Arshavin reveals Arsene’s half-time team talk

by CARL ELDRIDGE Arsene Wenger told his frustrated players to keep their cool after failing to make the breakthrough against Ipswich in the first half of the Carling Cup semi-final second leg clash at the Emirates last night.

That’s according to Andrey Arshavin who has told his official site that the manager urged them to remain calm, up the intensity of their game and wait for Ipswich to tire. Arshavin said: “Ipswich came to London to try and defend their advantage. Maybe they tried to play in such a way so that they could score from a set piece while keeping us from scoring.

“If they had managed to do so, we would’ve had to score three goals in order to win this game.

“We took a very seriously approach to this game, tried to “crush” our opponents from the very first minute of the match. We expected to score a quick first goal. But after the first 45 minutes, the score was still 0-0.

“During the break Arsene told us to play in the same high-tempo and try to speed up. He said that there would come a moment when the Ipswich players would get tired and then it would get more and more difficult for them to hold back our attacks. The coach asked us to keep our cool, not to make hasty, ill-considered passes, take care of the ball. He was sure that there would come a moment when we’d press them out.

“Actually, we played that way and that led to the Nicklas’s goal. I would say that the goal came at the right time. Here it’s worth pointing out not only his skills in finishing this chance off, but also a Wilshere’s great cross to Bendtner.

“This goal allowed us to lift some kind of inner tension from the team and our fans. Once we started to lead the score, the game became easier. Soon we scored a good goal from a set piece.”

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Eldo71

Arsenal fan for 40 years. Schoolboys, North Bank, Clock End then East Upper. Then Emirates. AFC dream team: Wilson, Dixon, Sansom, Adams, Pates, Brady, Williams, Pires, Bergkamp, Henry, Wright. Subs: Seaman, Eldridge, Wilshere, RVP, Ball. Manager: Arsene Chapman.

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