Ljungberg: Gunners need killer instinct

ARSENAL midfielder Freddie Ljungberg has admitted the Gunners need to develop a killer instinct if they are to make any real progress in the Champions League this season.

Ljungberg accepts that Arsenal are in a “dodgy” qualifying situation after being held to a draw in each of their four most recent Champions League games.

Their 1-1 result at home to Roma means they must secure yet another draw away to Valencia next week to reach the quarter-finals, although they could still be saved in defeat if the Italian side beat Ajax.

The over-riding concern for the Gunners is that they are still falling short of the form required to win the Champions League.

In their home matches against both Valencia and Roma, for example, their opponents were reduced to 10 men, while they were ahead against both the Italian team and Ajax at Highbury before conceding an equaliser.

While Arsene Wenger’s side easily grind most Premiership teams into submission with their lethal combination of pace and power, they are finding the European stage harder to dominate.

“Of course, sometimes we have a problem in killing teams off. There’s no question about it, we’ve had that in the past,” admitted Ljungberg.

“But hopefully we can develop that and do it a bit better. Sometimes we have a lot of chances and then the opponents score a freak goal and we have a problem.”

While a draw against Valencia would again be enough, Ljungberg believes Arsenal must chase victory in the Mestalla Stadium, as they cannot change their naturally adventurous style.

This would decisively banish the doubts which remain over the Gunners’ home form in Europe this season, with just one win out of six games at Highbury.