Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger blasts Premier League for becoming boring reckons teams are too scared to take risks
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ARSENE WENGER fears the Premier League is becoming BORING — because teams are too scared to take risks.
The Arsenal boss has become frustrated at facing opponents who are happy to settle for a goalless draw and make no attempts to win the game.
And he expects more of the same at the Emirates this afternoon when struggling Newcastle will attempt to shut up shop.
Wenger admits his team are lacking their usual killer instinct.
The Gunners have scored just two goals from 66 shots in their last three Premier League games — against Manchester United, Southampton and West Ham.
But it is the lack of ambition from teams outside of the top six which is the big concern for a man who places so much emphasis on entertaining football.
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After their bore-draw at West Ham in midweek, Wenger admitted: “The philosophy in the Premier League has changed in recent years.
“Many teams start with the idea that 0-0 is a good result and the crowd accepts that. Every tackle they make, the supporters are cheering.
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“And unless you score the first goal early on, you are always in a position where you have to take a gamble.
“It is a modern problem that you can have 70 per cent possession and still lose the game because your opponent finds one free-kick or corner in the last ten minutes.
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“That is what almost happened to us at West Ham the other night.
"They played with nine players in their final third and it was difficult to find the ideal position for a shot as it was so congested in the middle.
“We knew that until Wednesday night, West Ham ran 105 kilometres on average in their games this season.
“At half-time they had already run 56kms, so I thought they would die in the second half. But in the second half they made 58kms. They ran nine kilometres more than their usual average.
“It means these teams don’t die any more. Ideally, you want both teams to have a go and play attacking football. But that is not often the way anymore.
The solution is to score an early goal because that makes the other team come out and play. So we have to create a situation that makes the game attractive and I love to think that is our responsibility.”
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Wenger, who could hand Jack Wilshere another start today, admits he is at a loss to explain his team’s lack of goals this season.
It is particularly odd as they have created more scoring chances than ANY other team in the Premier League.
As Wenger, 68, pointed out: “You cannot say lack of goals is down to opponents defending better as we still have more opportunities than anyone.
“Alexis Sanchez scored 24 goals in the Premier League last season and this time he has four.
“It’s true that at the moment things are not coming off for him. But I cannot fault his commitment or attitude because he still fights and always tries to make a difference.
“Maybe when you are less successful in your finishing, you try to force things a little bit because you feel you absolutely have to score.
“When you don’t score, you get nervous and shoot too quickly. I believe in calm finishing and focusing on the quality of what you have.
“The quality of our game is there but at the moment that is not reflected in the number of goals and number of points we have.”