EPL 2016-17: Arsene Wenger admits the Gunners have lost some winning momentum
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger acknowledged The Gunners have had a dip in their form after his side failed to get the better of Paris Saint-Germain at home in the UEFA Champions League. A win against the French club would have helped Arsenal qualify for the knockout phase as group winners but the North London outfit could only secure a point.
The 2-2 draw meant that Arsenal have now drawn three games in a row and Wenger admits his side have lost steam in November.
“We have not lost, but we have lost a winning momentum a little bit but we played against a good team,” Wenger said. “I believe I have to be careful on the choice of my words. I say 'stuttering’ and it comes back at me.”
Even though the Gunners have drawn three consecutive games, Wenger believes there is no reason to panic as his side haven’t tasted defeated in their last 18 outings.
“We have a special strength in the squad, a consistency in results. We are unbeaten in 18 games,” he added. “Sometimes you go through spells when you win a bit less. But we have to continue without losing and transform draws into wins. There’s no reason to panic.”
Of the two sides, PSG would be more frustrated with last night’s result as the French champions were arguably the better side. They took a well-deserved lead through Edinson Cavani in the 18th minute but just before the break, Arsenal were handed a lifeline to get themselves back in the game as they were awarded a penalty and Olivier Giroud converted the spot- kick.
Arsenal then were gifted the lead when a Marquinhos clearance hit Marco Verratti and deflected into the PSG net. The lead didn’t last for long as Unai Emery’s men drew level courtesy of an Alex Iwobi own-goal.
PSG are now top of the group and Arsenal’s chances of advancing to the pre-quarters as group winners now rest on whether PSG drop points against Ludogorets at home. However, that looks unlikely and the Gunners would have to be satisfied with a second place finish, meaning they would probably have to face tough opposition in the pre-quarters and play the first leg of the tie at home.
The 2-2 draw against PSG really put question marks over Arsenal’s credentials to win the most coveted trophy in Europe as they again struggled to get the job done against top quality opposition. If Edinson Cavani had been a bit more clinical in front of goal in both of his side’s games against Arsenal in the group stage, PSG might have won both of them.
The Uruguayan missed two glorious chances last night which adds up to the ones he missed in the reverse fixture.
PSG manager Unai Emery was diligent in pointing out his side's dominance against Arsenal in both the games. "If we are to analyse the two matches against Arsenal I think that we deserve to be first at the moment,” he said.
“We did very well against them and our best players showed great personality. The players met my expectations. It was a terrific performance and it’s important now that we build on this in our next fixtures.”