• Champions League

Wenger asks for patience with Welbeck

ESPN staff
September 17, 2014
Arsenal's spineless performance

Arsene Wenger admits that Danny Welbeck "needs a goal" after signing for Arsenal for £16 million but is asking for patience with the former Manchester United striker.

Welbeck has only played two games for his new club and his manager does not want his failure to score in either to become an issue, but after several poor misses in the Champions League defeat against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday the manager said was forced on to the defensive.

Wenger said: "Danny will improve - we don't have to make a problem of that. 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.

"He was dangerous. He tired in the second half, but he couldn't finish tonight. He looked lively and did well. He needs a goal to get that off his shoulders.

Welbeck missed Arsenal's best chance against Dortmund, mishitting a shooting opportunity when one-on-one with goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller when the game was goalless. He hit his shot wide and had failed to score in similar fashion against Manchester City last Saturday.

Welbeck's finishing has come in for criticism before - with Louis van Gaal claiming he was not prolific enough for United - but the striker has insisted that if he was given a run in the team as a centre-forward he would prove what he could do.

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