Arsenal news: Arsene Wenger hits back at Roy Keane following selfie comments

For a number of years, the narrative surrounding Arsenal was that they play attractive football – perhaps too lovely – and lacked the necessary experience, guile and defensive nuance to grind out ugly, tight games against the league’s other top teams.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has made only one signing this summer – goalkeeper Petr Cech from Chelsea.

FRESH from his Wembley victor, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has warned rival defences that he doesn’t plan on stepping off the pitch without scoring, or at least getting an assist, every time he plays this season.

‘I have to say I didn’t really understand Roy’s argument. I don’t see a big problem with it. “It” s 13 hours, it is boring, you want to have fun.

It should help Arsenal’s cause that they finally seem to have solved their problems in matches against their fellow title contenders. But such is the fickle nature of the modern game that if the Gunners should fail to get our campaign off on the right foot, all that pre-season momentum will instantly grind to a halt and the knives will be angrily drawn once again, as suddenly everyone will return to focusing on Arsène’s myopic shortcomings and his failure to plug any gaps in his squad bar the one between the goal posts.

“But I believe that your body settles down at the age of 23”.

The sprightlier of the two teams, Arsenal were good value for their win and would have prevailed more comfortably had Thibaut Courtois not produced late saves to thwart Santi Cazorla and Kieran Gibbs.

“But at 23, suddenly their body adapted and they went the whole career with no more major issues”. It’s the first time since Seaman departed that we’ve had a world-class keeper between the sticks, with the sort of reputation that can cause opposing strikers to fluff their lines, because they know that they need do something special to beat him.

“Ashley Cole had ankle problems, Gael Clichy had surgeries, Robin van Persie had surgeries before the age of 23 – after that they suddenly settle”.