2010-04-24 : Arsenal 0 - 0 Manchester City

Wenger: We are 90 per cent sure of third place

Dear Arsenal Supporter,

Saturday afternoon was an unusual one because we created very few chances and I am not used to that.

Manchester City didn't create much either - they were highly focused on defending well. They didn't give us any space and we could not find the opener. For as long as we couldn't do that it was a locked game basically. We saw two teams who played well defensively, had very good discipline but created very few chances.

But I am not surprised City did not attack more. They may think that if they can get a point against us and beat Tottenham at home then they will finish fourth. As for us, we are 90 per cent sure of third place.

Emmanuel Adebayor's appearance made the game a bit livelier because our supporters responded, while he was focused, motivated and sharp. But even then City didn't create much - they played a lot on the counter-attack and we weren't in trouble often.

Robin van Persie started his first game since November and he was sharp for 60 or 70 minutes. After that he dropped physically, but that's understandable. I left him on because I thought a set-piece could have been decisive and he could score from a free-kick or deliver a corner. Having been out for such a long time, Robin's performance was very positive.

Sol Campbell was excellent - since he has been back in the team he has been outstanding. I never really expected this from him and that is a great credit to him. I will sit down with him at some point to talk about his future.

Finally, a word for Lukasz Fabianski. He was spot on from the first to the last minute on Saturday. He read all the situations very well and that is what you want from him. I have always said he is one of the most talented goalkeepers and when he gets his concentration right he will be fine.

Thanks for your support.

Arsène Wenger

2010-04-18 : Wigan 3 - 2 Arsenal

Wenger: We were not focused or disciplined

Dear Arsenal Supporter,

I believe that we were not focused or disciplined at Wigan and we got caught.

We were a bit unlucky as well but overall, in football, you have to keep focused for 90 minutes or you take a risk, especially against a team who has nothing to lose and fights to stay up. Those teams will not give up and in the end we were punished.

I never thought the game was over even at 2-0. I saw that we were having difficulties keeping the ball and creating opportunities. When you do not create chances in football you are in trouble. After we went 2-0 up our game lacked cohesion and discipline and I always felt that we could be punished.

I do not want to go into any judgment on individuals and I will keep to myself what I said to the players. But at top-level competition you have to be focused for 90 minutes or you can lose.

We have had injury problems but I do not want to use that as an excuse. When you are 2-0 up and you play for Arsenal Football Club I believe you cannot use injuries as an excuse when you go on and lose the game.

A win would have put us back in the title race but now we know that Spurs can catch us and Manchester City can catch us. We have to win at least one game.

Thanks for your support.

Arsène Wenger

2010-04-05: Arsenal 1 - 0 Wolves

Wenger: We must be audacious in Barcelona

Dear Arsenal Supporter,

Saturday's win keeps us in the title race.

It was important to forget Barcelona for 24 hours and focus on the Wolves game, and that was not easy. But we did it well - I think we had a good focus. We were a bit jaded physically but we kept going and we didn't make a mistake at the back. In the end we got a deserved victory against a resilient Wolves team who had a great goalkeeper.

I put all our late goals down to our mental tenacity, our unity and the focus of the players who come into the side. Everybody works in the same direction. And as well, we often take advantage of our technical superiority in the final part of the game.

I felt it became more difficult against 10 men when Wolves had Karl Henry sent off because suddenly they dropped 10 yards and got everybody in front of their box. We were not so much under the threat of conceding a goal but it looked difficult to create chances. I knew we would continue to try but I was not certain we would score in the final minute!

Nicklas Bendtner scored our goal and he is a player who can take criticism. He responds well to it and has that strength. I believe he is improving, which is not unusual for a young player at 22. There is still room for improvement, but he is becoming more of a team player and is working hard. It is all positive.

A draw would have finished our title hopes because if you're five points behind Chelsea with five games to go, you can forget it. But a three-point gap is feasible because we have a difficult programme but they have a difficult programme as well.

Now we focus on Barcelona and I don't deny it will be a difficult task. We have to raise above the impression they left on us in the first part of the match, to have a game plan and stick to it. I believe we have to be audacious and not hide. I do not deny in the first part of the first leg that Barcelona were over-dominant, but if you look at the chances we created, we had some good ones.

Thanks for your support.


Arsène Wenger