Arsene Wenger says that after two FA Cup wins and keeping a solid squad together – including new deals for Theo Walcott and Santi Cazorla – expectations of his Arsenal team are high for the new season.
Despite Petr Cech being the only addition, it seems the Arsenal manager is banking on cohesion and getting more from a group of players that have won two tropies in the last two seasons and who haven’t suffered the effects of any significant departures.
Wenger spoke about the make-up of this squad, claiming it’s the most experienced he’s had since the 2004 title winners.
“It’s certainly the most experienced squad since 2004,” he Wenger. “There is better balance between talent and experience. We always talented teams, but when you go into April you need some experience.
“The expectations are very high and that is understandable because you cannot win the cup and finish third in the league and then say ‘look, next year we want to do nothing.’
“People expect a lot from us. Before, we always lost big players and then everyone would quickly question us, it is the first time for a long time we have all had confidence in our environment.”
The Frenchman also revealed he’d spent most of the summer break at the Arsenal training ground, plotting ahead for the upcoming season.
“I had a few days off,” he said, “but I spent most of my summer at the training ground.
“Not the whole holiday, but most of it. When I go on the beach I am in the press the next day. Where do you want me to go? So I go to the training ground.”
Whatever you might think of the manager, his work ethic and commitment to the club just can’t be questioned.
My body is ready
My mind says noooo, but my bodayyyy. MY BODDDAYYYYY
Wish he’d gone to the beach more. We got Sanchez after beach trip. Ignore the haterzz Arsene, work on that tan.
Talking about Sanchez and beaches, did you see his post recently on instagram? Working out on the beach something like that. Fit as fuck our Alexis.
That post made me realise that Alexis really doesn’t understand the concept of “vacation”. I swear he thinks that Wenger telling him to take time off is some type of punishment. Gotta love him!
Just saw BBC’s documentary on Alexis. What a player! What a man! So proud to have him in our team! 😀
Nothing left to say boys! It’s time to start doing your talking on the field! COYG!!!!!!!
He is extraordinary and we are lucky to have a manager with so much integrity, passion, work ethic and ambition to win the right way. Good luck Arsene you deserve much success for your patience.
and so do the fans that stuck with our manager!
I coach a few sports (high school baseball, soccer, etc) and I’ve been using Wenger as a coaching mentor for as long as I can remember. I could listen to him talk about footie and what it means to be part of team all day long.
P.S. great comment!
Whilst others were spending 150 million a season I had to make 30 million. Now we are out of restraints Arsene has informed us what we all knew anyway but the media had eroded and corrupted. Cunts I think we call them. Arsene took the shit thrown at him when he could have just said we don’t have the money but then us somewhat fickle fans (you know we are) would have turned on board and munity would have begun much sooner than it did. We would not have made it through the stadium years remaining in the champions league… Read more »
He had 30m if he sold a player or two, but usually had much less.
Did you get the quote on how he doesn’t want to interfere with the love story aka wankfest between the media and maureen?
It’s not a coincidence that the atmosphere at the Emirates is beginning to feel like it was back at Highbury… shortly after the debt was successfully reduced to manageable levels.
Now let’s go out and smash those rent boys tomorrow!
It’s got a lot better since the weak minded stopped listening to Piers Moron!
The only team that can stop us, is us.
No slow start this time boys, let’s go get that title!
COYG!!!
And that team from up north. The PMGO team, who have the biggest say over who wins the PL.
The manager is talking about it, the boys are talking about, the fans are talking about it. The spirit is high, it feels like it’s our season, let’s win the title boys!. COYG!!
why am i such a pessimist, all this optimism is scaring me to death.
I’m off down the pub to drown my sorrows. see at the west ham hammering
I hear ya gooner44.
I was at the Chelsea Barcelona game the other day (best friend is a Chelsea fan, and he gave me a free ticket).
I’m so sad that I saw Mourinho but couldn’t get close enough to call him a cunt.
Not to worry. The voices in his head whisper it constantly.
So I’m told.
Champs league title and record number of fa cup wins for monsieur wenger please.
Coming right up!
“WENGER: EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGH FOR THE NEW SEASON.” Er, why? Exactly what has changed since last season? Oh, we’ve finally bought a decent goalkeeper. So Petr Cech is suddenly gonna transform us into Premier League champions, is he? I don’t see it. The fundamental problems which have existed at Arsenal for years have not disappeared. We still have a second-rate lead goalscorer in Giroud; are missing a first-class defensive midfielder; and worst of all, have a manager whose big game management is extremely suspect. And we are cursed with this “fourth is a trophy” losers’ mentality which has sucked the… Read more »
You are relentless. You’re like a comedy character in an animation sitcom.
