A clearly dejected Arsene Wenger faced the Sky Sports cameras in the aftermath of his side’s 4-3 opening day defeat at the hands of Liverpool.
Here’s what he had to say…
On the performance and result…
We played a very good first half and we were unlucky just before half time to concede a goal; the free-kick looked very, very harsh.
We didn’t recover really from that and after paid for the lack of experience at the back and the fact that some players are not ready physically to last 90 minutes at that level.
Overall, it’s disappointing because in the first half you think we should come out with at least one goal for us [ahead] and ten minutes later you are 3-1 down, then it’s difficult to recover. We did fight until the end but we lacked a bit of stability.
On fearing a total battering at 4-1 down…
You’re always concerned in that situation [4-1 down] but we have shown mental qualities to come back and fight back of course.
On needing reinforcements…
Yes, first we could get some players back. Of course, I’ve said many times that we’re working very hard to get one or two players in.
On being desperate to sign new players…
It’s always desperate, you know. There’s not much time left. Desperate? I don’t know what you call desperate, it has to make sense and be quality. We’ve done that [paid over the odds] before, but it’s not always identifying the players its getting the availability of the players.
On his players lacking belief…
When you’re 4-1 down at home it’s always difficult when you have so many young players. I don’t feel that in the first half at all, I thought we played with a good drive. Of course, at the back you feel like we lack a little bit the maturity but you know that before you go into the game.
On being booed off at home on the first day of the season…
That’s part of it. Of course, it’s not pleasant. We’ve shown in the past that we have the mental strength to deal with that and bounce back. We were on a ten game unbeaten run, unfortunately today that stopped. There’s many reasons that we have to analyse but as well we must not panic.
On being under even more pressure…
I don’t know what you mean by that. I’m always under pressure because I want to win every single game. That’s part of the game.
Personally think everything was wrong today. Starting lineup, substitutions should’ve come as soon as the game started to get away from us, and of course the mistakes in the transfer window up until this point. Has the feeling of the straw that broke the camel’s back in terms of many fans’ patience with arsene- those that still had any. Really hope for his sake as well as all ours that he pulls something out in these next couple of weeks recruitment-wise.
I agree Team selection was bad. It didn’t make any sense even for wenger I don’t know why he thought starting Ramsey was a good idea. Sanchez I get because we’re short on strikers Ramsey? I don’t get we have Cazorla Xhaka who could’ve started and in better physical form. It’s all on wenger this first game loss. Next week we shall see. Hopefully signed a new player
What do you have against Ramsey? He played his heart out in the first half. He was one of the reasons we looked good in the first half. I believe after the break,walcott and Sanchez were below par.
Sanchez had a bad game. Even with all his faults we really missed Giroud today. Strong target man up front who can hold off defenders and play in our midfielders.
There was also no one who controlled the tempo of the game in the starting 11. We really needed someone to slow down the game at times.
It’s not about having anything against Ramsey, it’s the fact that he’s not had a proper pre season because of Wales, where as Cazorla looked top every game he’s played pre season. Also, Walcott over Chambo? I’m neither WOB nor WKB, but considering last season, then pre season, that’s criminal. On Wenger’s head be it.
He didn’t have a full preason, that’s the point. Not a lack of talent, but a lack of fitness. He only played one game less than kos, and the same number of games as ozil.
He played a game less than you think because he missed the semi final because of suspension
He was rubbish and not fully fit, that’s why.
When will people like you start being objective with players like Ramsey, he is a terrible player end off. The useless Zidane wanna be idiot.
Why would he play Ramsey as a ten after he lit up the euros playing there? I agree it didn’t work,but let’s not pretend that it was a mad decision
Ramsey was poor and should never be starting over carzola. The squad selection left alot to be desired in other areas as well. Surprised to see xhaka starting on the bench. Would have preferred to see xhaka partnered with Eleneny to add cover for holding and chambers and drop Santi in the 10 role. I think the ship is taking on water but I don’t think it’s ready to sink yet.
