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Wenger convinced Arsenal miracle is possible
by Paul Kennedy, March 6th, 2012 12:16AM
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TAGS:  arsenal, england, uefa champions league


[WORLD VIEW] What do you when you're down by four goals? Throw everyone into attack. That's what Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger plans on doing when the Gunners face AC Milan Tuesday in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 series. With only two midfielders healthy, he admits he has little choice.

The 4-0 loss was about the low point of the Wenger era at Arsenal, but things have gotten better since then. A 5-2 win over Tottenham -- all five games came in the space of 25 minutes after the Gunners fell behind, 2-0 -- and 2-1 victory at Liverpool give Wenger a “gut feeling” that his players can produce a miracle.

“Basically, I have only two midfielders fit, that is Alex Song and Tomas Rosicky, which means we have to play with four strikers,” says Wenger. “I can play six strikers if I want. I have enough strikers. I can take a risk because I have no choice. Even if they should score, we have to ignore it and continue going. We have to gamble a bit and go forwards, opening ourselves up a bit. I have a gut feeling they can do it and my job until kickoff is to convince them they can do it. In the last two home games against Tottenham and Blackburn [7-1 win] we scored 12. There is a real possibility.”

The Arsenal attack should include Robin van Persie, the EPL's leading scorer with 25 goals and has scored 31 goals in 36 games overall.

"I can play six strikers if I want," says Wenger. "I have enough strikers. I have [Marouane] Chamakh, Park [Ju Young], Van Persie, Gervinho, Theo Walcott and [Alex Oxlade-] Chamberlain."



1 comment
  1. Andres Yturralde
    commented on: March 6, 2012 at 8:44 a.m.
    I like his attitude. It turns the table on the old I'll-believe-it-as-soon-as-I-see-it, and goes for the new I'll-see-it-as-soon-as-I-believe it. I haven't agreed with most of what Wenger has done this season, but this new talk of opening up, taking a risk, and fighting against all odds is admirable. Granted, being down four goals, they really have no other choice. But the main point here is the tone--the spirit of the message. It gives the players and the fans new life.


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