Arsene Wenger believes an increase in defensive efficiency has given his team a platform to attack with freedom.
Arsenal go into Sunday’s Premier League match against Chelsea having won their last nine games. The Gunners have scored at least twice in eight of those fixtures, conceding only five goals over the course of the run.
The manager is not surprised at that correlation, because he feels the side are playing with complete confidence in each other.
"Sometimes it is difficult to let that inhibition go when the belief is not there. When you are on a winning route, it is a bit easier"
“I think we are a bit more efficient defensively but not necessarily more cautious,” he said.
”Maybe we attack even more. There is less reluctance to go forward when we have the ball when the belief is stronger.
“When we go, we go because the belief is behind them. Sometimes it is difficult to let that inhibition go when the belief is not there. When you are on a winning route, it is a bit easier.
“We have to organise that the players who go forward [against Chelsea] do so with 100 per cent belief and the players who do not go protect us from being caught on the counter-attack.
“We have been good [when defending] counter-attacks, but Chelsea have been the most efficient team on them. Maybe as well they play a bit more for that.”
Arsenal's defenders have performed well of late
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