Wenger - We're more defensively mature

Arsene Wenger says Arsenal have improved their "defensive maturity" this season.

The Gunners have conceded 16 goals in 18 games and have kept three clean sheets from their last four outings.

Wenger thinks his side should continue playing their own style of game when they come up against well-organised teams.

"We're better, we have a lot more defensive maturity particularly," said Wenger. "We have also been able to overcome more difficult times during matches.

"I think we're perhaps not playing that well because opponents are more organised against us. I think it's important to play our game even if opponents are well-organised."

The Gunners have won games this season despite having less possession than their opponents but Wenger believes those statistics are misleading.

"Against Southampton they had a lot of ball possession but in their own half of the field and very little in our final third, so it's an illusion, these possession statistics," he said.

"The right balance in ball possession is progression and you can see it in Tottenham and Manchester City, where Tottenham actually had more ball possession."