Arsene Wenger says he’s looking for Arsenal to add ten goals to last season’s Premier League tally and asserted his belief that the current squad can do just that.
Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud, with 25 and 19 goals respectively, were some way ahead of their teammates in the scoring chart* last campaign and it’s from wide areas and midfield that the boss expects the shortfall to be made up.
Speaking to press ahead of the Emirates Cup the boss underlined the importance of the Gunners being more efficient in the final third as a means of capitalising on recent defensive improvements.
“We have enough goals in the squad,” the manager said. “What we want is some more goals from some players who are not really strikers and that was our strength traditionally. Our offensive and creative players scored 10 to 12 goals, that’s what you need.
“Don’t forget that we have plenty of strikers but sometimes players go through bad periods. The goalscoring, the finishing, is a bit more psychic than any other activity in the team and when they go through a bad spell they leave their place for somebody else.
“Our target is to improve our number of goals but you as well have examples of teams who have scored 90 or 100 goals and have not won the championship. We want to combine good defensive efficiency with 10 more goals.
“In the second part of last season we only conceded 13 goals in 19 games. So we want to keep that and add a few more goals. I think we can find that from inside, I am convinced of that. If we can find it from outside then we will do it as well.”
Aside from Alexis and Olivier only Aaron Ramsey, with 10 goals, made it into double figures last season. Given Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott, Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored just 31 goals between them you can see what what the boss means. There’s far more offensive quality there than the paltry number of goals would suggest.
The gauntlet has been laid down, it’s now up to the players to prove they can cut the mustard in and around the box.
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* all competitions
In a throw back to my childhood memories of Highbury – shooooooooot!
shooooooooooooooot!
Bouldy’s loose lipped Danish pal…. Bless his cottons.
John ‘Faxe’ Jensen is a living legend. Let us all celebrate his achievements, and only ever mock him in a celebratory way.
I think if you factor in a fully-fit Walcott, a settled Welbeck, Giroud without a 2-month broken foot absence and a second-season Alexis…we could be looking at a lot more than ten extra goals this season
add to that a hungry Ox and a healthy Ozil and 20 extra goals isn’t out of the question.
Hopefully Jacks gained some goal scoring confidence now as well.
it definitely seems like it
And Aaron manages to stay fit/return to his goal scoring rate from 2 seasons ago.
Lots of ifs here, but all of them very possible. Adding to that Mr Cech at the back to help improve that already good defensive form too. It is so nice to read all this optimism and a lack of the anti wenger stuff. If we achieve half of these and add it to what we did last year we stand a really good chance of being up right up there this time. Let’s enjoy this fun final part of pre-season and then go and pop West Ham’s childish little bubbles!
Factor in a rested Mertesacker and I’d say 80-90 extra goals isn’t out of the question.
All we need now is to snag Bendtner back on loan and we’re looking at an extra one hunnit. Easy.
Don’t forget Bellerin down the right! He had 2 beauties last year if I am remembering correctly. Maybe he can get to the 4-6 range (similar to Ivanovic’s scoring for ChelSKI).
Not to mention Bellerin has the eye for an odd goal or two
The very point some of us made yesterday regarding Giroud and the possibility of Benzema et al. If Giroud had been fit the entire season, kept a degree of form, he would have scored around 25 goals. A more pressing need is a player to cover and compliment Coquelin. The second point is though the tally from other players was fairly low, more individual Arsenal players contributed goals than any other EPL team. This noted, the following players all faced injuries and did not pay a full season – Ozil, Giroud, Ramsay, Walcott, Wilshere, Welbeck and Oxlade Chamberlain. If they… Read more »
Part of the defensive issue has been solved, albeit partially by letting smoker-in-the-shower go. Less nerves overall and a hopefully more settled defense. At least we won’t be licking our wounds over the two goals conceded because of the keepers erratic decision making.
I agree with you one hundred percent. We did the sensible thing by keeping the more assured of the two keepers. People talk about Ospina playing with a settled back four in front of him and chose to ignore that Szcz was erratic and careless even before the time around Southampton game last season. Passing the ball to Ibra in a game we just couldn’t concede, kicking the ball at Sturridge, an occasional red card when we seemed to have a comfortable lead show that he couldn’t stay focused 90 minutes. We aren’t short on home-grown players anyway so this… Read more »
While several gooners and pundits have been clamouring for the signing of a new DM, I have maintained that the acquisition of a more mobile and more clinical forward is the higher priority. There were games that we dominated for long periods but just couldn’t score only to later concede from the opponents 1st attack on our goal. We ended up losing/drawing such matches instead of being 3-0.ahead at half time. If we sort that out, we will either win the league or much closer than we were last season
How about both? Coq will have to rest sometime. While Arteta is a good option, his injury record last year does not instill confidence. Plus, he is definitely not like-for-like with Coq. Would really love to see a capable and reliable backup signed before the deadline.
Reckon Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott, Mesut Ozil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (less Santi Cazorla because of his deeper position) will be chipping in with plenty more goals this season. Hopefully we can have at least 4-5 players making it to double-figures!
Only theo(if fit) is guaranteed to score at least 15 from the name you mentioned.
If it happens, it happens.
And concede 10 less goals, please!
10 more goals… Per player? Be nice wouldn’t it?
What strange people out there to thumb this down. I can only assume there is some sp**s fans reading our forum.
