Mikel Arteta says although he hopes Arsene Wenger will stay at the club, the manager’s contract situation will have no effect on the players as they go into the final games of the season.
Wenger’s deal is believed to be agreed – but not yet signed – and the club’s fortunes in the FA Cup may be the deciding factor at this stage. But while the players are clearly aware of it, the Spaniard doesn’t believe it will have any kind of negative impact.
“I don’t know what the idea is,” he said. “I think the boss has been here long enough to know when the right moment is to make that decision and the board too.
“Whether it is done, nobody knows – but that’s not affecting what we’re going to do for the rest of the season. I’m sure he will make the right decision and, hopefully, he’ll continue.”
Arteta, meanwhile, has no room for sentiment as he plots to take three crucial points from the club where he spent 6 seasons and for whom he still has considerable affection.
“The game at Goodison is going to be really important,” he said. “Not only for the result, because there will still be another five games to go, six for them, but in mental terms. It will be a big boost if you win and hard to take if you don’t.”
Arteta is also focusing on bringing silverware to the club in the shape of the FA Cup, suggesting that one win after so long without would help breed future success.
“You complete a season and win something, you get some confidence and everything starts rolling. Look at Manchester City, and how many years they had without winning anything. They win the FA Cup and, suddenly, they have started to build a different atmosphere and a different belief around the team. We need to do that straightaway.
“The Cup is going to be massive. We know that everyone is waiting for us to win it and we have the added pressure on us. But it is also a motivating thing. We haven’t won anything for almost nine years so we have a great chance to do it. We can’t just throw it away.”
Let’s get that FA cup and shut these “pundits” up about the drought already.
I can’t forget that Martin Tyler’s line.. It’s Arsenal’s fa cup.. I hope it’s repeated this season.
Hope arteta fucks off when wenger does
I hope YOU fuck off before either of them do!!!
Why. He has no effect on how the team plays or on your life and as a fan is entitled to his say
I hope we smash them. So glad Rambo is back. Should be a good game, COYG!
I hope we can hire some sports psychologist consultants. Because the biggest hurdle right now except our injury woes is the mentality of our players. Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich all have them, and individual athletes like olympians pretty much all got a mental coach as part of their team. Brendan Rodgers hired one permanently to Liverpool this season, and every player on the team says it has really helped them get mentally stronger and balanced. Wenger talks alot about mental strenght, but going through our staff at our homepage, i cant see we got a single mental coach… Read more »
I’ve had more than enough of these dopey cunts that keep giving Arteta stick. If it’s not Theo, it’s Ramsey, if it’s not Ramsey it’s Per. Now it’s Micky’s turn is it? This fella has been one of the most important players for us over the last few years, and one of our most important signings in years. To come into that shitstorm back in 2011 and immediately steady the ship, and stabilize us over the next couple of years was a massive ask – yet he did it, when others failed. So, don, and your like – take a… Read more »
You forgot to mention FatGooner..
hmm, at first he was just irritating, now i just hate the fat fuck
I’ve no issue with Fatgooner mate.
I might not agree with him most of the time, but you know he’s a Gooner, and isn’t a cunt.
The clue is in the word ‘supporter’. Support the team when you win. And when you lose. I can rant at times (it takes a 6-0 at Chelsea or similar to be fair…but play like that and fans will have a go at the manager, players and owners), but I’m fully behind them come the next game. Arteta may be nearing the end of his Arsenal days, but he’s been a great servant. Arsenal were in ‘Clusterfuck’ mode when he arrived. He slotted straight in and calmed everything down. I hope he gets the chance of lifting the FA Cup… Read more »
He was the reason I struggled to give more than zero fucks about Song leaving, it was pretty damn obvious which one of them was holding the midfield together and it sure as shit wasn’t Mr. Lob Long Balls and Decide Not To Track Back.
Mooro, many many thumbs up for the message. You forgot to call him a John Terry though!
Easy, we’re not savages.
You do know he’s probably not gonna play enough to influence anything right?
I’m just saying, no one should be getting on wenger’s back when he doesn’t start ramsey
What’s with the “so called fans” line. Don has a point if view, you disagree with it. Can’t we all be fans and have a different view on things?
Malaysian, you lost me (mostly because I was too busy laughing) as soon as you said that ManU would win the CL.
He’d have lost me if he said they COULD. However, what makes it more hilarious is the fact that he says “MU HAVE WON the cl”.
Damn! and I thought the final was in May. 😉
We hardly had CL footy before Le Prof, now if he misses 1 season in 18 (I think) he’s out? Knob off and support the Chavs
If I heard any of the so-called ‘fans’ in reality wanting Wenger to leave the club, I’d fuck them up the arse.
The comments section of this website has become unhealthy. Look at how any opinion that criticizes Wenger is downvoted.
I think it’s down to the fact that some extreme anti Wenger comments were blocked and that encouraged Wenger encomiastic people to flock and support each other on this website.
It’s not fun when you read only one side of our fan base opinions.
