Arsène Wenger believes Arsenal are becoming a more efficient team at both ends of the pitch, pointing to their recent defensive stability and praising Mesut Özil for adding a cutting edge to his game.
Arsenal will go top for at least 24 hours if they beat Everton at home on Saturday evening – staying there will depend on the outcome of Sunday’s Manchester derby – and Wenger feels his players are learning how to cope without the ball. Under pressure after last month’s shambolic defeat by Olympiakos, they have responded by keeping clean sheets in their impressive victories over Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Watford.
Wenger was delighted with Arsenal’s tactical maturity against Bayern. The manager, realising his team were expending too much energy out of possession, told his players to sit off Pep Guardiola’s side and Arsenal were rewarded with a 2-0 win that has revived their hopes of reaching the last 16 of the Champions League.
“After 20 minutes I realised that if we continued to chase shadows, we would lose the game in the end,” Wenger said. “We dropped off a little bit deeper. Honestly we always did that but with experienced players, it is easier. With one or two words, it works. We had very young teams before and now we have a bit more experience.
“I also believe the recent history of a team makes the team stronger or weaker. In the modern game, even more. In the modern game, as soon as you lose an unexpected game, you face a storm. That is why I think we are bit more stable defensively. We are certainly more stable.”
Arsenal have been accused of being a soft touch in the past. “We have maybe a better discipline,” Wenger said. “People reproached us many times: ‘OK, Arsenal play football but they are a bit fragile’. Before, maybe, when we were not dominating completely the game, we were a bit insecure. On Tuesday night, Bayern had a lot of the ball but we could handle that.
“We are more mature, for sure. Two years ago, we were a long time top of the league. After, we lost one or two players, and we lost one or two big games. That was the killer for us. I feel today we are better prepared. We know, as well, the competition will be long. We have played nine games [in the Premier League], there is a long way to go. But let’s make sure that we can produce week in, week out.”
Özil has played a crucial role in Arsenal’s resurgence since the Olympiakos game. Wenger has constantly said the German needs to be more decisive since his £42.5m move from Real Madrid two years ago and he followed up his goal in the 3-0 win over United by scoring the second against Bayern.
“He is 27 now,” Wenger said. “It is the golden age of a football player, 27-31, 32, the age when you know your job, you realise suddenly that it is not only important to play, it is important to win as well. You go into that period thinking: ‘Finally’. Under 25 you think you can last forever. Once you get to 27 you realise it’s time to capitalise on what you have learned and efficiency takes a little bit over the playing mood.
“He is focused on his job. Talent wise, I think deeply he is a very collective player. He is a very respectful guy. If you tell him to do that he will do it for you. I think his talent is exceptional. Sometimes I think he sacrifices himself for the team. Sometimes he releases the ball when you want him to, sometimes he will do it when you don’t want him to.
“He plays in the link between the low midfield and the striker. He is the vital part in that. In that final part of the pitch he has the most assists. There he is vital.”
Wenger also credited Petr Cech with giving the back four greater assurance. The former Chelsea goalkeeper made a magnificent save to deny Robert Lewandowski shortly before Olivier Giroud scored Arsenal’s opener against Bayern. “You could see the other night in a big, big game how important that is,” Wenger said. “The first goal is the decider in a big game.”