ARSENAL MANAGER Arsene Wenger questioned Chelsea’s style as Antonio Conte’s men close in on the Premier League title.
Wenger’s teams have been renowned for playing possession-based games, but Chelsea are sixth in that statistic this season with 54.2 per cent.
That follows on from Leicester City’s remarkable title-winning campaign of 2015-16, when they ranked 18th with just 42.4.
Wenger pointed to the trend of the Premier League’s top teams, and said a lack of European football also helped.
“Over the last two seasons, teams who have not big possession have won the league,” he said. ”And, as well, teams who were not involved in Europe, at all, won the league.
“Because the league is so physically difficult, maybe it is very difficult to cope with both. We will see how Chelsea respond next season.”
While Wenger likes his teams to keep possession, Arsenal’s last league title came in 2003-04.
Chelsea can secure their crown by beating West Brom on Friday, but Wenger has no plans to change.
“Over a longer period it is still the teams who have the most possession,” he said.
“I still think a sport has to encourage initiative and if it rewards too much teams who don’t take the initiative, then we have to rethink the whole process because people will not, forever, come to watch teams who do not want to take the initiative.”
Arsenal are sixth in the table and face a crucial trip to Southampton on Wednesday.
How much possession did they have when barca spanked them over two legs? Twenty two percent if I recall. It’s a simple game. Put the ball in the net. Keep it out at the other end. Chelsea won the league with a good defensive record, a good striker and creative midfielders. Wenger can point to possession stats against muck teams but it’s no good if you can’t score and can’t defend.
@Horiscope Bollox: yeah that’s pretty much his point….if you have 20% possession you shouldn’t be winning games
I’d say Arsenal fans would gladly swap possession football for the possession of a few league titles.Arsene getting a tad bitter more like
Its a results business. No supporter of a Premier League winning team cares how they got there.
@Dan: I disagree. I think how a team plays is very important. As a United fan, if LVG had won the treble I’d still want him out the door. You couldn’t watch that week in week out.
@Figo murphy: Liverpool had 80% possesion when Burnley beat them 2-0 last year. Think Burnley care about possesion? United under LVG had 79% and lost to West Bromwich. Possesion means shag all. It doesn’t automatically mean if you have possesion youre playing the more attractive football. Leicester won the league last year with a 49% avg I think.
Oh, give it a rest Wenger. They’ve won and they’ve won comfortably, and what’s more teams like Chelsea, Atletico, Juventus and even the Italians are fascinating to watch in their own way.
Wenger’s a snob who’s only hiding behind his principles because his own Arsenal empire is crumbling. If he genuinely believes what he’s saying here, then it’s past time for him to go.