Arsene Wenger identifies losses to small teams as reason for failed title bid

Arsene Wenger

ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger has identified their failure to beat small teams as the main reason for their unsustained title challenge this season.

The Gunners have again faltered towards the end of their Premier league title bid this season, as they currently trail log leaders Leicester City by 13 points.

Ahead of their home fixture against Crystal Palace today, Wenger conceded that their title hopes have faded due to their underperfomance against the lighter-weights of the Premier League, while backing their record against the big teams.

“If you look objectively at our season, we have done better than anybody against the big teams … but we did not turn up when we felt we were less under pressure,” Wenger said.

“I say to my players that our responsibility is to fight in every single match until the last minute of the season.”

The London side are joint with Manchester City as the teams to have conceded the most (33) goals in the top five this season, and the French mentor says they might have been victom to their own attacking outlook.

“We are an attacking side,” insisted Wenger.

“I don’t think you can pretend to be a big club and say ‘we only want to defend’ – we have that responsibility and we have to stand up for that.

“We have to continue to develop the quality of our game. It doesn’t mean we have to change our style. It means we have to be better in the style we play.”

Failure to beat Palace at home today will surely end the already slim hopes of Arsenal pipping The Foxes to the title. Kickoff.com

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