Arsenal's interim manager Freddie Ljungberg said Arsenal can still finish in the Premier League top four despite their performance this season which has seen the club's winless streak in the league extended to six games.
Former Gunners' midfielder Ljungberg was in charge for the first time after Unai Emery's sacking on Friday.
Arsenal are enduring their longest winless league run in a single season since 1994 and are seven points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea in eighth spot. They have not won in all competitions for eight games but Ljungberg remained upbeat.
"100 percent," the Swede said when asked if Arsenal could still mount a top-four challenge. "People drop points here and there and we drop points, it's a crazy league at the moment. I hope and think Arsenal can finish in the top four."
SACKED: Former Arsenal manager Unai Emery 2019. Picture: Adam Davy/AP.
Ljungberg said ideally he would have "five or six weeks" to get his ideas across to the players but with a home match against Brighton & Hove Albion on Thursday before a trip to West Ham United the following Monday he does not have that luxury.
Ljungberg said he will focus on tightening up all over the pitch as his side have much work to do.
"We have problems in transitions, and that's what I will try to fix," he said, adding that he wanted Arsenal to have more possession and deny their opponents as many chances to shoot.
Freddie Ljungberg is confident about Arsenal's chances at finishing in the top four... and couldn't resist a quick dig at Spurs in the process. 😂 pic.twitter.com/GdoEy8rkGs
— Arsenal FC News (@ArsenalFC_fl) December 1, 2019
"I will just try to do small building blocks and try to change things in a slow tempo, so hopefully we can understand it and practice it. But right now we have players who need to recover and we probably only get one and a half (training sessions) again before the next game.
"That's football, for me I just try to make it as simple as possible for the players and hopefully we can get better."
Reuters