Wenger: 'We must give our best until the end of the season'
Dear Arsenal Supporter,
Sunday's defeat at Bolton was as frustrating for me as it was for the fans.
In games like that it is important not to be 1-0 down. We came back to 1-1 and had chances to make it 2-1 and 3-1. We had given so much, physically, that in the end we did not have the concentration to stop the corner.
It is very frustrating because we should have nine points from this week's games against Liverpool, Tottenham and Bolton but we have two. That's to some degree the story of our season.
Our chances of winning the title are very minimal now, that is for sure. But we have to continue to fight. It is true that we have dropped too many points but we must give our best until the end of the season.
I feel the players have shown an outstanding attitude during the whole season and they are not to blame for what has happened. If there is someone to blame, it is me. I pick the team and I choose the players.
A very promising season has become very unsatisfactory because that is one of the easiest run-ins we have had for a long time. We didn't take our chances many times during the season and that is frustrating because you feel that the potential is there.
But we live in a job where you have to take your chances and be realistic. We still lack something and that is maturity, experience and calmness in important situations.
I have been asked if I will change my principles and if you can convince me that my principles are wrong, then I am ready to change. But I feel we try to play football the proper way. When you don't win, your principles are questioned.
You always have to take the right distance to see what is right and wrong in what you do. I think if something is wrong in our team, it is not the principle of playing our football the way we do.
I am convinced we are a very good footballing side. We have not been stable enough defensively. The numbers show that. We have conceded six goals this week at a moment where you cannot afford to conceded six goals in three games and still win the championship.
Thanks for your support.
Arsène Wenger
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
2011-04-17: Arsenal 1 - 1 Liverpool
Wenger: 'We will fight until the end of the season'
Dear Arsenal Supporter,
The players and the backroom staff came into work this morning very disappointed after Sunday's match against Liverpool. But we remain positive and fully focussed.
Sunday was so frustrating because we conceded the penalty after 11 minutes of stoppage time, when injury time was indicated to be eight minutes. We dropped two points after scoring our own penalty right at the end of the match. It's difficult to accept, but we have to continue and fight until the end of the season.
We will be working very hard in training on Monday and Tuesday in order to get ready for Wednesday's match against Spurs. Believe me, the players know how important this match is, and we will be ready for this game.
We are six points behind with six games to go, and we will give everything until the last game of the season and see if it is our year or not.
It is about us winning our games. The hope is always there but, to keep the hope alive, it is now up to us to win our games and to win our next game at Tottenham on Wednesday. Yes, we haven't taken enough points recently, but we are still on a 15-game unbeaten run in the league and we will continue fighting.
As ever, the supporters were fantastic yesterday and you have been all season, home and away. I know that you'll be there in full voice at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night and with us until the end of the season. Thanks for your continued support.
Thanks for your support.
Arsène Wenger
Dear Arsenal Supporter,
The players and the backroom staff came into work this morning very disappointed after Sunday's match against Liverpool. But we remain positive and fully focussed.
Sunday was so frustrating because we conceded the penalty after 11 minutes of stoppage time, when injury time was indicated to be eight minutes. We dropped two points after scoring our own penalty right at the end of the match. It's difficult to accept, but we have to continue and fight until the end of the season.
We will be working very hard in training on Monday and Tuesday in order to get ready for Wednesday's match against Spurs. Believe me, the players know how important this match is, and we will be ready for this game.
We are six points behind with six games to go, and we will give everything until the last game of the season and see if it is our year or not.
It is about us winning our games. The hope is always there but, to keep the hope alive, it is now up to us to win our games and to win our next game at Tottenham on Wednesday. Yes, we haven't taken enough points recently, but we are still on a 15-game unbeaten run in the league and we will continue fighting.
As ever, the supporters were fantastic yesterday and you have been all season, home and away. I know that you'll be there in full voice at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night and with us until the end of the season. Thanks for your continued support.
Thanks for your support.
Arsène Wenger
Monday, April 11, 2011
2011-04-10 : Blackpool 1 - 3 Arsenal
Wenger: 'We had to stand up and respond'
Dear Arsenal Supporter,
It was a hard-fought game on Sunday and that's what you get with Blackpool, a team that is fighting against relegation.
I knew that they would not give up at 2-0 and, after we missed some chances in the first half, we had a little nervy period when Blackpool scored. Making it 3-1 killed the game because they had given a lot.
Overall, I think it was a good display from us because we had a good response to a flat performance against Blackburn last week. What people forget is that we are on a long unbeaten run, even if we had not won recently. But it was important to get a win again and we now have to go from game to game.
Jens Lehmann started the game because Manuel Almunia injured his knee in the warm-up. It's an injury that we now have to assess. I don't know whether Manuel will be ready for the Liverpool game, but we have Wojciech Szczesny who is not far away from fitness.
When Manuel was injured, we replaced a good goalkeeper with a good goalkeeper. The only concern was not having a goalkeeper on the bench. If something had happened to Jens, because he had not played for a long time, we would have had a problem.