Tragedy, bathos … and still everyone’s laughing.
all his doubts are valid just because if we don’t win something major next season…when are we going to make the next step? is this the golden moment? This is like groundhog day…every offseason we hear about the same need for the same kind of players and yet nothing is done…yeah comedy is tragedy as well…only way I see us winning the big thing is chamberlain and the other wingers making big contributions goal wise…biggest worry is if arteta would be inserted to play PL matches at all and ozil/ramsey being moved out of position for goldenboy jack
“if we don’t win something major next season…when are we going to make the next step?”
Lets wait until the season is over (or has even started) before complaining about how the season went.
Provided we do better than last season, the majority will be happy.
Win the PL and we’ll be ecstatic.
Look, our squad has improved, our finances have improved, our injury situation has improved, our expectations have improved, and our trophy collection has improved – all over the last two seasons. So, no, there is no groundhog day. We have a quality squad – in depth. Impressive enough to get the same journalists who last season cited Chelsea as sole favourites for the title to cite us this season as genuine contenders. We also seem to have impressed them by our improved psychology. So again, no groundhog day. What’s changed is that last season we stopped being embarrassed by our… Read more »
Quadruple thumbs up from me Springbank!
Other than optimism(as expected as a fan), can you prove any of his points wrong?? like lets be rational and objective?
See below.
Losers mentality is obviously wrong. Mediocrity is Spurs not Arsenal, compare them.
Giroud is limited but integrated with the team and a new striker doesn’t guarantee success eg Falcao
Give me some other objective facts that show we are no better overall than previous seasons, noting the form in the second half of last season.
See below.
You have failed to tell me what exactly is it that makes us a better team than Chelsea.
All the factors you listed below, what makes you think Chelsea(or even city) doesn’t possess it?
What exactly have is it that makes us a better team than Chelsea AT THE MOMENT?
– Do Chelsea not have squad stability as well?
– Do they not have squad depth too?
– Do they not also have “young improving players”?
– Have they not had a strong preseason as well?
Please answer these questions.
Noting that you aren’t disagreeing with my points, so are implicitly saying that there is lots more good than bad currently, I agree that Chelsea have most of these (though I believe we have more squad depth and competition and more of Ox, Jack, Coq, Hector coming through) and will be tough competition. Much will come down to injuries, luck, referees and so on, things no-one can predict. I think we are v close but no way am I going to say we will definitely beat them. However I will support them wholeheartedly throughout the season, whoever is playing for… Read more »
My opinion has always been the same – This is a great squad that’s 3 players away from being GENUINE title contenders.
Wenger bought Cech and sorted one the GK issue out. We’re still short at DM and ST.
Just because i think so doesn’t mean i’ll stop watching arsenal games. I’ll always be an Arsenal fan…if not, what would i be doing on here?
Being objective isn’t “trolling” or “having a moan”like some think.
My opinion is that we are stronger in midfield, the same in defence and weaker upfront than Chelsea. We have a lot of positive things, see my post (more squad competition, more younger players about to take off, we have top level winners and desire). We aren’t much better or much worse, so if Costa’s injury hangs around then we are better, if Sanchez can’t repeat last year’s form we will suffer.
Hence we are title contenders, now.
Wow CB!
Apparently Trez says…..”You have failed to tell me what exactly is it that makes us a better team than Chelsea”.
You, are in the shit, mate!
PS. Imagine having Trez as your boss?! 🙂 🙂
It would be good to have the points that I made below acknowledged or argued against rather than get lots of questions, though I know the latter is easier to do.
Also most of us can give reasons why we are better than Chelsea.
I think it will be tight and we have a real chance. And I hope we win, at the risk of sounding ‘positive’.
I have been giving these points for a while now. Last season Chelsea had better Full backs, DMs and Striker. This upcoming season, all we have added is a goal keeper and yet some people think this is enough. Chelsea meanwhile have replaced Cech, added falcao for depth, brought back Moses who had a good season with stoke. Yet, we’ve somehow managed to miraculously close the gap between the us and them by just signing Cech. At the moment, it is clear to anyone who OBJECTIVELY analyzes both teams that – Chelsea have better strikers than we do. Costa, remy… Read more »
Strikers – agree, an Henry would improve us (but where will we get him and how long to integrate?)
Midfield, we are stronger
Defence – equal
So we match them. We have more up and coming players, they have more that may have peaked or will have an impact if injured eg Terry, Costa, we have more squad depth. We beat them in the second half of the season and have improved with Cech. We have winners at the top level in the team.
So we are title contenders. QED.
