After taking a while to warm up to the game, and adjust to the formation, Arsenal gained a 2-1 win over Boro in what was an intense, bristling second half, with good goals from both Alvaro Negredo, and match victor Mesut Ozil, in what was the Gunners' first win on the road in three months.
" The first time in 20 years, that shows you that even in my age you can change.
Koscielny was the central one, pulling the strings with us both and telling us where to go and that, so with someone like him and his experience it makes it a lot more comfortable".
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says a Top Four finish will not be easy to achieve for his side despite a vital 2-1 win away at Middlesbrough. "Sometimes we want to have the ball but when a team lacks confidence just to change the system can help believe something different".
"We'd done it in the week and then we did it yesterday [Sunday] but I wasn't in the team and I wasn't sure if I was playing or not and it wasn't until today that I found out I was in the back three, so that was good. We maybe rode our luck a little bit one or two occasions on crosses, but overall, we were a bit more solid defensively".
Monaco advance to Champions League semifinals
After such a long journey to reach the Champions League semifinals, Monaco has no fear of who it plays next. His side extended a run that began in the third qualifying round against Fenerbahce in July past year .
"It was a committed game that we needed to win".
Wenger, however, refused to reveal whether he would line-up the same way for the FA Cup semi-final this weekend against Manchester City. Second half we gave away some risky situations in our box, but overall it gave us a bit of reassurance and that's what we need at the moment. We had practiced on it before but we like offensive football so this was a bit more defensive-minded for us.
"I feel overall it is not a long-term plan".
"It was not ideal but I think it's good to come back with the win".
Wenger's side are now in sixth position in England's top flight, with seven points separating them from the top four as Man City sit in fourth on 64 points.
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