Only fair and to me logical to start elneny and coquelin, both in form pre season, both currently fitter and obviously more adjusted to english football than xhaka, as clearly shown when he came on and clattered about 5 dudes in a row. Alexis probably shouldn’t have started, should have been subbed for Akpom but clearly we had 2 players go off because of knocks so that kind of eliminated freedom to be creative with subs. Walcott did well 1st half, disappeared 2nd, completely. Fair dues to Liverpool, all 4 goals were of a high class and would’ve hit the… Read more »
Why? Should we not beat last seasons 8th place team, at home?
Yep teams change season to season, that like kind of happens a lot, Klopp knows what he’s doing there now, on paper, on form, on the day, wasn’t at all surprising to lose.
In that position behind the striker absolutely not. The gaffer did however mention that santi wasn’t fully fit going into the season.
can’t wait for the first game of the season next week lads…
paid for the lack of experience at the back and the fact that some players are not ready physically to last 90 minutes at that level.
===
And that’s all on you, Wenger. Unprepared as usual. Yeah, transfers are difficult, we get it, and yet our rivals have no trouble strengthening well BEFORE the first game of the season. No strategy, no plan, no urgency.
Yep. And everyone’s price demands from Arsenal for a center back should have gone up 5 million quid after that, so it isn’t even a trade off for a better transfer fee, not getting a deal done by now is just rubbish.
Yet again it feels like Wenger thinks injuries are unfair and he shouldn’t have to cover for them so he doesn’t.
It is, without doubt almost criminal that we don’t have a new defender on our books right now. Even ‘we’ as fans have known for about a month know that a signing in this position was an ansolute necessity. As for the whole ‘we’re focusing on a defensive signing, so our striker search is on hold’… Just imagine if any single on of told our boss we couldn’t focus on that one crucial piece of work because something else (in this case a defensive signing) had come up…. The vast majority of us would be sacked because of a lack… Read more »
Apparently Walcott always focuses on attacking so his defending is on hold.
It is, without doubt almost criminal that we don’t have a new defender on our books right now. Even ‘we’ as fans have known for about a month know that a signing in this position was an ansolute necessity. As for the whole ‘we’re focusing on a defensive signing, so our striker search is on hold’… Just imagine if any single one of us told our boss we couldn’t focus on that one crucial piece of work because something else had come up…. The vast majority of us would be sacked because of a lack of competence. Ugh. I’ve supported… Read more »
Apologies for the double post girls and boys. One sorrowful beer too many.
First off why is Theo taking penalties when Sanchez is on the field? 2nd I knew it was a bad idea to start Sanchez when he’s not match for. I said in a previous post starting Sanchez over players who are match fit and relatively inform like Campbell and Chamberlain was a bad idea and so it proved. Players who are not match fit are more prone to injury as we have seen today. I didn’t think Ramsey should also be starting ahead of Cazorla given their fitness level plus he’s a box to box player like Elneny and it… Read more »
Penalties and corners too 🙁 my, my, what a fucking shambles.
If Sanchez didnt start up top this thread would be screaming blue murder. Of course Im gutted, but the first 44 minutes everything looked sound. We got walloped after the break and the whole thing opened up horribly, but Im not sure starting Ox wouldve helped. He actually had the impact coming on. Same with Santi, he wasnt match fit in the warmup games and played well in his cameo. I agree and we all see that we need a striker and defender… golly, long season at this rate.
When does next season start? Please please please don’t offer him a new contract.
Whenever Wenger and Dick & Gazidis say they are working hard, I am always bemused. Like how hard can it be to go to a club and say, “Yeah! We know we’re in a fucked up situation here. We want Mustafi/Lukaku/whoeverthehellwe’vebeenlinked to and are willing to pay a little over the odds. And to those who talk about how it’s not always easy about player not wanting to join or agents being bitches; well every other top 6 clubs have signed players with minimum fuss and haven’t taken the best part of 2 months. What a horrible day, and I… Read more »
The irony of you losing your wallet and Wenger unwilling/not capable of/not allowed to spend… Maybe he needed to knick the extra quid necessary to seal a deadline day Suarez-esq bid for Mahrez and Mustafi? Conspiracy theory? Sorry about the wallet though, mate.
