Robert Pires says he’s hopeful that Arsenal can go all the way to the finish line in the Premier League, but has warned that the upcoming schedule is going to be a ‘nightmare’.
In an interview with French Football Weekly, the former midfielder spoke about his desire to see Arsenal do well, but with games against Liverpool, Manchester United and Bayern Munich, they’ll be really tested.
Arseblog News has an exclusive snippet of the interview which will be published over the next two days – if you’ve missed part 1, it’s here.
Pires on this season’s Arsenal:
Today’s Arsenal team, do you think that they can win the Premier League?
They can – and I certainly hope so! I wish that for Arsène Wenger, because he’s been at the club for a long time and he’s won nothing since 2005. But today he’s had a great start, he’s got a great team. But it won’t be easy. The quality is definitely there. But the squad is not as large as Man City’s. But we’re now the end of January and they’re still first, so they have a good chance. But beware (touches wood), let’s see if we’re saying that in one month. Because February is going to be a nightmare for Arsenal. Ouh la la! Liverpool twice – FA Cup and league. Man United and Bayern Munich. Four matches. It will be a big test.
On young players and a lack of respect:
If you want to learn and to become part of the group, it clear that you respect the older players.
In the past. In your time, or in my time. Maybe it’s also a question of education. What I remember is that the first time I went to Clairefontaine, I arrived at the canteen, I waited outside to see first where everyone sat. So that I didn’t take someone else’s place. That’s called respect. It’s as simple as that. And once there were spaces free, then I could take a seat. And the same for the bus. I was practically the last to get on. And I took one of the seats that were left.
It was natural, it was normal. When I arrived at Arsenal, just imagine if I took Tony Adams’ place? No! Tony Adams is Tony Adams! He merits respect, he’s a senior player. So I wait, that’s how it is. Even though I’m world champion, European champion. Here, I’m at my club, it’s no longer the same. Now I’m in my Arsenal shirt. Tony Adams doesn’t care about the France team. You see what I mean? Martin Keown, Lee Dixon, David Seaman. No! [in English] “Wait!” You wait. It’s not complicated.
And on what Arsene Wenger taught him:
What did Wenger do for your career, and how? Did he give you advice, did he build up your self-confidence?
Yes, both. What is great with Arsène Wenger, it’s that when you have strengths, he makes you work on them. He doesn’t want to work on your weaknesses. If you have faults, you have faults. But if you have qualities, he wants to work on making them perfect. And that’s what he wanted from me, two qualities, speed and dribbling. So I worked enormously on those two areas, and it was important for me, of course. As for how he is – the relationship is simple. When you are on the pitch, he leaves you to it. He lets you do whatever you like. That’s when you have the trust of the coach, and I earned that. I gained his trust, and then you’re a free man on the pitch.
—
French Football Weekly will be publishing part II tomorrow and part III on Friday. Bookmark the site or follow them on Twitter for more.
*swoons*
Check out that pic *swoon*
What a handsome man
bobby!
That respect to seniors and club makes the legends!!!
Which hollywood blockbuster was that pires picture taken from.
‘Ouh la la’. Did he just sigh in french?
Wow I can finally see why Pires is blogs man crush.
Still has nothing on Ramsey 🙂
You sir have 16 likes..and in respect of the handsomeness of Welsh Jesus and that his squad number is 16 I will not press the like icon..but i do like it..
Read this whilst listening to dreaming of you by the coral
You just know he was talking about the little scrote Na$ri when he was talking about respect for elders, especially when mentioning the bus!
He was, the interview references Nasri. You’ll see it when they publish the next couple of parts.
Did he actually say ‘Ouh la la’.?
It’s a true stereotype, we do say “ouh la la” on a regular basis.. but we never say “sacrebleu”… Now i’m off to buy frogs legs for dinner wearing my new beret..
Don’t forget the baguette
Arsene Wenger is a one off manager. The trust he gives to his players is amazing. That’s why players who left us look average elsewhere.
Except Alex Song who we have never had a chance to grade. He is to Barca what Park is to us.
such a fuckin’ legend <3
We have such good ambassadors for the club in Bobby, Bergkamp and Henry who keep earning our respect and cheer. Victory through harmony.
Its Gnabry*
*It’s it’s.
Crikey. One should not cross ones legs whilst looking at pics of Robert Pires.
Yes, you can trust a Pires, Henry, DB10. Viera etc…but you CANT trust a Song, Arshavin, Chamakh, Denilson etc…he wasnt firm enough with this type of player.
Good read. Really enjoyed part 1 and can’t wait for the rest.
I have to admit it took me awhile to scroll down from the top.
