Wenger praises Gunners' 'team spirit'

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has hailed the Gunners’ “team spirit and togetherness” as key in their impressive comeback victory over Preston at Deepdale.

Preston had Arsenal under the cosh for almost the entire first half in their thriller of an FA Cup third round tie with a Callum Robinson goal putting Simon Grayson’s side ahead before second half strikes from Aaron Ramsay and Olivier Giroud gave Arsenal the win.

The comeback win follows hot on the heels of Arsenal securing a 3-3 draw with Bournemouth, having been 3-0 down in that tie; speaking post-match Wenger was pressed as to how his side were able to dig out these results, and responded by saying: "I believe that we have a togetherness and fighting spirit and that is why we have these comebacks.

“It was a typical cup tie with English enthusiasm and the crowd cheering on their team."

The Gunners team spirit has been often criticised in the past and the comments sound like a rebuttal of those attacks from the media and the public over the last number of seasons. But Wenger is right, Arsenal have shown fortitude in digging out two big results, but will need to sustain that ability should they hope to bag silverwar come squeaky bum time.

In Wenger’s 21 years at the helm of Arsenal they have never gone out of the FA Cup at the third round stage and Wenger admitted it looked as if that record would be broken as the Gunners were rocked around the pitch by Preston for the first 45.

"Someone reminded me yesterday that I have never been out in the third round in 21 years, but tonight, in the first half, it was close,” said Wenger. “Preston played with enthusiasm and quality in the first half, they were quicker than us all over.

"Maybe subconsciously we thought that it would be easier and at half-time we knew we could have been out.”

It was a classic cup tie and Preston played their part in delivering a game that epitomised the romance of a competition where the top dogs so often get rattled by their juniors. Simon Grayson’s side played attacking and confident football and were hugely unlucky not to get more from the game.

Speaking post-mach, Grayson commented: "We didn't take our chances when they came. Some of our play was exceptional.

“We nullified a lot of their threat. But we didn't get that second goal which is crucial. We didn't go in with an advantage that we thoroughly deserved.

"Good players make good decisions and punish the opposition when they get the chance. But we can be very proud today.

"We said to the players to go out and enjoy and express themselves. We will tell that to the players from now on and see where it takes us."

It’s an age-old story of failed opportunities leading to failed attempts to storm the Bastille, but by God it was some cup match.

Photo: Getty/Michael Regan

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