Swansea City: Boss Bradley can see positives despite defeat

Bob Bradley became the first American to manage in the Premier League as his Swansea side were defeated 3-2 at Arsenal

New Swansea manager Bob Bradley says his side can take a lot of positives from their 3-2 defeat at Arsenal.

The 10-man Gunners won their sixth game in a row thanks to a Theo Walcott double and Mesut Ozil's winner, with Gylfi Sigurdsson and Borja replying for Swansea.

"We don't leave feeling good, but there were some things on the field that make you say 'OK, that is a start,' Bradley said.

"We can become a really good team."

The former United States national coach added it was "an exciting game, but obviously it didn't finish how we wanted it to".

"I didn't like our start, we were slow to step out and gave them too much of the ball," he continued.

"Arsenal is a team where if you don't make the most of your chances, they will play through the lines.

"That part of the game I didn't like and, of course, that coincides from our end with two poor goals.

"But I thought there were moments where we closed down the ball more, moments where we pressed and pushed the ball higher.

"If we can take the starting points we saw today, then there is a chance we can become a really good team."

Bradley, who replaced Francesco Guidolin to become the first American to manage in the Premier League, feels the pressure will be on the Swans when they host Watford next weekend.

Defeat at Arsenal has seen the South Wales side slip to 19th in the Premier League after four successive defeats, but the 58-year old is confident his team can survive.

"Next week's game will be very different and as we are at home, there will be more more pressure. Especially with the stretch the team has been on," Bradley added.

"But course we are confident we can turn this around - after the week of training we have just had and the mentality of the team, for me we are going to become a good team.

"There is a lot there and the response of the players has been good. But for 90 minutes we need to be sharper and fitter.

"I think we can be better. We are just scratching the surface."

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