Most of this interview leans towards denial. Denial that there is any other issue than missing players and fitness. Nothing about inaction regarding signing proven quality players. Nothing about failing to address the centre back issue, despite having plenty of time to do so. Failing to admit his and Dick Laws seemingly apathetic stance on transfers. Nothing about the years of waiting for the “potential” core of British players to come good, but consistently come up short. No, this is a man who trusts no judgement other than his own or his hand packed cronies. No change has to be… Read more »
‘Were unlucky because per and Gabriel were injured’
That is not an acceptable excuse we have had plenty of time to get some cover in. A
Really really disappointing start to the season but one which has been on the cards considering our lack of activity.
Supermarket sweep time!
No, we haven’t. We had a week. I am not sure how long it takes to do deals but seriously maybe it could take more than 5 days. We lost both defenders and one is out because he was gone for the euros. What is he supposed to do, buy quickly… Maybe, or maybe it is a lil difficult. Also, how do you know a debutant who is new to the premier league would have been better than Chambers and Holding. Do you remember how long it took the aforementioned 3 to get used to the premier league. Sometimes, we… Read more »
While I can see where you are coming from, tell me how far down the league table you have to go to find a team where chambers and holding are the starting centrebacks.
League 1?
Not saying that they aren’t good enough. But they haven’t proven themselves.
It’s not good enough putting your 2 young centrebacks against title contenders.
What are you talking about? We needed a defender last season. He’s had all summer to sign one.
I think we played well, but the inexperienced back line cost us, that being said, the season is already under way and that is just, history shows we always bounce back as the season progress, the club still in the market, let get along with it, we can’t afford to have a lot of wailers and moaners. CYG.
True, we need to move on, it is just the first game of the season, things are slow, but the created atmosphere of not buying new additions play with the mind of every body, it is normal psychology, when we see other team reinforce, you would think why not us, however, today,s does not connect much to that, most of the expected arrival are mainly reinforcer, because who ever comes i can see them play a head of Giroud or Kos and Gabriel. but as i said it is pure demonstration effect.
Move on people, CYG
It was a better showing that last season’s opener, for sure.
I can say that am “desperate” for him to end up his career with dignity and please let’s find a young good manager after this season ends.
You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.
Everybody knows everybody knows where we’re going yeah we’re going down
I’m beyond caring how his replies make him look like an utter dillisional fool but the fact it also drags our mighty club and its glorious fans through the piss taking press gutter is just sad and disrespectful.
Go now.
What’s surprising, is as Arsenal fans we keep listening to this, out of touch, Scrooge bastard. He had months to fix our problems and we have to be embrassed in front of everyone before he starts saying anything.
He seems to think cause nobody around him, has the balls to say anything, that he is still relevant but he out of touch with modern football. Do the right thing and leave so a younger person can have a go.
Arsene’s turned our club into a punchline 🙁
He’s not going to win the league and he’s going to sign an extension. You know it.
Wow! It beats me why Arsene will play a make shift defense, keep experienced players like Carzola and Xhaka until late in the game against a full strength Liverpool team. Wow!!!
Xhaka was shit does not know how to pass the ball forward , carzola brought us back into game but Arsene has to go ,he has sat on his arse all summer working for French tv instead of doing his job for Arsenal
New season, same old shit. Nothing more to say!
“10 game unbeaten run”
Just fuck right off with that, please. This HAS to be his last season with this same old lacklustre performance (transfer market, on pitch performance), doesn’t it? He’s absolutely out excuses. Nowhere to hide. Give me anything but this recurring mediocrity.
I think nobody is pointing out the fact that personnel keep on changing but defense remains same, mentality remains same. No amount of transfer will improve the position Arsenal find themselves in. 3rd/4th in the league. Transfers won’t solve tactical naivety.
