EXCLUSIVE: Wenger must beware the idlers of March RESEARCH by Express Sport has revealed that March 15 has been something of a turning point in each of Arsenal’s seasons recently. Downwards Generally, whatever number of points per game Arsenal have managed to amass by the middle of March, beyond that point the level drops - to as little as half. In 2010/11 Arsenal gained just 1.1 points per game for the run-in as opposed to their pre-March 15 rate of 2.04 per match, for example. In only one season in the previous six before the 2012/13 campaign (2008/09) had they actually managed to improve their form as they headed along the final straight: 2006/07: 66% 2007/08: 83% 2008/09: 124% 2009/10: 64% 2010/11: 54% 2011/12: 97% 2012/13: 155%. On average, Arsenal’s points per game drops to just 89% of what it was before March 15.This season in particular, with every point likely to be a premium in an uncharacteristically tight finish to the title race, it won’t help Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to know that Arsenal’s rivals by the same measure normally accelerate towards the line. Average figures over the same period for the current top five are: Spurs 105% Chelsea 104% Liverpool 104% Man City 97% Arsenal 89%. It appears from the statistics that Arsenal players have got used to limping towards the finishing line at less than 90 per cent the performance level they had shown all season. Unsurprisingly, Express Sport challenged Wenger as to why Arsenal tend to fade so badly under his watch. “No, we always finish strong.” Wenger replied confidently. “Er, no you don’t,” we interjected back, having done our sums. Surprised to find himself being corrected, Wenger remained dismissive. “We don’t? Sorry? You must be well documented,” he sneered. “But I think overall we finish quite strong. I don’t think it is a problem.” If he is happy with his players playing within themselves while rivals race away by giving it the proverbial “105 per cent”, then so be it. Just as Julius Caesar dismissed the words of the soothsayer in William Shakespeare’s play, so Wenger is simply refusing to beware the Ides of March – the name the Roman’s gave for today’s date. Yet, with a tough run-in which starts against Spurs at White Hart Lane tomorrow, any one of Wenger’s rival managers could be the one to put a huge dagger in his title hopes dailyexpress.co.uk/football
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 04:21:28 +0000
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