Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger worried by gap to Chelsea

Arsene Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger called on his side to address their defensive frailties after Danny Welbeck’s stoppage-time equaliser helped salvage a 2-2 draw against Hull City at The Emirates on Saturday.

Chile forward Alexis Sanchez gave Arsenal the lead on 13 minutes, only for Hull midfielder Mohamed Diame to equalise four minutes later despite the home side’s protests that the powerful midfielder had fouled Mathieu Flamini in the build-up.

Striker Abel Hernandez, starting in place of Nikica Jelavic who was injured in the warm-up, headed the visitors in front 32 seconds into the second half.

Welbeck, however, saved Arsenal’s blushes when he pounced on Sanchez’s pass after the former Barcelona man had weaved his way through the Hull defence.

"It was a disappointing afternoon because we only got the point," Wenger told reporters.

"We had to absolutely win this game. We were unlucky with the referee on the first goal but on the second we can only blame ourselves.

“We came out of the dressing-room with a lack of focus and gave them the lead straight away. The defensive concentration was missing on the second goal. At that level you cannot give the goals away like that."

Sixth-placed Arsenal have won just one of their last seven league fixtures and with Jose Mourinho’s table-topping Chelsea boasting an 11-point advantage over Wenger’s side, the Frenchman knows his side have got a lot of catching up to do.

"This was the kind of game where we cannot afford to concede another goal when we come out at 1-1,” he said.

“We know that, we have enough experience to know that. We cannot give a goal away like we did it. Of course, I cannot say it (Chelsea’s lead) is not a concern, it’s a big concern because the other teams win their games and we don’t."

With the painful memories of Aaron Ramsey’s extra-time FA Cup winner still fresh in his mind, Hull manager Steve Bruce was left cursing his luck for a second time when Welbeck struck late on for Arsenal.

“Today I didn’t think we were going to concede because we were comfortable,” said Bruce, whose side sit ninth with 10 points from eight matches.

“We ran out of juice badly and made a few mistakes, but I can’t remember my goalkeeper having to make a save.

“To be fair to the boy Sanchez, he has gone past three of us in the 90th minute which is not easy to do. He produced a great pass to Welbeck and he’s finished with aplomb. It’s very disappointing because I thought we were going to hang on."