Wenger talks belief but knows Arsenal need an early goal

What would Arsene Wenger give for an early Arsenal goal today? I reckon it could make all the difference for the Gunners and not just in the game against Watford at the Emirates today but for the whole of the rest of the Premier League season and any chance of Arsenal ending up with a trophy.

The manager did not spell it out quite as definitively as all that but that is what he meant with his comments in the match preview on Arsenal.com today. Wenger spoke about the renewed confidence that the players have gained from the last two games and if they can pick up where they left off before the international break then Arsenal should make the right start in getting the eight wins we need to give ourselves a fighting chance.

The Frenchman said, “At the moment I believe that, with the confidence we have built up at Everton, the most important thing is just to focus on the process of doing our job and see what happens.

“It was needed. We came out of a very difficult period where there was a big difference between the chances created and the number of goals we scored. We paid for that. At Everton we scored early so that helped the whole team to focus on the process and not play with the anxiety of scoring or not scoring.

“We came out of a very difficult week with some positive vibes. We came out of the games with some credit and more confidence as well. We want to play with that passion and style until the end of the season, in every single game.”

As Wenger alluded to, however, Arsenal were helped by the early goal at Everton which settled everyone down. The problem will be how well the players keep their belief if we do not get off the mark and maybe miss a few good chances. At the moment I feel the team’s growing confidence is fragile. Another win will see it build again but a slow start today could see those doubts and nerves creeping back into our play.

Wenger said, “It’s very unusual because we have a big deficit between chances created and the number of goals we’ve scored. I’m convinced that if we keep the quality of the game high, as we did in the last two games, [the goals] will follow as well.

“Sometimes [missing chances] creates a level of anxiety among our fans and among our players as well. But we know our chance in this league is based on starting strong, staying strong and finishing strong, and playing with passion as well. Let’s forget the questions and focus on the process of playing our game.”

It is all very well telling yourself that, but how long can you keep it up without getting the result of a goal? Cross your fingers for an early Arsenal goal today against Watford.

Tags Watford

3 Comments

  1. Stop looking for the early goal. This is the issue. If we don’t score in the first 15 minutes they rush it, panicking and then all the $hit happens. Just be patirnt. You can get 3 points even if you score at 90+ . Just be patient. Be smart.

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