Wenger: ‘Static’ Arsenal not ready for new season yet

Sport360 staff 12:49 04/08/2014
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  • Unimpressed: Wenger insists he's not concerned by Arsenal's lack of match fitness.

    Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted that his side were still short of fitness after they lost 1-0 to Monaco in the Emirates Cup friendly tournament.

    Having routed Benfica 5-1 on Saturday, Arsenal fell to a solitary Radamel Falcao goal the following day, leaving Wenger to brand their performance "static, lethargic, and not convincing at all".

    Wenger explained that he had removed Olivier Giroud at half-time because the French striker was "not ready at all", and the former Montpellier man was not the only player who appeared fatigued.

    In addition, Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski are all guaranteed to miss the start of the season after their World Cup-winning exploits with Germany, but Wenger says his side still have time to get in shape.

    "I'm not especially concerned. It's part of pre-season," he told a post-game press conference at the Emirates Stadium. "It's a good warning for us that we're not completely ready physically. The positive is that we had to dig deep for some players to play today (Sunday) and we got no injuries."

    Arsenal face Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday before opening their Premier League campaign against Crystal Palace the following weekend.

    Asked if Arsenal will be ready for the showdown against City at Wembley, Wenger replied: "We will be. And Man City may be as well."

    Giroud's exit, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain coming on, saw £30 million (Dhs185m ) new signing Alexis Sanchez moved from the right flank to centre-forward.

    Wenger was encouraged by Sanchez's second-half display, but when asked if the former Barcelona forward can expect to play in the centre on a regular basis, he replied: "I don't know yet, honestly.

    "Giroud is not ready at all. I thought I'd take him out because he didn't look ready and it was an opportunity as well for me to see Sanchez at centre-forward.

    "We looked better in the second half than in the first. But as well because Chamberlain gave us something that we needed — some penetration, some power."

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