After two home games without an Arsenal goal, Arsène Wenger finally had something to celebrate at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The Gunners were in fantastic shape against Stoke City, with Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud getting on the scoresheet once each. Truthfully it could’ve been more but, with three points in the bag, the boss didn’t have much to complain about in his post-match press conference.
“I believe we put in a very strong performance,” the Arsenal manager was pleased to say to the media. “Technically we had our moments in the first half and we played the football we wanted to play and created several chances.
“Maybe if I wanted to be critical I could say that that there is too big a difference between the number of chances we created and the number of goals we scored but that will come quickly once you win your games at home.”
There were bound to be nerves amongst the players as pressure built on the side. Arsenal are known as an attacking team but there has been plenty of criticism for failing to score after not signing a striker in the summer.
Nonetheless, two chances were taken and that was enough. With a monkey off the back – for Walcott, for Giroud, and the team as a whole – the floodgates could open now. Maybe the players will feel less inhibited, and Wenger insists he was never concerned by the brief spell without a goal.
“I was not worried about that as I knew that would not last forever with the number of chances we create,” said the Arsenal manager. “We are the team who has created the most chances since the start of the season.
“We had 30 shots on goal today and continuously we created chances today from the first to the last minute and the players had the quality to score so at some stage that would have come.”
The proof will be in the pudding as the season goes on but the side must feel encouraged by the belief of the manager.
That belief isn’t just at the top of the pitch. Arsenal have now kept three consecutive clean sheets and Wenger feels they have improved defensively.
“I also believe we have stabilised out defensive record, we have not conceded after a difficult start we did not concede against Liverpool and at Newcastle and today so that is good for our future.”
That belief in the defence is reinforced by the strength in depth. Per Mertesacker missed Saturday’s game but Gabriel has proven himself a superb replacement and looks set for a long and successful future at the club. Wenger thinks so, and the boss is right to be encouraged by his players at both ends of the pitch.