Wenger Demands Absolute Response Against Galatasaray

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has charged his players to give a strong response against Galatasaray on Tuesday night.

The Gunners have already sealed qualification for the knockout stage of the Uefa Champions League but, with Borussia Dortmund two points ahead, must win in Istanbul and hope Dortmund lose at home to Anderlecht to top their pool and avoid a difficult round-of-16 opponent.

Wenger’s men will finish level on points with the German if Arsenal win and the latter draw at home with their Belgian opponent. And with both sides tied on head-to-head, the north Londoners would need to win by six goals or more to overturn Dortmund’s goal difference advantage and claim top spot

“We’ll go with a strong team of course, we want to win the game,” The French boss, 65, said. “Since the start of this season we have played seven games in the Champions League, including the qualifiers, and we have won four. I would like to win five.”

Danny Welbeck and Kieran Gibbs During Monday Morning Training Session. Image: Arsenal FC.
Danny Welbeck and Kieran Gibbs During Monday Morning Training Session. Image: Arsenal FC.

The final group stage game comes on the back of a 3-2 loss at Stoke City for the Premier League outfit and Wenger has called on his team to bury once and for all the disappointments over the weekend.

“We are professional people, responsible and what is important is the next game,” he added in his pre-match media briefing on Monday. “We have to respond in a strong way and win the game – that’s part of our job.

“You cannot always look for excuses. When we are down, we are down. When you have a disappointment you have to respond in a strong way – that’s what competition is about.

“You also cannot guarantee to anybody that you won’t lose a game. Many teams can lose at Stoke.”

Wenger is expected to rest several of his first team players- like Laurent Koscienly and Alex Sanchez- having enlisted many ‘Young Guns’ for the flight to Turkey.

“A few players [will not travel] because there’s not a lot at stake and we have given a lot in the last two weeks,” said Wenger. “We have to recover a little bit.

“Alexis will not travel and I don’t think I can play, for example, Koscielny. He didn’t play on Saturday and I don’t see why I should risk him for a game where’s there’s not a lot at stake.

“First place hypothetically, but there’s maybe a 10 per cent chance.”

He added: “Some (of the youngsters) are closer [to the first team], like Chuba Akpom who you know already. You have Gedion Zelalem who you will certainly already know.

“We have maybe two other players who are now making big strides forward – Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who is very good, and Stefan O’Connor, the centre back, who looks very promising in training.”

Galatasaray are rock-bottom in Group D, with a solitary point from five games. New coach Hamza Hamzaoğlu has a 100 per cent record since taking over the reins last month and would rather continue planning for next season.

Saturday’s 2-1 home win over Akhisar Belediyespor was Gala’s second under the 44-year-old, who has set out to unleash a 2-man striking pair of Umut Bulut and Burak Yilmaz on Arsenal in a bid to end their disappointing campaign with heads held up high.

Wenger concluded: “Galatasaray is a massive club in Turkey. They certainly have the biggest support in Turkey. They had a difficult start to the season and in this group they cannot even get Europa League.

“It’s a massive surprise because I thought they would be one of the contenders to go through. Let’s not forget that last year they knocked Juventus out when they qualified from the group stage, so it is a surprise.

“Turkish people are very proud and they will try to finish well this campaign with a convincing performance.”

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