• Premier League

Wenger: Arsenal lack 'experience' in defence

Defensive injuries to Mathieu Debuchy (above) and Laurent Koscielny have left Arsenal exposed © Getty Images

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Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal have lost "experience" in defence this season following injuries to Mathieu Debuchy and Laurent Koscielny.

Debuchy, 29, has been but has been out since suffering ankle ligament damage in September while Koscielny, 29, has been missing since October with an Achilles problem.

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Wenger has been forced to field a make-shift back line including 19 year-old Calum Chambers and Nacho Monreal forced to fill in at centre-back, with the team recently surrendering late leads to Anderlecht and Swansea.

Arsenal are 12 points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea but Wenger has backed his side to recover and be more ruthless - starting with Saturday's game at home against Manchester United.

"We lost experience. We lost two players with experience - Debuchy and Koscielny," he told the club's official website.

"If you look [at us] as a unit, I want to give credit to my team for defending well because we are in the top two teams in the speed to win the ball back, we are the team that allows teams to get into their final third less than anybody else.

"Where we have to be more clinical is in the chances we give away. We give very few away, but we have to be a bit more clinical in that."

Wenger has revealed that Theo Walcott is likely to miss Saturday's match against Louis van Gaal's side, with Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez also doubts for the game.

There is better news for Arsenal fans regarding Olivier Giroud, as the striker is ahead of schedule for his return to action following a tibia fracture in August.

"He's ahead of schedule by at least three weeks," Wenger said. "We planned for him to be back in January.

He's not there yet on the competition front but he's in decent physical shape. He's a bit short [of fitness] but he worked very hard to be back early and it worked.

"The surgery went well, he had no setbacks during his rehab and he's got a naturally solid structure. He is very solid and heals very well. He also has a positive mentality. He's always positive and that helps as well." United and England captain Wayne Rooney goes into Saturday's game in fine form having netted three times during the recent international break.

Van Gaal has deployed the 29-year-old in numerous roles of late given United's recent injury crisis, but Wenger is fully aware that Rooney will poses a threat in whichever role he features in at the Emirates.

"I personally believe that Wayne Rooney is a centre-forward," he said. "He played in that role on Tuesday night and he did very well. I'm not surprised. He scored that goal against David Seaman when he was 16 years of age. That day I came out and said 'this guy will make an exceptional career.'

"He has all you want from a top-class player. He works hard, is committed, classy and understands the game. Because he works so hard, maybe that's why he played in different positions. I'm not surprised. For me, yes [he is world-class]."

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