Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger frustrated after home defeat
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is frustrated after the home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League on Saturday.
The Gunners were 2-0 up at half-time, but let their lead slip, as Spurs scored three goals in the second half to seal their first league win at Arsenal in 17 years. The defeat was Arsenal’s third loss at home this season, and Wenger believes his side’s lack of concentration in the decisive moments of the game cost them three points.
Expressing his concerns about the mental fitness of his side, Wenger said, “I want them to be successful because they deserve it so of course it hurts. The way we conceded the goals, that leaves us with many regrets. It is certainly down to something. Sometimes we are easing up in games because maybe subconsciously we feel we need to go through the motions and sometimes there is a more subtle subconscious feeling that we have not won yet and we get a bit nervous when we have to really concrete.”
Arsenal would have gone top of the table, had they managed to grab three points from the game at The Emirates. The Gunners boss is aware of the fact that such golden opportunities to grab top spot might be few and far between this season.
He said, “It is painful, but more because we had an opportunity to go top of the league that we did not take, and as a mature team, you want them to do it," said Wenger. Arsenal are now down to third place, two points behind Manchester United who are behind Chelsea only on goal difference.
Wenger stressed the need for his side to develop a winning mentality, “We delivered quite a good game and created many chances. What is much more difficult to understand is that we lack some basic concentration on facts in the game where you can be punished. When you want to win, that cannot happen.”
However, Wenger is upbeat about his side’s potential to win the Premier League, and believes that the title race is far from over.
After 14 matches, Chelsea and Manchester United lead the Premier League standings with 28 points each, while Arsenal lies in third place with 26 points. Manchester City is not far behind the leading pack; they are in fourth spot with 25 points.
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