We have better ATTACKING midfielders yes, but they have better defensive midfielders(unless you’re trying to say that coq is better than Matic) They have better full backs. Azpi alone is better than both our rb and lb(yes he is that good). Terry>Kos>Cahill>Mert. Gabriel >Zouma >Chambers. bellerin, Debuchy = Ivanovic. So yeah, they do edge us slightly at defence. John Terry and Ivanovic are the only ones older than 30 in their first 11(we have santi and Mert and Cech). They have Remy(who scores when given a run in the team) who can step in for costa. As for up and… Read more »
We disagree, I think we are evenly matched, but we will get more proof either way tomorrow.
It’s not just about the players, we are a far better team!
Careful now…the “thumbing down brigade” will come after you for making very VALID points. Yes this team is strong, but when people talk about us not needing strikers due to “cohesion” and “internal improvements/solutions”, i keep asking myself what makes them think Chelsea, city and manure won’t improve as well?? Do they expect Chelsea and that cunt Mourinho to wait for us to catch up to them? The only team in the big 4 that’ll be lacking cohesion is Man u due to the number of players they have bought. Chelsea as usual have plugged the holes they had. Why… Read more »
And your negativity will?
Hey mate, you accidentally got your Caps Lock stuck.
Made it look like you were a SHOUTING LOONY!!!!!!!!!!!
Loool my apologies. I was kind of sleepy when i typed that.
Give you a bit of credit, FG.
I barely agree with anything you say but at least you are consistent.
Errrrrr what’s happened Fats is we have kept our best players and our massive injury problems have gone!
Oh yeah and we got a world class keeper.
COYG!!
Well said Paul. Don’t forget the emergence of Bellerin and Coq. All validity goes out the window for me when someone try’s to tell me what will happen next season, like they know.
Eat my shorts, dude.
Fats would be better off eating his own shorts (more of a meal). 🙂
Fat gooner, aside from the fact that it’s August and every fan in the country has high expectations for there team, it takes a real philistine to not acknowledge the fact that the manager has arrested the slide, we are no longer falling over the line fourth, we are no longer trophy less , we are no longer buying French children and hoping they can play a bit. The squad has been thinned and the fitness and strength has been improved. Giroud is one of the best players of his sort in the game, he is ably assisted by Walcott… Read more »
Some people just don’t get the idea of “team”, or that a team that plays together regularly can get better over time. They just want Galacticos, and then more Galacticos. Strangely, when we buy such a player the same people come out and tell us that they’re not all that good really or else their old club would never have sold them to us.
Fats I just realised that you are wearing a Man Shitty shirt! Explains a lot!…
Every body knows that fat gooner is not a gooner. I always thought he was some of those spuds fans posing as gooners to trol the forum
Nice spot mate. So its man shity eh fatty
Winners in the team (FA Cup, World Cup, Copa America, PL, CL) Stable squad (cohesion, automatism, spirit) Squad depth We buy rather than sell the best players now, finances are good Less injuries and better regime Young improving players (Ox) and youth players Players all wanting to stay Strong preseason These are all strong indicators of success next season. I agree that Giroud is a limited player and we can debate whether we got a new DM if they would be happy sitting on the bench. But this isn’t fantasy football. If you insist on being negative your arguments fall… Read more »
And why will Sam (fat Sam?)) be delighted?
Just a quickie on the HFB.
Have a look at Benzema’s top ten goals vs HFB’s top ten on Youtube!
Very little between them…
Have a look at their general compilations…HUGE difference between them.
Dear Trez, they have “HUGE” differences in their general “hair” compilations as well!
I don’t see you spewing your negativity about that!??
I love the HFB and he has “gelled” into the team. 🙂
It’s about goals not “generals” Trez…
Of course Giroud has better Hair. We all know he’s the most handsome footballer in the epl. AS for comparing him to benz, for the fact that benz scores as much as he does despite mainly providing for cr7 and Bale coming in to take a share of the goals is actually an impressive feat. Put benz in this team and he’ll definitely score 20 goals in the league easily. The fact that giroud is being compared to him is just unbelievable. Benz has FAR superior technique, better ball control, much more skillful, better passer and of course faster. No… Read more »
Arsenal fans are just amazing, how can u compare Benz and Giroud. Being a fan doesn’t mean u should lose ur sense of reasoning
What kind of Arsenal fan abbreviates Benzema’s name to Benz? He’s not our player. He hasn’t earned any familiarity from us yet.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Gave you thumbs up, great trolling and great response from fans. Love it.
I’m pretty certain you cut and paste the same drivel as ‘Simonrose77’ on another site.
Am I correct?
Absolutely yes, it is our time now
Only a moron would think things do not change. They said we would fall out of our top 4 trophy and we’ve been winning FA cups back to back (now the most successful club in the competition. And we’ve added Cech, come through a very successful pre-season against quality teams like Wolfsburg and Lyon (remember all the clamour for Laczette…strangely silent) You may say its just pre-season but better a successful pre-season than a poor one. What would these same numpties be saying if we were for example hammered 6 goals? We have scored 106 goals from 20 different players.… Read more »
Wow fatgooner did you actually read the article?
