Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal fear of leading against lesser teams after West Brom defeat

Wenger knows his team must develop a stronger backbone to compete at the top

ARSENE WENGER dreads it when his side go a goal up against teams they should be beating.

 

Manager Wenger knows Arsenal's best title shot in years could go horribly wrong because of their inability to put to overcome the so-called lesser lights.

It must be doing his head in because quite how they did not win this one is a mystery.

When Santi Cazorla slipped and spooned a late penalty over the bar he finally conceded defeat.

 

Now injuries threaten to decimate his side for the crucial Champions League clash against Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday night.

Wenger saw his men take the lead through Olivier Giroud then leak two goals from James Morrison and a Mikel Arteta own goal within the space of five minutes.

Asked why his men seem to stumble against the likes of West Brom and Stoke, Wenger said: "It is right and I don't deny that. I feel we became a bit too easy at 1-0.

Cazorla skied his penalty, consigning Arsenal to a galling defeat at the Hawthorns

"That's despite the experience we have in the squad. You cannot say at the back we have no experience. But I could feel it from outside, instead of pushing on, we became vulnerable."

Things could hardly have gone worse.

They lost Francis Coquelin with a knee injury after 14 minutes and his replacement Arteta also had to go off but only after putting the ball in his own net.

Joel Campbell missed a sitter, Mesut Ozil hit the post and then Cazorla chucked it away at the end.

Referee Mark Clattenburg called it absolutely right with his double-touch verdict though Baggies fans and players' feared he was going to order them to re-take it for encroachment

Defender Jonas Olsson said: "I felt me and Chris Brunt were slightly early but it would have been very harsh to get it re-taken

 

"The gaffer was a bit angry because he thought it was as well. The referee said he took two touches, so it was a free kick to us."

Olsson believes manager Tony Pulis and the side have come in for unmerited criticism this season.

He said: "Some say there needs to be a balance between results and entertainment but for the players it's 100 per cent about the results.

"The gaffer is a good manager, he came in last year and is still building a squad. We've been here and hereabouts, 10th, 11th, 12th and I feel we have been quite comfortable. It's important to get a few good results leading into Christmas and going into that period on a high. I'm happy about that."

Wenger goes into the Zagreb game desperate for a rapid turnaround in fortunes.

He revealed that Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will not be ready to return and Coquelin, who left the ground on crutches, will have his injury assessed today.

West Brom: Myhill 7; Dawson 7, Olsson 8, Evans 7, Brunt 7;  Yacob 7, Fletcher 7, Morrison 7, Sessegnon 7 (Gardiner (61st) 6) , McClean 8, Rondon 7 (Berahino (68th) 6).

Arsenal: Cech 6; Bellerín 6, Mertesacker 6, Koscielny 6, Monreal 6; Cazorla 6, Coquelin 6 (Arteta (14th) 5) (Flamini (49th) 6), Sanchez 7, Ozil 6, Gibbs 6 (Campbell 63rd) 5); Giroud 7.

Referee: M Clattenburg.