It’s so disappointing to see that one’s ideal is no longer ideal.
The mentality in the club needs reworking.
Let’s just get a new manager now, while there is time to influence the season.
has arsene ever overpaid for a player? even players that proved to be bad transfers were in line with the market- why does arsenal feel like it has to win every transfer? this will be another season where we start unprepared and then fade after we don’t reinforce in january
Chambers, £16m, overpaying right there.
luke shaw moved for £30m that summer, that was overpaying for a highly rated young defender
There’s an inbuilt fragility that runs through us. I’m afraid to say even if we buy superstar center half and striker it won’t make a difference. I thought we needed an overhaul to even compete with the retooled squads we’re competing against, that was never going to happen so I hoped for at least a few signings and a slight improvement medically with the injuries. Same old, same old, now we’re managing Jack and Aaron, Santi’s got a strain, don’t for one second think Alexis is fully fit, so almost the inevitable injuries will come along which leave us short… Read more »
I’ve been listening to the same old drivel for years, “we’re working hard to bring in new players” etc etc but the plain and simple fact is that it ain’t working and I just don’t look forward to going anymore. The atmosphere is evil. Wait till the corporate hospitality boxes start emptying cos the fans are angry.
There’s 2 disappointments here; the classic Arsenal way we lost this game. It’s just so us and the lack of any shock or surprise was really telling.
Then there’s the ‘some players aren’t ready for 90mins’. Isn’t this the prime responsibility of a manager and coaching staff for pre-season. When you have a squad renound for picking up injuries really don’t play players who aren’t fully fit.
I respect Wenger and everything he’s done but it’s becoming impossible to defend 🙁
You can’t recover from 1-1 at half time? Really? You got to be kidding me… If so, I might as well not bother watching this season.
It shows his inability to motivate players.
This was always going to be what the “we need change” needed to get the pitchforks out again. Lets get one thing straight as a football fan, that game was entertaining to say the least. Hindsight after the fact on position and starters is easy to pick out but neither Sanchez nor Ramsey played badly and looked like they merited the call up. Whats the point in persuading a 20 year old two divisions below you to join, if the first time he is needed you pick a left back ahead of him? What message does that send? Its one… Read more »
Toxic *shit
Nice try, I genuinely mean that, but what happened today is not a one-off. This was a result of negligence from Wenger/board/Kroenke/Gazidis to the players themselves.
“I very much doubt the club aren’t trying the professional best to find the players who suit us, we suit them, the club wanna sell and the fee isn’t 80m for a 30m player. Perspective and common sense please from all you head losses ffs” Sorry mate.. just don’t believe this to be true anymore. Every ‘big’ club in the world is signing players they want. Whats so special about Arsenal and Arsene. Do we have a transfer policy that is somehow better than everyone elses and so we don’t buy players we need? Stop defending this nonsense FFS. I… Read more »
Arsenal will never sack Arsene, he’s too important to the club. He’s done a fantastic job, but Arsenal need a manager who is verbal on the sideline and says it how it is now. We need a manager who is willing to adapt to the change of the Premier League and not stick to the old ways. You adapt or you perish. My shout would be Arsene joins the board and we get Diego Simeone to take the reigns and bring back the success Arsenal are used to.
Getting rid of the manager won’t solve all our problems. The board should be held accountable also.
It’s extremely sad, post the first day of the season and I’m looking for the comments section rather than what AW is saying. I watched the game with a United fan and he asked would you take a van gaal \ moyes situation and I honestly would
Wenger should leave now,he has nothing constructive to offer,we are developing high blood pressure just because of you Wenger
I’m not a fan of booing the team. It’s the first game of the season and we are missing some very key players. With the strength of competition this year everyone will drop points. I get if you aren’t too fond of Wenger right now, but he deserves respect. Also fans leaving during the game? Whatever happened to getting behind a team when they go down instead of giving up on them?
“We’ve shown in the past that we have the mental strength to deal with that and bounce back”
i’m very glad that they have because i just don’t feel i can anymore, lets just hope some lessons have been learnt from this.
