Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, has insisted that it is too early to say the Gunners are going to win the league this time around, but expressed confidence in his team after beating Manchester City 2-1 on Monday.
The Gunners are now 4points clear of City, who are third on the log while reduce Leicester’s leadership to 2points after 17 premier league games so far this season.
The French man said these big games will help send a message to others that Arsenal are serious with their title contention this season; and this is what he said on the club’s website:
“I’m not sure what sort of message that sends but for us it was a vital game. It is a game you come out very happy as we have shown all types of ingredients you need in these big games. Good organisation, strong solidarity, high work rate, moments of brilliance and moments where we needed to hang on because that is important as well and overall because we could kill the game and we had the chances to do it. When they came back to 2-1 we were a bit under pressure but I believe it was very intense for both teams. You had times where you had players on the ground at both sides of the pitch because of that total commitment.
“It is too early to say to we can win the league but it strengthens our belief. You come out and realise you have earned your right to win these games and for us it is important. We have to be ready to fight like that in every single game and you do that quite [often]. It is quite interesting on my side there is real life in the team, real togetherness and real solidarity, so let’s take care of that.”
“Football, you need at the end of the day someone who gives the guy the ball who scores the goal. In our team most of the time Ozil is this player. When you look at this and the guys that see, make you win and he is that.”
“He is much more mature and is much more keen to take on responsibility. I personally think he is built on his physical attributes and commitment. You see his desire to win, he plays to win the games and maybe this kind of talent is exceptional. He realises he can help us in every single game.”
“He had a chest infection for the week and was in bed. he had only one training session yesterday and for a guy who could not prepare well he has done very well physically. I’m a bit cautious because we have lost three or four players recently so I have to be cautious a little bit.”
“I think he will be back January 10. Christmas period – you can’t count him.”
“He had had a slight one yet but he planned to be on the bench tonight but he is so keen he got a little bit of a pain and we didn’t take a gamble.”
“Two days ago.
on the celebrations of the win
I went in straight away. But it is a significant game because when you look at Manchester City and the quality they have on the pitch. We know at the end they will be there fighting for the championship and we know this kind of team in the big game strengths our belief and is needed.”
“I change it a little bit game by game and see where he can be efficient because Theo is a decisive player. At Aston Villa he did that and got a penalty and before the final pass he gave the ball to Ozil. Today he finished. One of his strengths is the quality of his movement and if you can get it to Ozil, he can find him and his quality of movement is exceptional. I think Theo Walcott had a very good, strong, fighting performance and his defensive performance was top level today.”
“We are more mature to defend. We have moments. Today we turned between playing very high and very deep. When we were playing very deep we were not too much in trouble. They have players who can tuck in like De Bruyne and Silva who you do not want to get on the ball in the last 30 yards and overall we did that tactically well” Arsenal
