Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says a three-man defence is unlikely to feature in his long-term plans because he prefers “offensive football.”
Wenger has not strayed from a traditional back four for over 20 years but made the surprise tactical alteration for last night’s trip to Middlesbrough.
The Frenchman’s experiment proved to be a success as goals from Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil helped Arsenal end a run of four consecutive away defeats.
Although Wenger was pleased with his side’s performance in a system which has yielded success at both Chelsea and Tottenham, he appears likely to revert to tried and trusted methods in the future.
“It gave a bit of reassurance and that’s what we need at the moment,” Wenger told Arsenal’s official website of his decision to switch to a back three.
“I just felt that sometimes the team needs to believe in something new, something different, just to find a bit of confidence back.
“Overall I felt that it worked quite well today because we won the game.
“We had practiced on it before at some stage, (but) we like offensive football so this was a bit more defensive-minded for us.
“I feel overall it is not a long-term plan, but punctually it can work,” Wenger insisted.
Arsenal remain seven points adrift of the top four but will now turn their attention to Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City.
Wenger’s men drew with Pep Guardiola’s side earlier this month and the Gunners boss is hopeful his players will have received a confidence boost after winning at Riverside Stadium.
“It helps to get lighter heads and get the pressure off our shoulders.
“To know that we can win again away from home is important because traditionally we are a team who has made good results away from home,” Wenger added.
COMMENTS