Alexandre’s tipped to end Lac of goals

ARSENE WENGER warned his goal-shy strikers to be more clinical or Arsenal will face more frustration when they play Newcastle.

He believes draws at Southampton and West

Ham in their last two outings show opponents are setting up defensively with the main objective of trying not to lose.

The Gunners had 64 shots in their last three games and scored just twice. They have created more chances than any other Premier League team but have not taken them.

That comes down to their forwards, but Wenger has backed eight-goal Alexandre Lacazette to come good, while insisting Alexis Sanchez has not been affected by the uncertainty over his future.

The Emirates boss said: “Not quite clinical enough, yes. It’s difficult to explain. As we spoke about Sanchez last year, he scored 24, he’s on four at the moment. But he is still committed and he works hard.”

Of Lacazette he said: “I feel if you look at his record, it’s quite good. Especially at home. At home his scoring record is really good. Away from home, a bit less.

“But also, do the teams defend better? You could say no, because we create more chances than anybody else.

“Are the chances of the same quality? I don’t know.

“Is it confidence? Is it the fact the guys think we have absolutely to score? It’s difficult to know.

“But we have the chances, the quality of our game is there. But it’s true that at the moment, we cannot show it up with points.”

Wenger also warned that Arsenal must beware of dropping points against struggling Newcastle by dominating the game only to concede late chances as they press forward and leave themselves short at the back.

He added: “What is even worse is you know if you haven’t scored in the last 10 minutes you will have to go through one moment, they will find one moment, one free-kick or corner where you’ll be in trouble and that’s what could’ve happened at West Ham.

“You can lose the game where you’ve have 70 per cent of the ball. It is a modern problem.

“The defence gives you a new problem, you have to find a new solution.

“We are not far from it because you feel the quality of the game is there but we have to be more efficient to finish what we prepare.”