Arsenal may have the best defensive record in the Premier League at the moment, but having kept only one clean sheet in the last 11 games Arsene Wenger admits his side need to tighten up at the back.
Voicing concern at the way his side conceded four goals before half-time at Reading in the Carling Cup, the boss accepted hard work on the training ground does makes a difference, while also pinpointing a general rise in the quality of opposition attacking play as a reason for recent wild scorelines.
Speaking to the press this morning, the boss stated: “[It concerns me] a little bit – when you are 4-0 down in 37 minutes you can’t say all is well on that front!”
“You have to give credit as well to the offensive quality in the Premier League, and to the offensive quality of Reading the other night. It is not always about your weaknesses, it is about strengths as well.
“Last night the [Chelsea v Manchester United] game finished 5-4, but it could have been seven as well. Both teams had chances. I believe the offensive quality has improved a lot.
“It is not only down to work, we worked last year as well. People forget that last year we were the team with the least shots against us in the league.
“We have always worked defensively. It is not just because you don’t work that you concede goals.”
Arseblog News gets what Arsene is trying to say, but I’m not sure hiding behind the quality of opponents is going to cut the mustard on a week in, week out basis.
The fact remains all our players, not just those at the back, need to know their defensive duties like they do the back of their hand. They need to understand the importance of positioning, they need to know who they’re supposed to be marking and they need to show the necessary willingness to help each other when faced with danger. Do that and we stand a chance of improving…
It’s not like we’re asking Andre Santos to dress up like Gandalf this Saturday, pitch his staff in the Old Trafford turf and yell, “You Shall Not Pass” at the Dutch cunny…although we’d have no problem if he chose to do so.
Heh
Read the article.
‘..Probably @aalensport’
Looked up.
‘yup.’
Mr. Wenger, you remind me so much of my wife… Sometimes you need to shut your mouth. Much like my wife we haven’t had a decent ‘go at it’ in years and over time, you are losing your best assets. But nevertheless I’ll stick by you because without you, we’d be nothing.
“But nevertheless I’ll stick by you because without you, we’d be nothing.”
I thought Arsenal are a family and are bigger than any man .. or does that only apply when a player disrespects us and wants to leave ?
I suppose. . all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
Yup. A family of animals – so much a better way of putting it up.
Moooooo!!! ‘Skuz me. O_o
Whilst santos is dressed as gandalf he should also shout out “aim for the goal! Send these foul beasts into the abyss!”
Really!
The shorties, Arteta and Cazorla, have to be Frodo and Sam. They need to get the ring at all costs to the deathly hole where Sir Sauron casts his evil eye the strongest. They need to take it there many, many times and get it in as many times.
I agree with Wenger on this, and it’s a point I’ve been discussing regularly with friends. When you concede a goal, every commentator goes “it was this fault or that fault”. So does that mean you can never take credit for scoring a goal? Does every goal only happen because someone messed up? Silliness.
Literally, no. Most of the time In the real world, yes. Competition is usually less about who is great or does an undefendable/unstoppable move and more of a battle of who makes the least mistakes.
of course it does. How did the team that scored come to have possession? And if it was straight from kick off someone should have stopped it. thats life
Loved the ending of your article, really funny. I agree with everything you say but it’s one thing to prepare the players for what they will face and a different thing to see the players following the orders they are given. Since none of us is in the dressing room is hard to point the finger and blame Wenger or the players for their defencive behaviour.
It happens time and time and time again. We’ll play “inferior” opposition and be all over them with 70%+ possession for first 20 – 30 mins but no goals to show for it. Then they’ll get their one break and score or get a corner/free kick and score from that. I don’t think it’s us switching off I think it’s us concentrating too much trying to score.
Giroud has to be our Aragorn, just saying.
hopefully it doesn’t take 9 hours to get the ring to the abyss..
What does that make Robin… Isildur?
Gollum
no doubt about it
I like the golem analogy. He used to be human but was corrupted by greed.
I may be giving him too much respect here, but I would definitely have him as the witch-king of angmar. Once a king of men, now but a slave to the ring and his master. Foul dwimmerlaik, lord of carrion! Still a powerful adversary.
Definitely Gollum!
(named Sméagol in earlier life), who once possessed the Ring (Money), which warped his mind and body and gave him unnaturally long life and poisoned his soul.
If goals weren’t our fault, then whose fault is it?
We are not blind Sir!
Mannone, Santos and Ramsey….I am shitting myself for Saturday.
No, our HFB can be Eowyn. *swoons* Oh Giroud..
Is Per one of the Ents (tree people)
hahaha thats per-fect
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