2012-10-27: Arsenal 1-0 QPR

Wenger: 'We needed to be patient'

Dear Arsenal supporter,

We were delighted to get back to winning ways against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

It was important we won after losing our last two games. We had to wait for our chance and make sure we took it.

I was happy with the result because our confidence was a bit jaded.

QPR have quality and I don't think they will stay at the bottom of the league. We were a bit lucky they had Stephane Mbia sent off, because it made it easier for us to find a winner in the last 20 minutes. We played a serious game against a good team.

I made the decision to start Jack Wilshere and was impressed with his performance. Technically he was excellent and overall he produced a classy performance.

I didn't tell Jack I would be starting him until the morning of the game. Sometimes I think it's better to not have much time to think about the game when you have been out for such a long time. I also included him because I thought a player with his experience and class would give the team a lift.

We'll have to see how he responds from the game. He was kicked on Saturday and had no problem, which is a good sign.

It was also a big positive for us to see Bacary Sagna make his return. He did well and is physically ready.

Thanks for your support.

Arsène Wenger

2012-10-20: Norwich City 1-0 Arsenal

Wenger: 'It was a shock to the system'

Dear Arsenal supporter,

We gave a disappointing performance against Norwich on Saturday.

I felt that we lacked a bit of sharpness throughout the game. We tried to get into our rhythm after 20 minutes but we missed what makes you successful at the top level - complete focus.

We certainly had a lot of the ball but ultimately we did not create much with that possession. It was an illusionary domination.

The attitude of my players has been excellent this season but Saturday was not at the level that we have produced until now. It was the first time this season that we were way below par.

Norwich were strong defensively, they were focused, committed and sharper than us. Now we have to put that performance behind us, realise that was not good enough and respond against Schalke on Wednesday.

I hope Saturday's result will have a positive impact on the squad. It was a shock to the system, but you have to give credit to Norwich as well. They played well, they were completely committed and they deserved the win.

The Premier League is the Premier League. If you are not ready for the fight then you will always have bad surprises.

Jack Wilshere was back in the squad for Saturday but I decided not to bring him on. We have to be conscious he has not played for 14 months. I would have brought him on if the game had allowed it but it was too intense. He will play on Monday with the under-21s and then we will see where we go from there.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain did come on at Norwich but he got a kick on his hip almost straight away. He will be out for Wednesday but it is not a long-term problem. I don't think Kieran Gibbs or Theo Walcott will be ready to face Schalke either.

Thanks for your support.

Arsène Wenger

2012-10-06: West Ham 1-3 Arsenal

Wenger: 'We passed an important test'

Dear Arsenal supporter,

We expected a difficult match at West Ham on Saturday and we were not disappointed.

It was a game with a lot of pace, where both teams went for it in different styles. It was a good test mentally as well, because we went 1-0 down to West Ham's first shot on goal.

But we came back, won the game and passed an important test of character.

Olivier Giroud deserved his goal and I thought he played well. He almost scored from a similar situation against Olympiacos and he showed once again that he has a physical presence up front. The goal will help him to adapt quickly. He slowly gets there and you're confident now that when he gets in front of goal he will score.

Santi Cazorla also scored and I think he was a delight to watch, from the first to the last minute. He is very influential in our team and it's fantastic to watch him play.

Theo Walcott was our other goalscorer and he has showed an outstanding attitude. I believe in him, otherwise I would not bring him on at a crucial time in the game. Gervinho looked a bit tired and Theo made the difference. He scored the second goal and that was the most important one.

The defence deserve credit as well because they coped well with Andy Carroll, even though you cannot completely control him for 90 minutes. You have to fight against him and be good on the second ball.

The problem with facing West Ham is not only Carroll, but also Kevin Nolan because he is quick to get on the second ball in the box. We could have been punished once or twice but overall we gave a lot at the back.

The result gives us good momentum going into the international break and it was important for us to respond well after our defeat against Chelsea. We won against Olympiacos on Wednesday night and we went for it against West Ham.

We knew a draw was not good enough and we gave absolutely everything to win the game.

We started the season with a lot of questions being raised about the team. We have now played seven games and the belief in the squad is that we have a chance to do well. Of course we now need to do it week after week, but the spirit and quality are there. It is all about how consistent we can be.

Thanks for your support.

Arsène Wenger

2012-09-29: Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea

Wenger: 'I felt that we gave the game away'.

Dear Arsenal supporter,

We played against a good team on Saturday but I feel that we gave the game away.

Chelsea had three shots on target and scored two goals, from soft set-pieces. Defensively we were just not at the level you have to be in a game like that, and we were punished for it.

My players showed plenty of quality and spirit but we have to show personality and authority to ensure we do not concede goals in that manner.

We did not attack the ball on either goal and you could see that the main difference between ourselves and Chelsea was in the air. That made a difference.

