Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has asked fans and critics for patience with England striker Danny Welbeck and his team after a forlorn display in their 2-0 Champions League defeat at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.
“It’s very difficult to go into any individual assessment of any player because as a team we were not at the requested level,” said Wenger.”They were very, very strong in midfield, yes, stronger than us in midfield,” he said.
Wenger, who has guided Arsenal into the Champions League group stages for 17 successive years, was reluctant to dwell on his team’s defects until he has seen videos of the game again, but defended Welbeck, a 16 million pounds transfer window deadline day signing from Manchester United.
“Danny will improve - we don’t have to make a problem of that,” he told reporters. “He had a very lively first half. He had two or three good chances, but couldn’t finish them. There was one obvious one... We have to be patient with him.”
Welbeck wasted his easiest of three chances in the first half when, with the score still goalless, he turned on to a pass from Aaron Ramsey, but steered his shot wide.