Jens did well though. His decision-making was spot-on. In fairness, he didn't have a lot to do because we controlled the game quite well. But he is commanding and his authority helped us on set-pieces.
I did fear the worst when Jens brought down DJ Campbell - it was the important split-second of the game. I felt Jens played the ball, so even if the referee had given a penalty he could have given Jens a yellow card because he tried to intercept the ball.
Only three points was enough on Sunday to keep our title chances alive. We went through a difficult period after losing in three cup competitions, but we had to stand up and show we had the mental strength to respond. The team has done that remarkably well.
We have promised ourselves to give everything until the end of the season. There are still seven games left and that is a long time. I think we can maintain this intensity. We now have a rest, then we play on Sunday and then Tottenham the Wednesday after. We will give 100 per cent in every game.
Thanks for your support.
Arsène Wenger
Dear Arsenal Supporter,
It was a hard-fought game on Sunday and that's what you get with Blackpool, a team that is fighting against relegation.
I knew that they would not give up at 2-0 and, after we missed some chances in the first half, we had a little nervy period when Blackpool scored. Making it 3-1 killed the game because they had given a lot.
Overall, I think it was a good display from us because we had a good response to a flat performance against Blackburn last week. What people forget is that we are on a long unbeaten run, even if we had not won recently. But it was important to get a win again and we now have to go from game to game.
Jens Lehmann started the game because Manuel Almunia injured his knee in the warm-up. It's an injury that we now have to assess. I don't know whether Manuel will be ready for the Liverpool game, but we have Wojciech Szczesny who is not far away from fitness.
When Manuel was injured, we replaced a good goalkeeper with a good goalkeeper. The only concern was not having a goalkeeper on the bench. If something had happened to Jens, because he had not played for a long time, we would have had a problem.
Jens did well though. His decision-making was spot-on. In fairness, he didn't have a lot to do because we controlled the game quite well. But he is commanding and his authority helped us on set-pieces.
I did fear the worst when Jens brought down DJ Campbell - it was the important split-second of the game. I felt Jens played the ball, so even if the referee had given a penalty he could have given Jens a yellow card because he tried to intercept the ball.
Only three points was enough on Sunday to keep our title chances alive. We went through a difficult period after losing in three cup competitions, but we had to stand up and show we had the mental strength to respond. The team has done that remarkably well.
We have promised ourselves to give everything until the end of the season. There are still seven games left and that is a long time. I think we can maintain this intensity. We now have a rest, then we play on Sunday and then Tottenham the Wednesday after. We will give 100 per cent in every game.
Thanks for your support.
Arsène Wenger
Monday, April 4, 2011
2011-04-02 : Arsenal 0-0 Blackburn Rovers
Wenger: 'We had no pace in our game'
Dear Arsenal Supporter,
It was a very frustrating performance on Saturday. We had no pace in our game. We were flat, we lacked energy and we lacked sharpness.
I felt we started OK but after that our game became flat and it is difficult to identify one special reason why we played poorly.
Very few players looked to have the resources to put the pace up in the game. Part of it is down to the fact that Blackburn defended well but that was not the main reason. I feel it was more down to our poor offensive performance.
We did have chances. We had golden opportunities in the first half and the second half but when you don't take them it is not a coincidence.
We are now seven points behind and now is the time just to focus on our performance, not on Manchester United. Before we can even speak about the title, I believe we have to come back to a good level. That is our first concern.
It was a difficult decision to start Cesc Fabregas on the bench on Saturday. I believe he is over his injury and on Saturday he was fit, but he has had a few setbacks of course, so we did not know completely if he could play 90 minutes. He will take it step-by-step to get completely back to his best, to be 'free' in his head and not concerned about the injury.
Our next game is on Sunday at Blackpool and we must show we have the mental strength to deal with recent disappointments. You cannot worry about yesterday and lose the targets you have in front of you.
Thanks for your support.
Arsène Wenger
Dear Arsenal Supporter,
It was a very frustrating performance on Saturday. We had no pace in our game. We were flat, we lacked energy and we lacked sharpness.
I felt we started OK but after that our game became flat and it is difficult to identify one special reason why we played poorly.
Very few players looked to have the resources to put the pace up in the game. Part of it is down to the fact that Blackburn defended well but that was not the main reason. I feel it was more down to our poor offensive performance.
We did have chances. We had golden opportunities in the first half and the second half but when you don't take them it is not a coincidence.
We are now seven points behind and now is the time just to focus on our performance, not on Manchester United. Before we can even speak about the title, I believe we have to come back to a good level. That is our first concern.
It was a difficult decision to start Cesc Fabregas on the bench on Saturday. I believe he is over his injury and on Saturday he was fit, but he has had a few setbacks of course, so we did not know completely if he could play 90 minutes. He will take it step-by-step to get completely back to his best, to be 'free' in his head and not concerned about the injury.
Our next game is on Sunday at Blackpool and we must show we have the mental strength to deal with recent disappointments. You cannot worry about yesterday and lose the targets you have in front of you.
Thanks for your support.
Arsène Wenger
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