It’s a tough one. If Santi keeps his spot, even with rotation, Ramsey surely won’t have as much game time to score into the double again. He needs to play regularly to do that, but Santi doesn’t appear to give up without a fight. Theo as a CF certainly bangs. And one thing I like about Giroud is he always seems to play like Drogba incarnate when he comes off the bench. He has a great goals-as-substitute ratio. Ox deffo needs to improve his goal-scoring, as well as Ozil. Much like early Cesc, Ozil get’s into a lot of goal-scoring… Read more »
Giroud is an excellent center forward when he’s confident and fit; the ball sticks to him, his interplay is sharp, and the chances are finished with panache. The problem is when he tires, and that’s when the ball bounces off his shins and he screams at the heavens because he’s missed another one. The key, it seems, is being able to give him enough rest. While he’s been at Arsenal he’s had a bit of Wayne Rooney about him, in that he goes on hot streaks before the goals dry up and he’s completely useless. Giroud is more fragile mentally,… Read more »
another Fabregas nostalgic… what was Arsenal winning with him? Nothing ! What does Arsenal win with Mesut?
20 goals for Fabregas? In how many years?
I’m more concerned about the defense right now. In the 2013/14 season, we hardly lost any points from winning positions, but last season, we lost too many of them. I hope we’re more stable defensively.
Adding more goals is a plus, but winning is the only thing that matters in the end, not the stats.
Defence is sorted. it’s striking that’s the issue.
Very much looking forward to putting the skill on show in the Emirates Cup and tearing Maureen a new one in the Community Shield!
COME ON YOU RIP ROARING GOAL SCORING GUNNERS!!!!!!!!!!
one nil to the Arsenal!!!!
one day we may sing
three nil to the Arsenal!!! at every games
too greedy? Nay
No we need our first choice striker to score more than 20 thats all. Then Alexis, theo and maybe ramsey chips in with their share of goals.
Ever since rvp left, none of our players has managed to score 20 in the league.
In the last 6 years, every team that has won the league has had a player(mostly strikers except for 13/14 season where aguero scored 17 in 24 and yaya scored 20 instead) who scored 20 goals or more in the league.
As of now, the only person most likely to do it in our team is alexis.
disagree.
walcott could and has done in the past. giroud wasnt far off either with a two month absence. thats 3
You mean in his best season where he scored 11??
People keep forgetting that giroud had only one good game before he got injured. And he played 27 games; more than half of the season.
For all we know, Giroud would’ve probably had a goal scoring streak and gone on his customary drought by january(note he still went on a drought at the end of the season).
This is pre-season, the time to be optimistic. Alexis to match or exceed last season. Girioud to add 5, Ozil, Walcott, Ramsey, Welbeck and Wilshere to double their totals. Santi to pop in 6 or 7… Yes, Optimism. Rain on my parade later.
Settled defense with healthy competition for places and an improved goalkeeper = less conceded. Can’t wait!
Ozil, walcott and welbeck doubling their total = 8 goals each from them.
Wilshere= 4.
Ramsey and Walcott= genuine 10-15 goals players.
At the end of the day, our frontline is not good enough compared to chelsea and city.
You think Chelsea players are not going to improve too under mou? or the other teams for that matter?
I see Wenger trolling the mugsmashers there. Get your shooting boots on guys, COYG!
I think what he said was it’s more cyclic than other positions, not psychic.
Cyclic, yes, I’m sure that’s what he said.
Though I admit I rather like the idea of “psychic goalscoring”, perhaps we could do with more of that too!
We have a hell of a team these days. I’m optomistic about this goal based goal.
Ox will score the extra ten on his own
I think we can definitely get 10 more goals from the current squad, Walcott being fit being a big part of this. I think Theo scored on average a goal per start last season. We can count on Alexis for 20 goals again, and no other team in the league has someone scoring 20 from out wide. Then I’m sure Theo and giroud together will manage at least 30 together. If we couple the 10 extra goals with 10 less conceded, which we can do because we are going into the season with a much more settled defence than last… Read more »
We need to return to the usual form and get 4/6 points of the scum, same against the Saints this year and avoid defeats to Chelsea and Man.Ure too. We are so close now. BRING IT ON!
RIP yellow shorts
Like I said earlier in week in arses rather than laughing at bentener who scored in double figures two consecutive season – Whilst played out of position. They should be concentrating on scoring Similar figures. Ox has the quality and ability to. Theo will with more games. Welbeck Ozil and jack should and will score more if they shoot more. It is about how much game time each Player can get. Goals will force there way into staying in the team. And as for person who said to win trophies with this team will mean more without spending on a… Read more »
I thought the boss said Cyclic not Psychic. When talking about goal scoring form?
Hate it when the media people count goals on players, particularly when they are not strikers , and when it’s coming from the boss it’s even worse.
Reason- it causes players to be selfish. When someone else is in a better position to score and they are in a tighter position instead of passing the ball because of the pressure they get selfish and attempt to score from the difficult position
The Arsenal version of this problem, though, is that players have been finding themselves in a great position to shoot and instead opt for an intricate pass. We need MORE selfishness. Only Theo and Ramsey consistently have the requisite selfishness, I think.
The boss is expecting more goals. Hmm… in a season that over 50 games would be played (if we include cup games), players would push and stretch and then injuries happen.
That’s why he needs to buy 2 or 3 more quality players so the burden could be distributed over more players so they don’t break down with injuries and fatigue!!!