If players aren’t physically ready, that’s Wenger’s fault.
If we have many injuries, that is Wenger’s fault.
If we’re understaffed, that is Wenger’s fault.
If the starting line up was obviously wrong, that is Wenger’s fault.
Can I get paid £8 million a year to repeatedly make cock up after cock up after cock up? Please?
How many other teams would add Alexis, Ozil and Cech and NOT be better yet some how we’re the same as we have been the last few seasons? Theres a good squad there injuries not withstanding and the problem has got to be Wenger. They all looked clueless today (AS ALWAYS) and i’m sure a good manager would get more out of these players
We really could have given up a couple more goals no problem.
On being under more pressure.
‘I don’t know what you mean by that’
Poor man. Lost touch with reality.
mane was clearly available and yet none of our scouts noticed he could be worth a punt. massive shambles again and nobody at the club seems to learn from the previous season.
Hey let’s not get ahead of ourselves. He scored against Holding and Chambers. But I agree we should have signed a backup striker at least.
Mate is overrated. He’s quick, but overrated. Kinda like Walcott.
Does that mean others didnt have players at Euros. Bad management…if it was any other club he would have been fired..not for losing today but repeating same mistake year after year…
Does that mean others didnt have players at Euros. Bad management…if it was any other club he would have been fired..not for losing today but repeating same mistake year after year…all we need is stability and desire…the mans lost it…can probably get top 4…thats it
Side with no senior centerbacks concedes four.
Team that plays friendlies against MLS and Vikings is not fit.
Club that has acted consistently and conservatively in transfer market for years continues to do so.
Supporters who expect more after a decade of the same-old same-old are naive.
I was thinking of what to write so just copied and pasted my comments from the first day of 2012,2013 & 2015. “GET YOUR FLIPPING CHEQUE BOOK OUT!”. Now to go listen to Gangnam Style,this song is going to be huge.
And it is groundhog day again.
Wenger, I am tired of “your” Arsenal
Seriously, did anyone suspect anything different? The moment I saw Holding/Chambers and Walcott starting on the right, I stuck 5 on Liverpool winning. Guess who’s richer today? Hate me for betting against Arsenal, go ahead. But in your hearts, you knew this was going to be a 3rd disappointing opener in 4 seasons. Maybe Kronke will move Arsenal to Los Angeles after he ruins this club as well. It’s getting to the point where I’m seriously reconsidering following Arsenal at all this season, and that’s painful. But I don’t want to end up like a Rams supporter feeling like a… Read more »
You do realize that the Rams were originally in LA until the owners wife, who inherited the team upon his death, decided to move the team to St. Louis because that’s where she grew up?
We are consistently 2 top draw players from being the real deal.
yet we have gained 3 top draw players during the years we still needed 2 top draw players, maybe we should try aiming for 11 top draw players in total?
Everyone fan around the world stop buying arsenal shirts…fans living in london going to the games stop spending extra money at stadium for drinks or food…
Until they buy a FUCKING striker…
The need to see the ire of the fans…noo better way than seeing revenue fall…
you say that but DAMN them pizzas taste GOOD
I know we won’t win the league but seriously if you have any ambitions to do so you need to start the season well and get maximum points!!! So lets say we miss out on the title by a point or two!!! This game would be costly hence the team should be ready at the start of the season, not still messing around in the transfer window!!!
…oh look, Arsene’s cliche responses to transfers, losing and Arsenal being generally shite.
No one saw those coming.
Did he say my favourite “lessons being learnt”? LOVE that one
Always complaining over a spilt milk. He had enough time to sign players but did not. Always looking for quality. I hope it does not worse
I can’t. I can’t do this anymore.
I don’t believe he looks at himself sufficiently. Clearly Mourinho is an obvious narcissist but I think Wenger is in a more subtle way. It’s all about him and trying to do it his way. To aim to be pure in a world of cunts is admirable but it isn’t working. To have someone up top making it more difficult on his own whim is not taking into account what I think most of us want.