Wenger was relieved to seal a ‘vital’ win.

The Gunners triumphed 1-0 over Swansea at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, courtesy of a howler from Swansea keeper Michel Vorm, but Wenger was satisfied his side got the points despite a nervy performance.

“It was vital for us to win the game. I think we started quite well and slowly the nerves took over. We played handbrake-ish, restrictive in the second half,” he said.

“It’s not often that we pass the ball back to the goalkeeper from halfway. We just wanted to get over the line.”

“We didn’t manage the second goal and any mistake and then you don’t win the game – a game that we absolutely had to win.”

“Swansea make it difficult for you because they keep the ball well and are quick on the flanks.”

The French boss was positive on signings Mikel Arteta and Per Mertesacker, who both debuted for the London outfit in the victory.

“Mertesacker was calm and composed – he leads the line well but needs to adapt to the pace of the game,” Wenger said.

“Arteta played well overall, especially in the first half. You could see that he will bring us some technical security.”

Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers was absent from the sideline on Saturday due to the death of his father, but coach Colin Pascoe said the boss admired the effort of his troops in the defeat.

“I have spoken to him and he is proud of the way the lads played and performed. Everything had been prepared well for the game and were unlucky not to get a draw,” Pascoe said.

Rodgers’ side are yet to score in the Premier League in four matches since their promotion, but Pascoe said it was not because of a lack of trying.

“We are gutted really that we did not get anything (against Arsenal), but we have to score goals to win games. At the moment we haven’t been doing that but we are creating chances, I would be worried if we were not,” Pascoe said.