Arsenal's Arsene Wenger hits back at pundits

Arsene Wenger has told TV pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher they cannot back up their criticism of his Arsenal side.

Wenger claims the Sky Sports duo don’t talk about the games they are meant to be analysing and instead speak about themselves too much. He also said Gunners youngster Francis Coquelin has emerged as the best defensive midfielder in Europe.

Former Manchester United defender Neville claimed during Monday night's broadcast of Arsenal's draw with Liverpool that Wenger is either “naive or arrogant” to think he can win the title with flair players.

But Wenger, who has worked for years as a co-commentator for French TV station TF1, says expert pundits who either have been in the game or still work in it should show a better understanding.

The Arsenal boss said: “The only thing I want is that, when people have opinions, it is documented and worked-out before - especially when it is football specialists.

“It is not just about talking.

"I accept you can be right and I can be wrong, but what you do not want is just an opinion that comes out just because you feel like that.

“When I watch sometimes, the guy doesn’t talk about the game - he tells you his life and what he thinks about football.

“But I like to know that Schneiderlin passed to Carrick.

"Sometimes, I watch games and at the end I don’t know the players who have played on the pitch because the guys don’t comment on the game any more.

“The first mission is to educate people. Yes, that is fantastic because the guy who has played can explain things to the guy who has not played at the top level. It can help them understand and get people to really love the game.

“That, for me, is the first mission. To also come out and say, ‘Oh yes, this game is great.’ Some do it very well but the other way, I don’t like so much.

“I accept critics, I think I have shown you over 20 years that I cannot solve the lot but I want people to educate and get people to love the game.”

Neville was particularly cutting about Arsenal rising star Coquelin and Wenger gave a robust response of his fellow Frenchman, insisting his criticism was over the top and is destructive towards the 24-year-old.

Former Manchester United full-back Neville, who in his other job as an England coach works with Arsenal’s five full internationals, says they cannot defend.

But Wenger insists the statistics say otherwise and that the Sky pundits cannot back up their argument.

Wenger said: “Coquelin has the best defensive statistics and numbers in Europe. You watch football like I watch football. I don’t know what people see. Defensively, Coquelin is doing a great job.

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