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Cooney on Soccer: The rise of crossing and dribbling's decline - Wenger's World Cup insights

Our latest newsletter from Qatar goes inside Wenger’s illuminating – and controversial – briefing.

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This article by Gavin Cooney is available in full exclusively to The42 Members.

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I schlepped back out to the Main Media Centre in Qatar this morning to a technical briefing with Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klinsmann, which reinforced the first rule of journalism: Always Turn Up. 

It proved more newsworthy than I anticipated, when Wenger responded to a question on the impact of stunted preparation time by saying that the teams who did well in their opening games were those with experience but also those who “were mentally ready to focus on the competition and not on political demonstration.”

This line has been trotted out to mock Germany in particular, but it was jarring to hear a figure as respected as Wenger say it on stage. It’s also demonstrably false: the Australian players spoke as before the tournament, and went on to match their best-ever performance at the tournament. 

But beneath the headline it was an interesting briefing, which looked at some of the tactical trends of the group phase. 

The goals per game ratio in the group stage of this World Cup is very similar to its immediate predecessors. We’ve had 2.5 goals a game in Qatar, where the same figure was 2.54 in Russia and 2.83 in Brazil. 

What has changed is how those goals are being scored. There has been a drop in the number of long-range strikes, with Klinsmann saying that teams are gumming up the centre of the pitch. The result has been to push the bulk of attacks to the flanks: 58% of all ‘entries to the final third’ (attacks to you and I) have come on the left and right wings. Citing these stats, Wenger said he believes the winner of the World Cup will be the team with the best wingers….

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    Mute Limón Madrugada
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    May 27th 2019, 6:43 PM

    I wouldn’t bet on him playing for Real next season just yet .

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    Mute Claire Con
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    May 27th 2019, 9:29 PM

    @Limón Madrugada: I agree, defiantly not in the league games unless he really seems to prosper. Vinicius I feel was played too often and too fast this season too. He needs to work on his finishing

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    Mute Vinny O'Shaughnessy
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    May 27th 2019, 8:48 PM

    If I was going to start playing for Real Madrid I’d probably be vomiting too. Despicable club with the most ungrateful supporters.

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    Mute Claire Con
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    May 27th 2019, 9:31 PM

    @Vinny O’Shaughnessy: this statement is completely false. Every club has a small number of toxic supporters but that’s just football. Compared to other teams we aren’t too bad. Look at serie-A fans calling black players monkeys and so on. Yes some fans fail to show respect to club legends but that’s a common trait in Spain. Barcelona fans, Atletico fans etc are the same

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    May 27th 2019, 10:07 PM

    @Claire Con: all well and good to point the finger but Real Madrid fans have also racially abused black opposition player, Dembele got it in El Clásico in February. But we both know that the commenter was referring to the amount of abuse and booing Real fans give their own players at the earliest sign of any problem.

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    Mute Limón Madrugada
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    May 27th 2019, 10:41 PM

    @Dave O Keeffe: just not true.

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    Mute Kieran Fogarty
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    May 27th 2019, 10:57 PM

    @Claire Con: in fairness he said ungrateful fans

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    Mute Bryn Capstan
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    May 28th 2019, 1:42 AM

    @Vinny O’Shaughnessy: cheap shot. Jealousy no doubt. What’s your club won this decade so far???

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    Mute Claire Con
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    May 28th 2019, 5:24 PM

    @Dave O Keeffe: and like I said, unfortunately fans like that exist everywhere. In fairness it isn’t as regular of an occurrence like in Italy (thank God) but unfortunately Spanish fans tend to be aggressive.

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    Mute Claire Con
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    May 28th 2019, 5:25 PM

    @Kieran Fogarty: in fairness he called the club despicable. Not the most accurate comment when you compare the club to others.

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    Mute A Person
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    May 28th 2019, 6:55 PM

    @Claire Con: Mbappe

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    May 29th 2019, 1:19 AM

    @Limón Madrugada: several sources, including Dembele himself.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    May 29th 2019, 2:27 AM

    @Claire Con: except you specifically singled out serie A fans for racism as a defense of Madrid fans. In no way am I saying it’s just Madrid. It’s pretty prevalent in Spain.

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    Mute Claire Con
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    May 29th 2019, 7:18 PM

    @Dave O Keeffe: I wasn’t necessarily singling our anyone. I simply mean that this isn’t an irregular occurrence in serie A games. Literally something happens every game.

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