In big games like this it is vital not to make mistakes because every time you are behind in a big game you have a 65 per cent chance to lose. We came back at Manchester City last week and did so again against Chelsea, but then straight away we gave away another goal.

After that you have to take risks and you open yourself up because you are playing against good players and they can hit you on the counter-attack.

We had our chances, with Olivier Giroud going close right at the end. It was a good opportunity and I have to say that Petr Cech kept Chelsea in the game at times - he was outstanding.

There could be an over-reaction to a defeat like this but we will deal with that. What is important is the personality you show in a big game. We were not at the right level in that respect.

We have another big game coming up against Olympiacos on Wednesday so let's focus on that now and get the right result. We have made a strong start in the Champions League and we want to keep that going.

Finally, I would like to congratulate Arsenal Ladies after they won the Women's Super League on Sunday. It is a tremendous achievement and they now have a chance to complete an unbeaten season next weekend.

Thanks for your support.

Arsène Wenger

2012-09-23: Manchester City 1-1 Arsenal

Wenger: 'A point was the minimum we deserved'

Dear Arsenal supporter,

I was pleased with Sunday's result because a point was the minimum we deserved when you consider what we put into the game.

I was happy also with the quality of our display and our spirit, but I was also a bit frustrated because I feel there was an opportunity to pick up all three points. We had early chances and very late chances, especially when Gervinho missed the target from the edge of the box.

Overall I hope that a result like this will reinforce our belief and confidence and reassure us about our potential in this league.

We conceded a goal from a corner and I take that criticism on board, but it's worth noting that Manchester City are the team who score more goals than anyone else from set pieces.

At the other end of the pitch it is true that we missed chances, and it's important to be clinical in games like this, but I believe that will come. When you have the basic quality that we showed on Sunday, the rest can improve.

Vito Mannone had another good game in goal. He looks very solid. He made a little mistake on the corner for Man City's goal, but I am happy that it didn't affect his game after that. I like what he is doing.

I can confirm that Thomas Vermaelen did not play because he had 'flu so we left him at home.

Laurent Koscielny had a great game and stepped in very well. We have a number of classy centre backs, and it is a very difficult choice. No matter who is left out, they will feel disappointed. But I will rotate the centre backs and take into consideration the strikers we will face.

Thanks for your support.

Arsène Wenger

2012-09-15: Arsenal 6 - 1 Southampton

Wenger: I'm excited by our team play'

Dear Arsenal supporter,

I was delighted with the high level of our performance on Saturday, especially in the first half.

We had a good combination of pace, speed in our passing, quick combinations, and the movement was excellent. We were a bit lucky as well because Southampton conceded two own goals, but overall I think it was another step forward from what we showed at Liverpool.

Gervinho scored twice and I thought he did well in a more central role. The decision to try him there was based on what I saw during our pre-season tour of Asia. I liked what Gervinho did against Manchester City so it was in the back of my mind.

It is an interesting role for him because he is such a great mover and he is so quick, so when he is central and gets ahead of the central defender it is difficult to catch him.

Santi Cazorla had another fine game - he is just a pleasure to watch. He typifies what Spain's midfielders are like today - he is technically perfect, he has great vision and a great team attitude.

Lukas Podolski is getting better and better as well. He has 101 caps for Germany so we know he is quality and when we play as we did on Saturday it makes it easier for him to adapt. He is physically strong and he is a fantastic finisher as he showed with the free-kick.

I gave Francis Coquelin a chance in midfield because, although Abou Diaby could have played, I didn't want to risk him. Francis showed his qualities and that's why I didn't go into the market again - because of him, because of Frimpong, Wilshere and Diaby.

We have a big week coming up now because we go on Tuesday to Montpellier and then on Sunday we play at Man City. We face Chelsea the weekend after so we will know more about the strength of our team after those games.

What I do know is that there is a positive energy in my team, a desire to play well together, and real team play. It is very exciting.

Thanks for your support.

Arsène Wenger

2012-09-02: Liverpool 0 - 2 Arsenal

Wenger: 'We were dominant in midfield'

Dear Arsenal supporter,

I was very pleased with the quality of our performance at Liverpool, both offensively and defensively.

In our first two games we showed some potential but we lacked spark going forward and we are getting that now. It was a good win, there is strong potential in this squad and a positive energy. That is something we can build on.

We won at Liverpool last season but today I felt we were more composed, we dominated in midfield and that gave us stability. We scored first as well and that makes a difference. I still feel that Liverpool are a good team because they deserved to beat Manchester City.

It was good to see the new signings doing well. Everybody understood very quickly that Santi Cazorla would not take six months to settle and Lukas Podolski is deadly when there is a chance like the one he had - we can see that in training. Olivier Giroud needs a goal, but as long as the team wins we know that will come.

We kept our third straight clean sheet as well and everybody is working very hard defensively because they want to keep the run going. Football is always a good lesson in humility because we had our No 1 and No 2 goalkeepers out and still went to Stoke and Liverpool and earned clean sheets. That is down to our work rate, spirit and organisation.

