Wenger happy to wait before assessing Arsenal's November

Jon Fisher

Wenger happy to wait before assessing Arsenal's November image

Arsene Wenger will wait a week before assessing Arsenal's performances in November, having drawn three games on the bounce.

The Gunners have slipped to fourth in the Premier League and are also now unlikely to top their Champions League group following a midweek draw with Paris Saint-Germain, but Wenger insists the quality of the opposition they have faced in recent weeks must be taken into consideration.

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Speaking ahead of Sunday's game with Bournemouth, he said: "I would say it depends on what we do in the last week of the month to really assess it, but we haven't lost despite having difficult games – Spurs, Manchester United, PSG.

"Three difficult games in a row, but let's see how we finish."

The stalemate with PSG followed on from equally frustrating home league draws against Tottenham and Middlesbrough and Wenger called on his players to rouse the crowd when Eddie Howe's men visit Emirates Stadium at the weekend.

"We need to re-find our game as, although we didn't lose, that won't last if you don't create chances. We need to find our pacy combinations, we have missed that fluency," he added.

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"It's down to us to create the momentum for the crowd. The crowd are behind us and we want to regain our fluency of movement. It has not been there over the past three games.

"The positive is that we haven't lost, but it's not positive enough for us, we want to win games. Sometimes you go through a spell where it's less easy for you, but we want to get back to the three-pointers."

Spanish striker Lucas Perez has resumed training, but will not be considered until next week's EFL Cup quarter-final tie with Southampton.

Olivier Giroud is fit and may get another start after being named in the XI against PSG, although Wenger was non-committal on any possible changes for Bournemouth.

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"It's just game by game, I make the decision on the next game," he said.

"I thought in this game [against PSG] his physical presence could give them problems at the back. We need everyone on board and it's just the next game that matters."

Jon Fisher