Arsene Wenger gets top marks for Arsenal tactics, says Pat Nevin

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger Photo: The Sport Review

Pat Nevin has hailed Arsene Wenger’s influence on Arsenal’s resolute performance in a goalless draw at Chelsea last weekend.

The Gunners boss adopted a pragmatic approach for the trip to the Premier League champions and the move paid dividends as Arsenal produced one of their best performances on the road at a title rival in recent seasons.

The north London side lost 4-0 to title rivals Liverpool in their previous away game in the Premier League but in the absence of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, the Gunners proved a formidable opponents for Chelsea.

Indeed, Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka helped Arsenal to get a stranglehold on the Chelsea midfield and limit the influence of the club’s former captain Cesc Fabregas on the derby clash at Stamford Bridge.

Wenger has been regularly criticised over the past 12 months or so for Arsenal’s subdued performance which culminated in a fifth-place finish last term.

However, Chelsea legend Nevin believes Wenger deserves credit for getting his Arsenal tactics spot on at the home of the defending Premier League champions last weekend.

“It was odd. So many times in the past I’ve watched Arsene Wenger fail to try things at Chelsea,” Nevin told Irish radio station Newstalk.

“This time he was on his game. Wenger did well. Tactically he got it right. Top marks for Arsenal.”

Arsenal signed Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette and Schalke 04 defender Sead Kolasinac in the summer transfer window.

The Gunners have collected seven points from their opening five games.

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