Well, moving on.
Fantastic attitude from Pires, and hopefully he’ll impart that to the younger players at the club. Would love it if he became a coach here.
did he really touch wood?i need to know!
Tonto.
I dont think anyone doubts our squad is good enough to beat the weaker teams like Crystal palace. It is our rivals, City and Chelsea one is worried about. Cant expect them to continue to drop Points against weaker teams enough so we can afford to lose or draw when we meet them. It is Highly likely those games vs City and Chelsea will be vital to decide whom gets away with the title. And looking at previous result where we got a thrashing at City, and a loss in the cup vs Chelsea and a draw with Chelsea at… Read more »
We are not far off City in Quality or Quantity. Negredo – Giroud Aguero – ????? (His goals is the diff between the two clubs’ respective GD) Dzeko – Bendtner Jovetic – Podolski Nasri – Walcott Silva – Ozil Navas – Santi Milner – Ox Boyata – Gnabry ????? – Rosicky (Kallstrom) Fernandhino – Ramsey Rodwell – Jack Toure – Arteta Garcia – Flamini Kolorov – Gibbs Clichy – Monreal Zabaleta – Sagna Richards – jenkinson Kompany – Per Naztasic – Koscielny Demechelis – Vermaelen Lescott – ????? Tell me we are that far off in quality or quantity? On… Read more »
did you seriously just favourably compare Bendtner to Dzeko?
Lol what a joke some of those comparisons!
Dzeko or Bendtner!!!!!
Giroud or Negredo!!!!!!
Toure or Arteta!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our strike should not be compared to City at all. Wenger IS working miracles with them it doesnt bear imagine how we would destroy teams with decent strikers – hence Wenger is in the market for one!
Also 18 year olds like Gnabry in there as well had like 3 premier league starts deary me
And can people stop butchering Gnabry’s name as well please?! Its said like GNOME… you dont GI-NOME, like I hear people say GI-NABRY!!! Aweful
Why do 99% of news blogs online nowadays get this type of post? And surely there is a more relevant news article to spend your 10 minutes of re-writing what has been said before a hundred times.
Oh please, we supplied city with has-beens and dross lol adebarndoor and that lil turd nasri come to mind! Would either make the Arsenal team lol as if!!! Even clichy and kolo, who ain’t scumbags, are not missed or going to make it in this Arsenal side!!! Anyway, pires is pure class, especially loved the respect part – legend arsenal musketeer!!!
Many of the players that left was Vital to Arsenal at the time when they left. Im not saying i would want them in our side today. Just that it would be Nice too see us being able to hold on to our biggest profiles for a change. Selling RVP to United allmost cost us 4th place and gained United the title. 24mill for Persiel was also insulting when Tottenham bought feckin Soldado for 28million. 24mill for the league hands down best striker at the time. Might aswell let him sit out his contract and guarante top 4 spot instead… Read more »
Ah that son of a bitch nasri.. I remember thierry being disrespected by nasri by takinf his seat in a bus.. What a diff of generations..
The only example you can give is the Dutch skunk, personally I’d have made him stay then go on a free, but I also respect Wengers decision to sell the scumbag and get some dollar!! Aside from the skunk who else has gone to either scumchester club and been a missed part of the team? Need i say more? Indeed the same can be said of barca – song is rotting on the bench and hacked off, whilst the only loss was fab but he still loves and respects the club!!!
Who compares Bendtner with Dzeko? Due respect, but Wenger loves to shoot himself and this club on the foot. Having Giroud as Arsenal’s only striker is a disrespect to the epl title and that may turn to bite the club at the arse by May.
Such class… such distinction…(if I may be so cute as to quote Rowan Atkinson’s character in “Johnny English”.). I really think the difference in this year’s squad as compared to our 2011/2012 squad had isn’t so much to do with quality, but attitude. Arshavin having the same contribution to the squad harmony than Santi? Ha!
That bit about training to your strengths is really interesting, it’s one of the (very, very many) things that makes Arsene special.
Also, blogs, you should really have some sort of a warning if that’s going to bethe first image I see on Arseblog News. I can’t handle such dreamyness without any warning.
Bobby’s most telling comment- ‘He doesn’t want to work on your weaknesses. If you have faults, you have faults.’
Hmmm…might of worked with Pires,Henry,Vieira,Bergkamp,Freddie etc but not for the last 9 years worth of bullshit.
might’ve = might have != might of
that explains why van persie is still such a knob!
That picture is just what you need on a strike day (**Swoons**)
Just waiting on the Arsenal Legends movies for Bobby and Viera… Pls god, pls