Wenger wary of Ipswich threat

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists he will not be taking Championship side Ipswich lightly in their Carling Cup semi-final on Wednesday.

Arsenal struggled to a 1-1 draw against fellow Championship side Leeds in the FA Cup on Saturday and, although Ipswich were hammered 7-0 against Chelsea a day later, Wenger said that result could be misleading.

“They lost heavily but for a while it was very tight,” Wenger said.

“For the first half an hour they played very well. When the tie, like in the FA Cup, is lost after 2-0 or 3-0, it can only get worse for the team who is below.”

“But overall, the first half I think Ipswich played very well. And I believe somewhere Ipswich was more focused on the Carling Cup than the FA Cup.”

Wenger believes the smaller size of some Championship squads can be an advantage when they come up against top-flight opposition.

“In the Premier League there are always one or two players standing out there, where the club has spent a lot of money. In the Championship you face the team as a compact unit who is ready to fight against you, and I think that’s what we’ll face against Ipswich,” he said.

“They have some key players who cannot play tomorrow. But overall what you face against teams in the Championship – you have seen that against Leeds – you face more a team than any outstanding individual.”

Thu 13 January, 2011