Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal can handle the pressure of a title challenge because his current squad are more mature and disciplined than previous sides under his control.
While the boss admits talk of winning the championship is premature, the Gunners do have the chance to go top of the table this evening, albeit temporarily, with a win against Everton.
Reflecting on his side’s form over the last twelve months, Wenger stressed the importance of consistency when speaking to the media on Friday.
“We have strengthened our belief with our run last season, from January 1 – you could feel there was really a change in our stability.
“We have shown that we can handle the pressure. What is the most important for me is to continue to develop as a team, to feel that we grow in the quality of our game.
“We have maybe a better discipline. People reproached us many times: ‘okay, Arsenal play football, but they are a bit fragile.’ Before, maybe, when we were not dominating completely the game, we were a bit insecure.”
“We are more mature, for sure,” he continued. “Two years ago, we were a long time top of the league. After, we lost one or two players and we lost one or two big games, that was the killer for us.
“I feel today we are better prepared. We know, as well, the competition will be long. We have played nine games, there is a long way to go, but let’s make sure that we can produce week in, week out. For me, that is the most important (thing).”
Speaking to Arsenal.com the boss went into further detail about finding a balance between confidence and desire.
“We have built up a run and that brings confidence, but you also want a good compromise between confidence, urgency and hunger. It must give us hunger to do more. That’s what we want to do against Everton.
“We have worked very hard after a dodgy start in the first game [of the season] to put us back in the position where we are now. We have a great opportunity so we want to continue our run.”
It’s all about that “c” word again: consistency. But by tonight we will have played 8 of the top 12 already and should be top of the table.
Go on, Boss. Give yourself a birthday present today.
So clearly when teams get to play against our awesomeness, they get better at football by learning from the best footballing team in England! Hence so many in the top twelve now! 😉
Sorry, i liked Anelka, but there was no way he could come back to Arsenal after his brothers blackmailed us
Vogue.
The team has come along way..with the right balance of confidence and caution..with consistency and I toughness..why not!!..we a the gunners and we are winners.
Let’s give Wenger an Everton victory for birthday present. 2 goals for HFB today, and 2 goals from our resourceful midfielders..
COYG!!! We are headed for all titles
I fear no foe..we can’t but roar!!
Arsenal -Title winners 2015/16.
This year, Our year.
I have a weird feeling about this. Hopefully we score first half, get the feeling we may unravel a bit if we’re forced to chase it late on after our midweek exertions.
Another title would be good but i really hope Arsenal wins the Champion’s League before Arsene retires… just reward for being an all round class act for the past 20 years!
I have never been this convinced about our title challenge credentials in a long while. Our spine – Cech, Kos, Coq, Cazorla, Ozil, Sanchez and Walcott – is as good as any other in the league. The supporting cast – Bellerin, Mert, Gabriel, Monreal, Ramsey, Ox, Giroud and others – are equally very good. The mix of youth, skill, grit, experience and hunger is good. The squad unity is also there: no stories of squabbles and all. All these are ingredients of a sustained title push. The one element that I hope to God will be in our favour is… Read more »
This is the squad most capable of being title winners since the 07/08 group that were robbed by that blundering oaf at Birmingham. It’s on them to prove what they can do, I just hope to christ, or whoever is listening, that they can stay fit to do it.
I agree about the blundering oaf at Birmingham. However, sorry to go on about signings, but Arsenal would have won the title that year had Wenger signed Anelka in the January transfer window. He wanted to return to Arsenal, but Wenger felt we had enough. He was wrong.
Hindsight is always 20-20 but I think that’s unfair and inaccurate on many levels. That Birmingham game cost us Eduardo, it cost us 2 points (courtesy of “referee” Mike Dean), we lost Gallas’s sanity and with that we pretty much lost all semblance of cohesion and self belief, and subsequently the league ( we didn’t “not win” it, we very much lost it). It’s not like we didn’t have strikers, we still had young master Nick, when he was a footballer and not a meme, we had RvP…occasionally and we had Adebayor in his pomp (our last 30 goal a… Read more »
I think we missed mental strength more than anything. However, it’s obvious signing Anelka that season would have won us the league. It’s all academic though as I heard at the time wenger was interested but the board was totally against it due to his acrimonious departure over a decade earlier.
Arsenal only finished 4 points behind Utd that season, so a player like Anelka would have almost certainly made the difference for us. RVP only played 15 games that season after multiple injuries pre Christmas. There was a definite need to strengthen the attack that year….mush like this one. I just hope history does not repeat itself and that Wenger and the board have learnt from their mistakes.
‘much’
True. The board was against signing Anelka. Not only that, but rosicky’s injury also affected us as well.
Did you just call Bellerin – the most dangerous attacking and defensively efficient right back in the EPL- “support cast”? Are u kidding me? @ Manny
Think he meant “supporting” the spine…but Hector is fucking fantastic imo
Probably, though the use of ‘spine’ in football is one of the most variable and misinterpreted tools of analysis around.
As Amy Lawrence said in the Arsecast, it will come down to fitness. There are about 5 players who are almost indispensable to the effectiveness of the team, and losing any of them could impact heavily on results. Lets hope everyone stays injury free for the next 7 months.
Best squad we’ve had for years. We’ve been in contention before (regardless of what some people think) but we’ve suffered more than others due to injury (and perhaps fatigue). This year we’ve a stronger squad in depth and we’ve got options. We’ve also learned how to win in different ways. LVG and Mourinho’s shortcomings should eliminate two of our rivals from contention. Which leaves us and Man City as the two ‘most likely’ beneficiaries. Yes, it is too early to think of certainties, but for now we just have to accumulate points and come May 7th (when we play City… Read more »
Meanwhile (last I checked) West Ham are one up on Chelski. Go on Hammers, may your colours run those pricks fucking ragged!
And Matic sent off in the 44th. Not looking good for The Cunts. I will look forward to Maureen’s face during the press conference after.
Waiting for The Cunt One’s weak and naive excuse tonite.
The Cunty One at the press conference:
“Waddya meen we lost? Look! How do you expect me to keep players on the pitch when the referee won’t be bribed? We tried money, we tried intimidation, we even had Terry racially abuse him, he won’t budge! How am I supposed to get results in such circumstances???”
We should be expecting a win today. Which is something you never assume with the arsenal. But that’s how good we should be right now
Just have to make sure we take the points if Chelsea lose….need to make days like this count
Yesss.
That’s the spirit Boss!
Chelski just not funny enough!…
Terry’s face as he was leaving the pitch!