Arsenal

Arsene Wenger hails Arsenal toughness

By Matt Cotton, Reporter | 04 February 2013

Arsene Wenger says that Arsenal are learning how to deal with the Premier League's more physical sides and becoming tougher in the process.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has praised his side's ability to deal with the Premier League's more physical teams after their win over Stoke City at the weekend.

Having dominated the majority of the match, Lukas Podolski struck a deflected free kick in the 76th minute to earn the Gunners a 1-0 win over the Potters at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

The North Londoner's inability to deal with the physicality of some teams in the past has been well-documented, but Wenger believes that his side are beginning to change that view.

"In England you have to cope with all kinds of football without losing the quality you want to play," Wenger told Sky Sports News. "That is not always easy because if you have 10 Santi Cazorlas, you would have a very good technical team, but against Stoke you would struggle.

"I think it is more mental preparation. You tell your central defenders you have to be ready and they are good on the second ball too, so your midfielders have to be good on the second ball, to fight for it and let you play your game. We played Abou Diaby at home and away against Stoke because in front of the defence he can win some headers.

"We are a bit more mature now, but we dealt with it well. In the past, we were a bit younger as well, more inexperienced. But defensively, Bacary Sagna, Nacho Monreal, Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker have some experience, some stature, they are not small at the back."

Arsenal endured a goalless draw against Stoke at the Britannia Stadium earlier in the season.