WENGER: GIVE POINTS FOR GOALS
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has proposed a change to the points system in the Premier League in a bid to encourage attacking football.
With the financial price of relegation from the top flight so high, managers have been known to adopt defensive tactics with a view to holding out for a draw, rather than risk being exposed and suffering defeat.
This campaign, in the 30 rounds of games so far, there has been an average of 2.45 goals per game - down from 2.64 last term.
And Wenger has suggested that teams should be rewarded for a forward-thinking ethos by offering extra points for their winning margin in an encounter.
The Frenchman told the club's official magazine: "I would like to see a scheme brought in where you get more points for scoring more goals.
"In France they experimented with something before. When you scored three goals, you got an extra point. It was not a good system because you didn't care how many goals you conceded.
"A fairer system would be three points for a victory as now, then extra points for your positive goal difference.
"For example, if you win 6-3, you get three points for the win, plus three more for the goal difference, while the team that loses gets none."
He added: "I explain the statistics by the fact the league has been so tight this year, and also because the pressure on managers is enormous, so most of them adopt a cautious attitude.
"In the longer term that could be detrimental to the quality of the game here. It will have an effect because, if we have more and more strikers sitting on the bench, and more defensive midfield players being used, the quality will not go up.
"Who is the most dominant team in the last 12 months? You have to say Manchester United, but they have won about 10 games 1-0 this season.
"That means nobody has found the solution to break down these teams that are resilient, well-organised and excellent physically."
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has proposed a change to the points system in the Premier League in a bid to encourage attacking football.
With the financial price of relegation from the top flight so high, managers have been known to adopt defensive tactics with a view to holding out for a draw, rather than risk being exposed and suffering defeat.
This campaign, in the 30 rounds of games so far, there has been an average of 2.45 goals per game - down from 2.64 last term.
And Wenger has suggested that teams should be rewarded for a forward-thinking ethos by offering extra points for their winning margin in an encounter.
The Frenchman told the club's official magazine: "I would like to see a scheme brought in where you get more points for scoring more goals.
"In France they experimented with something before. When you scored three goals, you got an extra point. It was not a good system because you didn't care how many goals you conceded.
"A fairer system would be three points for a victory as now, then extra points for your positive goal difference.
"For example, if you win 6-3, you get three points for the win, plus three more for the goal difference, while the team that loses gets none."
He added: "I explain the statistics by the fact the league has been so tight this year, and also because the pressure on managers is enormous, so most of them adopt a cautious attitude.
"In the longer term that could be detrimental to the quality of the game here. It will have an effect because, if we have more and more strikers sitting on the bench, and more defensive midfield players being used, the quality will not go up.
"Who is the most dominant team in the last 12 months? You have to say Manchester United, but they have won about 10 games 1-0 this season.
"That means nobody has found the solution to break down these teams that are resilient, well-organised and excellent physically."
Next he'll be wanting extra points for which ever manager comes up with 'most elaborate/creative excuses' for why their team is pish.
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