Rodgers: Arsenal are great but I prefer watching Swansea!

Arsenal are preparing to face Swansea this weekend, and the newly promoted side have been congratulated for their attractive attacking play (sort of like Arsenal actually!) which their manager Brendan Rodgers is keen to instil in his team.

So it is little surprise that Rodgers was asked if he enjoyed watching the way that Arsenal play football, and he replied: “I enjoy watching Swansea, I think we are fantastic, some of the football we play, the statistics are up there with the top teams in European football, so I really enjoy watching Swansea.

“We don’t try to be anyone else, we just try to improve our game. There is no doubt that Arsenal have been a great side and there is no doubt their fans love watching them play.

“Arsene is one of the few world class managers, I am an admirer of him. When he arrived into British football there was a real change in terms of the coaching and culture, he is a real figurehead for the game.

“But we are looking forward to the challenge. It’s a showcase game for us, a game we have a belief we can do well in. We have taken our game to another level.

“Arsenal for a number of years have qualified for the Champions League and we understand the task ahead, they have many top players and Robin van Persie is one of the best strikers in the world, but I am very excited.

“It was a close game when we went to the Emirates, which unfortunately I couldn’t be at (Rodgers’ father Malachy died the night before the game), but we have grown as a group and a team and I am excited by that. We know whatever opponent comes here it will be tough for them and we are really looking forward to it.”

Swansea have only lost one home game all season (1-0 against Man Utd) and pride themselves on attacking opponents down the flanks. Arsenal’s makeshift defence could be in for a tough afternoon….