Arsenal 0 Swansea 1

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Lazy, lackadaisical, unimpressive, toothless and uninspired – all describes last night’s performance by Arsenal as they missed the opportunity to move level on points with Manchester City in second place in the Premier League as Swansea snatched a dramatic late win thanks to Bafetimbi Gomis’s header. The Swans’ disciplined six-man midfield frustrated the hosts in a goalless first half. Former Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski made a flurry of saves to deny Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey among others as the Gunners attacked relentlessly after the break.

But with less than five minutes left, substitute Gomis nodded in – as goal-line technology showed Arsenal keeper David Ospina had failed to palm the ball away. That gave Swansea a first league double against Arsenal since the 1981-82 season, after Gomis had also scored the winner when Garry Monk’s side beat the Gunners 2-1 in November. The hosts remain three points behind Manchester City in the Premier League table, albeit with a game in hand. The hosts looked more dangerous after the break as Chile forward Alexis Sanchez skipped clear in the box and shot into the side-netting. However, Arsenal’s first shot on target did not come until the hour mark, though Giroud’s low effort was comfortably held by Fabianski. He made an excellent save moments later to deny Cazorla from 12 yards, before blocking an attempt from Ramsey as the Gunners put Swansea under intense pressure.

A brilliant double save thwarted Sanchez and Theo Walcott and the Poland international’s efforts were then rewarded with a dramatic winner, as Jefferson Montero crossed for Gomis to head in at the back post. At first glance, it seemed Ospina had saved from the France striker but, with the aid of goal-line technology, referee Kevin Friend awarded the goal to seal an improbable victory for Swansea. Arsenal next face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday and host Sunderland on Wednesday.

Musical Choices & Tastes

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How Much Is Your Taste in Music Based on What Your Friends Like?

Not much at all. I mean, I like the music I like and if some friends like them as well – great! If not, no problem at all. It’s great when you have a group of friends who all like the same music and you can sit in one place or travel in a car or some bus and play the songs really loud and all sing along. Great fun. Even if it’s just 3-4 people singing with enthusiasm it is fabulous. I have some friends who do like some of the music that I like and hence it strengthens the bonds a lot more.

When I was quite young, like 10-15 I listened to and got introduced to a lot of music that I still like by older cousins and some seniors at my school – Scorpions, The Beatles, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Dire Straits, Queen, CCR etc etc. And in turn I introduced some of my cousins to bands that I listened to before them – Metallica, Guns n Roses, Aerosmith, Mr. Big to name a few. This is the way that things go and it is great if you have a large number of cousins and friends who all like music and listen to different stuff; you end up with a huge list of artists and bands that you all tend to like a lot. Although a lot of my cousins have not stuck to the music scene that we loved during our teens and early 20s, a lot of those songs brings nostalgic tears of joy to us, everytime we hear them.

As the years went by I was listening to music more and more on my own and collecting music albums on tapes & cds and spending a lot of time listening to them in the seclusion of my bedroom. When I started chatting online and making friends I got introduced to a lot of bands and artists that people around the world liked and that we have never heard of over here and my musical landscape expanded a lot more. Now I listen to what I like and don’t care what anyone else thinks. If they like it too – awesome! And if they don’t – oh what the heck do you know about music any? :P

Prompt from The Learning Network at The New York Times