Abou Diaby was many people's man of the match and he is such an asset for us. He is a tremendous football player, he has absolutely everything you want from a midfielder. He hasn't played for a year but he had a good pre-season where we had him playing 45 minutes every three days and now he looks in good shape. There is more to come from him.

I was worried about Abou when he was injured but I always stood behind him because not only is he a fantastic football player, he is a fantastic guy as well. Let's hope he survives the international break because the France national team travel a lot, they play two games in four days.

Our midfield looks very strong at the moment. We have Arteta, Cazorla, Diaby, Wilshere, Coquelin, Rosicky, Ramsey and others. There is a fight for places and there is quality. When you think about our squad we had Walcott, Gervinho, Santos and Ramsey on the bench and we had players at home as well. They will all play their part.

Thanks for your support.

Arsène Wenger

2012-08-26: Stoke City 0 - 0 Arsenal

Wenger: 'We showed we are ready for a fight'

Dear Arsenal supporter,

Like last weekend's draw with Sunderland, Sunday's game at Stoke was one we should have won 1-0.

There were lots of positives - we showed we have a very strong spirit, we were dominant in the challenges, we were prepared, highly-focused and defensively very strong overall.

But offensively we still have some work to do because we miss a bit of precision in the final third, in our movement and in our passing. We are used to finding each other blind in the final third.

Stoke deserve credit of course, they are strong defensively and experienced too. For us I would say it is two points dropped but having said that it is maybe a good point because it will be difficult for everybody to take points at Stoke.

I have seen other teams who go forward more, they open their game. That makes it easier to score, but on Sunday it was a fight for 90 minutes. The most important thing is that you learn about your team and I can see they are capable of standing up. They behaved like men who are ready for a fight and that is vital.

All that is missing up front is understanding and that's normal because one month ago Cazorla, Podolski and Giroud didn't know each other. There is some work to do on the training ground but you can feel the potential. At the moment we are not spontaneous enough in some situations but I am very positive about my team.

People will point out that we haven't scored yet and I cannot deny that. But we played against two teams who defend very well as a unit and overall I still believe we can be a contender in this championship.

I have heard some criticism of my strikers but I do not listen too much to what people say on TV. I listen and I try to see if it is exaggerated or not. But I have worked for 30 years on the football pitch and I know what it takes to improve a football player. Not everybody can say that.

The understanding can be built quickly but if we play as a team we will score goals. I remember I had the same questions to answer when Thierry Henry left as I have had with Robin van Persie. You have to take that into perspective and the positive for me is that you feel there is potential there.

Thanks for your support.

Arsène Wenger

2012-08-18: Arsenal 0 - 0 Sunderland

Wenger: 'We lacked sharpness and fluency'

Dear Arsenal supporter,

We played with a good spirit on Saturday and we certainly put the effort in. But we lacked some sharpness and fluency and that made us less dangerous in the final third.

We did create a few chances but we couldn't convert them, and Sunderland defended very well throughout the whole game. When you play a team like that you have to be sharp enough to make the difference, otherwise it becomes very difficult.

Our balance wasn't quite right up front because we needed maybe one more creative player to improve our accuracy in the final third. There was not a lot of space left to our strikers, so everything had to be created from our midfield.

It is a missed opportunity of course, and it is always frustrating when you have so much possession and only get a point. You have to accept that you will have to settle for draws at different points of the season, but you don't want to start with one in the first game.

Our three new signings made their debuts and they all contributed. It's difficult not to be pleased with Santi Cazorla because he played on Wednesday night for Spain in Puerto Rico and all our chances were basically created by him.

I feel that Lukas Podolski is not physically ready yet but he has the quality to do well, and Olivier Giroud showed he has a presence when he is on the pitch. Olivier had a great chance on his right foot and I think he had more time than he thought.

I never denied that Robin van Persie will be difficult to replace but when you are on the football pitch you don't think about the players who are not there. You try to make a good pass when you have the ball. We had the opportunity to play the ball against Sunderland but our overall passing was not quick enough.

Finally, as you know the Club agreed terms to sell Alex Song to Barcelona. We did this because we have Jack Wilshere coming back, we have Abou Diaby back, we have Tomas Rosicky not far away and we will try to bring in another midfielder as well.

Thanks for your support.

Arsène Wenger

Welcome Back ALL Gooners

Dear Gooners,
I really don't think that Arsenal will win the English Premier League title for the 2012-13 season. If they do, it would be a huge surprise for me. However, I do expect that they will finish in the Top 4 in the League again and put up a good fight in the Carling Cup, FA Cup and Champions League.

So I think exciting times are ahead for The Arsenal this season. Therefore, for the 2012-13 season, I have decided to restart posting the Manager's View via weekly email.

So Enjoy the 2012-13 Season!!