Premier LeaguePremier League: Gunners vs. Spurs Preview

Americans that can’t get enough soccer every week now have an additional reason to look across the Atlantic and follow the Premier League: Swansea City has hired American football coach Bob Bradley as manager.

The team will play its first game under Bradley when this week they visit third-place Arsenal. The Gunners are looking to keep pace with both Manchester City and Tottenham who are first and second respectively.

Arsenal has 16 points, two behind the Citizens and one point behind the Spurs, and needs to defeat a struggling Swansea club that right now is in 17th place, with four points, and outside relegation just because of a better goal differential than West Ham.

For the last decade Swansea has used fluid football, putting emphasis on possession and quick passes, but Bradley’s arrival signals a change that forgets about playing attractive football and adopts whatever works to get back to winning and escape the compromising situation.

Swansea had lost, under previous manager, Francesco Guidolin, five of its last six matches. It simply can’t afford to keep losing points at such pace if it wants to stay in the Premier League next season.

Bradley will try to instill a more direct, aggressive approach, playing more vertical football that will minimize mistakes and persuade the team to attack more.

Arsenal, winner of its last five games, will try to take advantage of Swansea’s woes by using players such as Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez, who can be devastating when given enough space.

Bradley happens knows how to limit that space when facing superior rivals and will try to wait in the back, defending in block to limit the Gunners’ firepower. If it Works he could stun the crowd at Emirates Stadium and start Swansea’s road to salvation.