Coach Wenger says Arsenal need to improve on finishing

Manager Arsene Wenger has urged Arsenal to “put things right” when they take on Southampton on Tuesday by avenging the 4-0 loss they suffered at St Mary’s Stadium on Boxing Day.

The Frenchman reportedly said: “It’s always the same with you”.

“They do not walk in the street and say ‘please, here is a world-class striker, can you take me?’ They are all at big clubs and are under contract”.

Forster only came back into the Saints’ first team in the last month after a nine-month injury layoff, and has yet to concede a single goal in the four games he’s played since his comeback.

The Leicester City and Manchester United games will be crucial as they give Arsenal the chance to claw in Leicester, before potentially increasing the gap from United in fifth place.

Ronald Koeman’s side were penned in for much of the second half as Arsenal created a host of clear-cut opportunities but a combination of woeful finishing, coupled with fine stops by Saints’ keeper Fraser Forster saw the visitors escape with a point. They also trail north London rivals Tottenham, who leapfrogged Arsenal into third spot on goal difference.

Wenger admitted his side were disappointed not to take all three points and said: “We have to respond quickly and win our next game”. Finishing is a bit cyclic, but we had enough chances to win this game.

“I just want to play football and have happy moments again”.

In what is a wide open title race, Arsenal would appear to have their best chance yet of ending their 12-year wait for a championship.

The Arsenal goalkeeper paid tribute to his opposite number Forster, who defied Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud to chalk up the 147th clean sheet of his 291-match senior career. You have to keep the faith and keep believing that you will maybe score. “Unfortunately we didn’t score and it is two points lost”.

Koeman, who witnessed the incident, is said to have intervened by accusing the Gunners boss of blaming the match officials for his team’s lack of efficiency.

If that doesn’t happen soon, this will be remembered as yet another year where Arsenal threw it all away.

“Where we especially have a big deficit is in our two home games”.