Why Wenger won't rely on strikers for goals

Arsène Wenger has been in an unusual position during this transfer window.

Although he admits his side lack a striker, they are not in need of goals.

Consistency has been the key. While Chelsea may have smashed seven past Sunderland at the weekend and Spurs thumped nine against Wigan late last year, the Emirates Stadium side have been top of the scoring charts ever since they hit Everton for six on the opening day of the campaign.

Only Sunderland and Chelsea can truly claim to have shut-out a full-strength Arsenal this season. In the Premier League, Wenger’s men have 55 goals in 21 games via 16 different scorers.

You can attribute well over half to central midfield (Cesc Fabregas 10, Abou Diaby 5, Aaron Ramsey 3, Denilson 3, Alex Song 1) and the centre backs (Thomas Vermaelen 4, William Gallas 3).

Of course, this could be explained way with injuries – Robin Van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner and, to a lesser extent, Eduardo have all spent significant time on the treatment table. However Wenger feels there could be something more going on. The Frenchman suggests the relationship between the forward line and particularly the midfield may have changed in recent years.

It is no wonder that UEFA’s technical report into last season’s Champions League had chapter called ‘The Disappearing Striker’. It seems the days are gone when a No 9 and No 10 speadheaded a static 4-4-2 and scored 50 per cent of their team’s goals.

“It is a possible idea,” admitted Wenger. “But it depends on the personality and the quality of your midfielders. If you have many players who can score that is OK but overall I still believe that strikers are very, very important.

“Still we used to say the midfielders are the guys who bring the strikers alive but what is happening now is the strikers are the guys who can bring your midfielders alive. They come to score from deeper positions and you can really do that with one-man up front."

Wenger admits that, to him, a striker’s assists tally is now as important as his goals ratio.

“It is basically the efficiency of the team and the number of goals the team scores [that is important],” he said. “I believe if the whole side scores goals then, for me, the striker is good.

“[For example] Robin Van Persie, when he played we always scored three or four goals. He didn’t score too many [himself] but he made a lot. Not only with passing, but with movement and the quality of that movement. Strikers open walls for the deeper players. That is a big part in the modern game.”

Arshavin central role not a long-term option

Arsène Wenger will move Andrey Arshavin back to the flanks when he can.

The Russian has been operating as the pivotal striker in Arsenal’s 4-3-3 formation since the start of December after the Emirates Stadium side suffered a number of injuries up front.

Arshavin’s centralisation has had a major part in his team’s rise up the table. The 28-year-old has even played through the pain-barrier in recent weeks as Arsenal have closed the gap on the leaders.

They could reach the summit on Wednesday with a two-goal win over Bolton. However, despite his ability to prise openings in tight situations, Wenger will not persist with the ploy when he has more established strikers back.

“Andrey’s movement around the box is intelligent and, at the end of the day, how our strikers do that makes a difference for teams like us,” said the manager speaking before the weekend fixtures.

“In every game we have the ball 60 per cent of the time and when we do have it we play against 10 players in their own half. So what makes the difference is intelligence and movement around the box in the final third and [Andrey] is very good in the short space.

“He started very well up front but in the last few games he had a few more difficulties. He had a foot injury and could kick the ball properly. He is now coming back.

“But I do not deny as well that our plan in the future is to put him back where he was - playing on the left."

'Imagine where we would be without injuries'

Arsène Wenger can only imagine how much better Arsenal would be doing this season had they not suffered so badly with injuries.

A number of key players have been forced into long-term absences this season and Wenger currently has eight of his first-teamers unavailable.

Despite this the Gunners have an opportunity to go top of the Premier League on Wednesday evening and fans can only dream about where Arsenal could have been had they been hit by injuries.

"You can imagine but you can never prove," agreed Wenger. "But it gives a lot of credit to the players that despite all that has happened we are still there.

"That, when you are such a young team, is something very interesting for our Club to have."

In spite of Arsenal's current League position Wenger is not getting ahead of himself, pointing out that there is still almost half of the season remaining. However, he is confident that his side has what it takes to bring silverware to Emirates Stadium this season.

"We have won nothing yet," he warned. "But we have won some credibility. However, that is not enough.

"We want more but at least we are in a position to fight for it and have a go.

"I have the confidence that my team will give absolutely everything.

"I trust their hunger, I trust their appetite and I trust their spirit, knowing of course that there is a long way to go."

Wenger - Recovering players can give us boost

The prospect of new players may be a hot topic among Arsenal fans but the Arsenal manager is more concerned about getting his current players fit and available.

Arsène Wenger remains on the look-out for potential recruits while the January transfer window is open but, with the games coming thick and fast in the weeks to come, he is focused on trimming Arsenal's lengthy injury list.

Robin Van Persie, Kieran Gibbs, Johan Djourou, Nicklas Bendtner, Aaron Ramsey, Fran Merida, Samir Nasri and Jack Wilshere are all sidelined, leaving Wenger to juggle his remaining options against Bolton on Wednesday, at Stoke on Sunday, at Aston Villa next week and beyond.

And the Frenchman admits that transfer activity is taking a back seat while he works out who will return from injury - and when.

"We are not close to signing anybody at the moment and we are so focused on the game that we forget a little bit to speak about transfers," Wenger told Arsenal TV Online.

"The other thing I must say is we have so many players out that our talks are more focused on 'when is he back, when he is back?' and it looks like any player we can get back is like a transfer because we have not seen some players this season, like Walcott, like Bendtner.

"One of them has played three games, the other five games. But they can be fresh for the second part of the season and they can give us a big push."