I think it’s fair to say the squad depth is better than it has been for many years, players improve working together, and stability is a major factor in success.
You probably made the same comment the year we bought lehmann, and that worked out pretty well.
Great coach and great person too. It takes a lot of heart, patience and self control on his part to answer politely to all those questions from the media that are designed to get a reaction from him. How he keeps his cool is amazing considering that the questions make ME angry and they aren’t even directed at me. On the optimism part, mine comes from previous experience of the last great preseason we had before the 13/14 season. We won games in Asia and beat Man City in Norway I think. That season we started with a loss to… Read more »
Nice post mate!
Great words mate, with you 100%
Best post on here for a long while. Keep it up
Comment of the last decade sir. I remember being over highbury in the seventies and eighties watching some very average players (that’s being generous) and then sitting in the east upper watching Henry, Pires, Bergkamp etc and my friend turned to me and said “you know we are being spoilt” some of the John Terry’s on here validate that me thinks.
I’m with you 100%
I still remember the nightmares of away games at places Ipswich, Forest, Brighton and Leicester in the cold and rain watching us win (and lose) playing turgid football. The odd bit of brilliance from Chippy or Rocky made it worthwhile usually, but there are many days I’d rather forget.
Whereas under Wenger there’s the odd game and a few more results I’d like to forget, the overall standard of football has risen ten-fold.
QUALITY…….
I couldn’t have written a word of that any better. Well said, sir.
@2014-2015=that year is past. Kindly update to 2015-2016=——any suggestions which this year is gonna be? Help your mate gooners
Lost me there mate….
All those fuckers at that Stoke train station need to be put down in a cage with fat Sam and Co. This guy is superb and I pray he wins the league and the Champions league just so they realise what this guy has done for the club.
=the year Cech becomes a gunner
Fatty your comment is so crap on so many counts it’s hideous. I cannot even comprehend or begin to answer you.I will ask you about the big game management though… Which big games apart from Chelsea away did we lose last season? Don’t just write shit without proper thought or proof. Please get back to me
Its pretty sad he feels he can’t go on holiday because of the press isn’t it really
I can understand it must be frustrating for him, but at the same time the same celebrity status that causes athletes and managers to lose that privacy, brings with it plenty of perks as well. I wouldn’t say it makes me sad. Nobody forces anyone to take on these incredibly public, high-profile roles. Wenger can handle it, I don’t think his comment was really whining. Just a statement of fact.
Only one more sleep until Maureen’s unfit and ill-prepared lot get a well deserved pasting!!
Exciting times to be a positive Gunner!
January to May 2015, in 19 return legs we got 42 points. Chelsea got 41. City, United, and Liverpool are way below. We played like genuine title contenders when our injured players got back. I’m sure other managers know these stats and see us as a big threat. And it’s not even deadline day, I’m sure another marquee signing is coming.
that’s the boss of all bosses!
Well FG, I think the reason we lost out on the league last season was mostly because of the first part of the season where we had problems defensively and one or two in midfield.
Those problems where sought out in the second part of the season and I think we had a very good second half of last season.
What am trying to say here is with the team we had the second part of last season we stand a very good chance of winning it this year, especially when they are all gelling together.
FstFat goonergooner, a lot has changed in the last two seasons, I am sure you will recognise. Money, top signings, keeping key players, trophies. Sounds pretty positive to me. If Giroud stays fit, he will approach thirty goals in this team, whatever your misgivings about him, we have two more players who will get themselves twenty plus as well. Big game management, Wenger , like Clough and even Purple Nose prefers wherever possible for players to work it out for themselves, unlike the control freaked automatons the likes of Jose breeds. Wengers methods take time, team spirit and quality, in… Read more »
Is Giroud a title wining striker?? Doesn’t really matter what we think, Arsene thinks he is, and that’s good enough for me….#arseneknows
Fatgooner and Trez please name the PL team that has better team spirit and cohesion than the Arsenal right now?
I don’t think any team is even close!
COYG!
@Trez You claim Chelsea had a good pre-season. They did not! 1. They lost 4-2 against New York Red Bulls. 2. They DREW against PSG. PSG possession 56% to 44%. Shots 17 to 10. etc. 3. They DREW against a Barcelona without Messi and Neymar. Barca possession 69% to 31%. Shots 18 to 9, etc. You can look up the complete stats yourself. Or watch the games – you can do that too. Mourinho the whole time had to take the line “it’s not about the results, but fitness etc.” And no one says that if they’re playing well. Mourinho’s… Read more »