Arsenal Can Cope With The Pressure – Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger believes that Arsenal are handling the pressure better this season than they have done in recent years.

Wenger’s side moved to the top of the Premier League table after their 3-1 win against Stoke on Saturday, albeit only for a day after Chelsea defeated West Bromwich Albion 1-0 on Sunday.

The Gunners had to come from behind to beat Stoke after Charlie Adam’s penalty had given the visitors the lead — their sixth comeback after falling behind in all competitions this season, winning three and drawing three of those games. By this time last term, they had managed to claim just one victory and one draw from a losing position.

“I believe that the players are better able to handle the pressure,” Wenger is quoted as saying by The Times. “It’s the sixth time that we are down in the game and come back [to draw] or win since the start of the season.

“That’s not a coincidence. It doesn’t happen just because you say, ‘Come on, you have to keep fighting.’ That means there is something in the team that is quite strong, but after that we have to keep the spirit.

“The spirit as well is quite fragile you know, we have to keep the energy in the side, the team energy in the side, and everybody has to take care of that.”

Walcott netted Arsenal’s equaliser on Saturday, and the winger agrees with his manager that the team are mentally stronger this season.

“You could see there was disappointment after the [Stoke] penalty decision,” Walcott said. “I think we would have felt sorry for ourselves in the past and say it is not a penalty. But we started the second half well. We don’t normally do that but there was something about us. Before going out everyone was ready.”