Perhaps it’s to do with how often the people who want Wenger to leave – an opinion I have no issue with – post that opinion with real hatred. Honestly, if you saw some of the comments we don’t allow on this site, both from people who support Wenger and those who don’t, you’d despair for humanity. This site has never had, and never will have, any problem with negative opinion or people who want to see the manager replaced, but we also have rules and standards to uphold and we’ll do that. Every opinion is valid, but opinions presented with malice,… Read more »
Horia, I agree that the voting up/down system leads to any negative or critical comment receiving multitudes of thumbs down. But really, I people care if their comment is liked or not they’re probably better off on facebook or twitter than a partisan Arsenal site. The hiding of comments with too many negative votes is a decent system, take a trawl through the Guardian comments section to see the bullshit and trolling you get when there’s no self modulation. As for Don’s comment, if truth be told I’m not a huge fan of Arteta. It could be that makes me… Read more »
Can’t speak for anyone else, but I always read the ones that are hidden as I suspect most people do, it’s just a way to judge how much a comment is agreed with, or how controversial it is; I don’t think it makes much difference really.
Also, just found out the word ‘encomiastic’ exists.
Awesome.
Hoping we get the 3 points tomorrow…Good to have aaron ramsey back… On Wenger’s contract…As much as i love the man himself (he’s an all round great person, his comportment, maturity, class are all top notch!) , i however have to be objective…he needs to leave at the end of this season even if we win the FA cup… provided we can get a suitable replacement… i personally like roberto martinez (tactically sound, classy off the pitch too).
Oh Lego Man, don’t listen to the abuse, we still love you!
Arteta is a decent midfielder. And that’s it. Rambo’s slowly becoming a fucking legend. Hope the lad stays fit. COYG! Let’s go up north and show those cunts what the game we love is all about.
We will get at least third place this year.
Might hit a snag against Everton, but we will win the rest this season….ok, maybe one draw.
Of course Arteta would love Wenger to stay. Cant imagine a new manager having him in Arsenal’s starting X1.
The guy has no pace, no height and constantly hides when the defense are under pressure from pressing opposition players. Yeah he can stay on the bench or f*ck right off.
constantly hides–where’s your evidence?
2 Qtr Final wins in 17yrs in the CL??? 17 freaking years??? At a “big club”??!! TWO??? TWO???
Can you tell me how many champions league/European Cup semi/finals we played in before Wenger came along please?
So we’ve the Champions League consistently?? Oh Nevermind the fact that we’ve always had the 2nd or 3rd highest resources in League throughout that entire period. Wouldn’t that be the minimum expected for any Sunday School coach???
Don’t let the facts get in the way of emotional attachment.
just relax….. sit back, cool down and stay away from the keyboard for awhile..
play outside once in a while…
If you look at the ACTUAL facts, the resources we could and did spend put us with the 4th highest wage bill (partly paid for by that famous transfer credit) and as you’re so objective I’m sure you could tell me what that means, we were probably about where we should be. Whether Wenger overachieved or merely ‘achieved’ (can you really call it an achievement? I don’t know) is up for debate but it probably isn’t underachievement.
dont get Arteta mentioning the man city moved on after winning the FA cup did he miss the bit were they spent billions……. city and chelsea would be no were without the billionaire owners.we will never compete with these clubs unless we change our clubs DNA which wont happen so those that dont like Arsenals most succesful manager can go do one, i hope AW stays to reap the benefits of over achieving for years on a shoe string and setting this club up for the next 100 + years how many clubs will still be there then! a legacy… Read more »
The really annoying thing is that when we do win the cup, as I am certain this time we will, the same people hating on Arsenal in the media will continue to do so. I can already see myself reading some bollocks in the paper the day after we win it. The line ‘haven’t won anything for 9 of years’ will merely be changed to ‘only won the FA Cup in the last x amount of years’.
Malaysian Gunner clearly has no knowledge of Arsenal pre-Wenger. Don’t abuse him just because he’s clueless! Arsenal Blood apparently thinks the cost of the new stadium still left us financially competiting with CFC, MUFC, MCDC etc whereas anyone with knowledge of our income & expenditure will know that Arsene’s kept us punching above our weight whilst we paid for a magnificent self-sustaining future! Now we’re ready to compete on more equal terms for the best available players!
Any truth behind the ‘Wenger Out’ banner being unfurled at the FA Cup semi? If that happens I fully expect a massive kick off. Disgusting if true. Everyone has a right to their opinion of course, but at a cup semi final? It’s like they want us to fail. In fact, I think some of these miserable ‘see you next Tuesday’s’ love wallowing in misery. They would be the first on their saviour Klopp’s back if he came in and lost his first few games in charge. Finally, heard an interview on a pod (it may have been goonergirls but… Read more »
No truth in the banner story. Some guy on Twitter (that site has so much to answer for) said he would when he was in a grump and the media swarmed all over it. He’s since said there’s no chance he’d do it at a game.
Well said Neil!
On Stoijkovic, has anyone seen this? He was the manager at the time of Grampus Eight and got sent off for this.
Told you he could play.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJz38WZ7_C0
And a failry recent quote from Klopp. Interesting…
“He is really something. I love him. He is Sir Arsene Wenger for me.”
If we’re talking new managers…I’d say Klopp would be my personal favourite for the job. Would he leave BVB? Maybe. Then if we can’t get Klopp i say we make Bouldie manager. He’s defensively sound..already knows the club and is a class act. #Bouldie4Manager
2-0 down and hanging on to Everton coat tails.So don’t be surprised the gunners lose .
It is not 100% sure Everton will finish 4th but if the gunners cannot compete,cl soccer is
out. To those who sneer that MU will not win the cl,bear in mind the gunners style is similar to BM.
Compared to the german the gunner attack is predictable and slow and gives time for the opposition to regroup.
If Mu forced a draw anything can happen.
AsI have stated,Wenger is living on past gloryand shd have been off along time ago,.