Wilshere shoots down Swansea with late show

When Arsenal needed someone to take responsibility, to provide the cool, clinical touch in front of goal, Jack Wilshere took charge. It had to be Wilshere. He was outstanding all evening, most notably four minutes from time to set up a fourth-round FA Cup trip to Brighton and Hove Albion. "Super Jack Wilshere,'' the home fans chanted as they departed into the cold night.

It had to be Wilshere, the best player on the pitch. Arsenal had tried everything but lacked composure until Wilshere showed the way, making the most of Arsenal's 26th attempt on goal with a strong shot past Michel Vorm. It needed something special to beat Swansea's excellent keeper. It had to be Wilshere. The England youngster was terrific from first minute to last, brimming with energy and intelligence, and so much hunger. Arsenal need more like him.

Some of the early entertainment had been provided by Arsene Wenger's attempts to do up his jacket, a prerequisite on a freezing evening.

The game increased in tempo after the break but an open first-half game soon seized the attention, lifting Arsenal fans early on when Olivier Giroud twice went close.

Arsenal looked lively in the opening stages, given some steel in midfield by Abou Diaby, who showed his intent by dispossessing Wayne Routledge, while Wilshere clearly relished his passing duel with Leon Britton. Wilshere soon teed up a chance for Diaby, whose low strike was well blocked by Kyle Bartley, the former Arsenal defender.

Britton then turned cleverly away from Wilshere, who brought the Swansea No?7 down.

Theo Walcott had started on the right, looking to run at and past Dwight Tiendalli, also trying his luck down the inside-right channel.

After 21 minutes, Walcott escaped from Chico Flores who was judged to have fouled the winger. Contact seemed minimal. It presented the left-footed Thomas Vermaelen with a tempting free-kick position.

Arsenal's captain made contact firmly with the ball but with insufficient lift to clear the Swansea wall, and the ball deflected out for a corner. From Walcott's delivery, Francis Coquelin had a low shot held by Vorm.

Swansea's manager, Michael Laudrup, had rested some of his leading lights, including the likes of Michu and Pablo Hernandez who started on the bench. Yet there was all the usual intelligent movement expected of Swansea, the thought in possession.

After 25 minutes, Nathan Dyer eschewed the opportunity to shoot from the edge of the area, laying the ball left to Routledge. His response was measured, the ball crossed towards the far-post, easily clearing Per Mertesacker but Vermaelen should have reacted quicker to Bartley's presence. The Swansea defender, playing well against his old club, climbed high and headed past Wojciech Szczesny but was denied by the crossbar.

Arsenal responded. Inevitably it was the excellent Wilshere leading the charge through midfield, touching the ball forward with his left foot. One break saw him enter the Swansea box, the ball eventually falling to Walcott whose shot was blocked.

Back came Arsenal again, Vermaelen playing the ball in from the left to Santi Cazorla before Wilshere took charge. The England international chipped the ball in towards Giroud but Ashley Richards leapt up to -intercept.

The half closed with Arsenal so close to taking the lead. Walcott swept in another corner, Flores headed out but the ball fell via Mertesacker to Vermaelen. The Belgian's strong shot was stopped by Vorm.

The atmosphere improved after the break. The attendance was given as 58,359 but that was tickets sold, not taking into account how many season-ticket holders stayed away. A more accurate figure would be around the 50,000 mark. They saw Arsenal raise their game in the second half. Diaby drilled a superb ball to Walcott, who raced down the inside-right channel but fired past the far-post. Walcott delivered another promising corner, met powerfully by Giroud but his header flew wide. Arsenal were swooping as busily as the many Pied Wagtails who roost in the Emirates.

Arsenal should have taken the lead just after the hour-mark. Wilshere worked the ball on to his right but was denied by Vorm, who pushed the ball out. Walcott seized on the loose ball but was frustrated by Danny Graham's chested interception on the line. Graham's future at Swansea is in doubt, especially with the Welsh club pursuing Stoke City's Kenwyne Jones.

Michu replaced Graham after 71 minutes. Michu has proved a talismanic figure for Swansea, troubling Arsenal earlier in the season, and in the original tie but the force remained with the hosts.

Wilshere kept scheming, kept looking to play Walcott and Giroud in, even testing Vorm himself. Cazorla was also influential but Arsenal remained all finesse and no finish.

Arsenal sought to vary their corner routines, Walcott and then Wilshere playing them in low, knowing how dominant Bartley and Flores had been in the air.

Wilshere then played a wonderful pass through to Giroud, who caused total exasperation amongst the -Arsenal fans with his wasteful response, the ball played tamely towards Vorm.

Arsenal were vulnerable to a counter-attack. Sung-Yeung Ki almost caught out Szczesny with a low shot that the Pole hurriedly pushed wide. From the ensuing Ki corner, Flores headed into the side-netting.

As the clock showed 81 minutes, Arsenal almost broke through but Walcott's glancing header hit the post and bounced out.

Still Arsenal poured forward, still they battered against Swansea's backdoor. Vorm did brilliantly to repel a Walcott strike and then clear a dangerous cross. Finally, Arsenal had their reward. Fittingly, it was Wilshere, finishing off good work by Cazorla and Giroud with a firm left-footed strike from the edge of the area, giving Vorm no chance.

Relief swept through the Emirates as a familiar song, "One-nil to the Arsenal" was heard.