Thursday, 12th September, 2013
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has sprung to the defence of the much-maligned Javier Pastore, brushing off mounting criticism of the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder by insisting he "has class".
Pastore made an instant impact when he arrived at the Parc des Princes from Palermo in 2011, wreaking havoc with Ligue 1 defences and providing backline splitting balls with ease.
The 24-year-old has though seen his influence at PSG tail off and he has been criticised, not least by the supporters at the Parc des Princes.
But Wenger has sprung to Pastore's defence.
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"I feel that the public at the Parc [des Princes] are quite hard on Pastore", the Arsenal manager explained to beIN Sport.
"I see him as an axial player. I think that he has class, but people say that he plays as if he has a handbrake on, that he doesn't let loose.
"In my opinion, he is still a little young to find the answer to a problem, he is a player who requires a particular building of trust.
"He does not have the speed and power to play on the flanks. He is fluid, rather axial."
Pastore has so far made four appearances in Ligue 1 for PSG this season, though he has seen himself withdrawn before the 90 minutes in three of those encounters.
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