Arsene Wenger ready to take risks as Arsenal attempt to end top-six away jinx at Manchester City

Attack-minded | Arsene Wenger’s side are facing a massive test at Manchester City but the manager believes they are able to cope
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James Olley3 November 2017

Arsenal’s victory at Manchester City in January 2015 was hailed at the time as a moment in which manager and players finally cracked the formula for winning big Premier League matches on the road.

They have not won at a top-six side since. In 14 matches away from home against the division’s elite, the Gunners have picked up just six points from a possible 42, conceding on average more than two goals per game.

That win at the Etihad Stadium was also described as an epiphany for Arsene Wenger, who finally accepted his team had to compromise their attacking beliefs - or at least combine them with defensive pragmatism.

However, the willingness to cede territory and possession, defend deep and counter-attack with precision that day proved to be an anomaly. Arsenal did beat Bayern Munich nine months later at home with just 27 per cent of the ball but, for the most part in the backyards of English football’s finest, familiar frailties were exposed.

In part, it explained the savage reaction to August’s 4-0 defeat at Liverpool which, in isolation, was clearly a dismal display, but the anger it provoked stemmed more from yet another 90 minutes lacking application against a top team.

September’s 0-0 draw at Chelsea was perhaps the closest they have come in fulfilling that requirement. Talk of platforms and springboards followed, but only in Sunday’s meeting against City will we find out how high Arsenal can reach.

Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka are likely to be tasked with replicating the irresistible combination that Santi Cazorola and Francis Coquelin proved in 2015 as Wenger’s 3-4-2-1 system faces its sternest examination against a Pep Guardiola side averaging 3.5 goals per Premier League game this term.

Photo: AFP/Getty Images
AFP/Getty Images

Arsenal’s approach will be key, but Wenger gave little away on the eve of the game. Asked by Standard Sport whether his side were capable of going toe-to-toe with City, Wenger replied: “I wouldn’t like to come out on that but, of course, we will try to play our game. We will not hide.

“When we go there, we want to defend well - but as well, you cannot go there and be focused on only defending. We want as well to play, have the ball and create dangerous situations. The best way to defend sometimes is to attack.

“If you want to play football, when you walk out on the pitch you have to accept the gamble and the risk. It is part of the game.

“After, you have to rate the risk. Is it a bigger risk only to defend than to attack if a team is very strong to attack? Maybe it is a bigger risk only to defend.”

City’s irresistible form has not quite prompted a publicity hungry bookmaker to pay out on their title success yet, but a five-point lead over second-placed Manchester United - and the manner of their play so far - has led some to already describe them as champions-in-waiting.

Alan Shearer claimed last month City are “taking football to a new level”, a suggestion Wenger greeted with a wry smile, perhaps with April’s FA Cup semi-final success over Guardiola’s team in mind. “You leave the comments to what they are and focus on your own team,” he said. “It is difficult for me to comment. I do not see all their games. If you look back, historically, there are many great teams in England and they are certainly another one.”

City are likely to test Arsenal’s resolve in a different way when the January transfer window opens: namely, whether the Gunners will force Alexis Sanchez to honour his contract in the face of one last cash offer or accept almost certainly losing him for nothing next summer.

The Chilean’s attitude has been questioned, but team-mate Aaron Ramsey claims the striker will not be distracted when facing the team he would have joined on deadline day but for the collapse of Wenger’s late move for Monaco winger Thomas Lemar as a replacement.

“He is focused,” said Ramsey. “All he wants to do is play football, so you know you are going to get 100 per cent from him every game. He is going to be a massive part of this team if we’re going to do something special this year.”

Rectifying that away record on Sunday would be something special in itself.

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