Arsenal
Wenger Rules Out New Defensive Signing
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has ruled out making a defensive signing this january, after revealing he’s content with his current options at the back….
Ten games into the Premier League season, and Arsenal sit in seventh position in the table – 10 points behind the leaders, Manchester City. Other than the obvious difference in the amount of points gathered by both teams, there is one other glaring divide between Arsene Wenger’s side and Roberto Mancini’s: goals conceded.
It is a fundamental rule of football; if you don’t concede, you will not lose, but unfortunately for Arsenal, their defending from the very start of the season has been quite embarrassingly awful. At the Emirates, Wenger’s side have conceded an acceptable amount of four goals in five game, but away from home, it has been a whole different story. In just five away matches, the Arsenal defence has conceded an astonishing 17 goals – eight of those coming at Old Trafford.
Compare those figures to the Premier League leaders’, who have conceded just two at home and six away, and you can clearly see where Arsenal need improving if they want to at least break into those Champions League places. Tightening up that defence must be a priority for the team if they stand any chance of success this season – especially considering that they have already conceded almost half the amount of goals they did in the whole of last season (they have already let in 21 and allowed the opposition to score 43 last year).
However, Arsene Wenger is confident that the central defenders, who are now all back from varying problems are sufficient enough to help Arsenal to success. He believes that balance at the back is crucial, and he has finally found that balance with Per Mertesacker, Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny, with Johan Djourou and Sebastian Squillaci also available if needed. He said:
“The balance is vital. I must say that all the three can play with each other. Koscielny and Vermaelen can play together and Mertesacker can play with Vermaelen and Koscielny. It gives us a bit of an opportunity to rotate a bit when needed and people are tired.”
“Ideally, Vermaelen will play on the left [of the centre-back pair]. But Koscielny can play on the left as well so we have a good potential and balance there. I think that all the three can play at any moment, and we still have Djourou and Squillaci as well.”
“People wanted us to buy a centre-back so much and then suddenly you realise we have plenty.”
Arsenal fans will probably be hoping that injuries stay away from their back line for a while, with luck in that department very thin on the ground, having seen Vermaelen – a integral part of the defence hampered with injuries for a long, arduous period of time.
