Arsene Wenger has promised his side have the strength to react to recent disappointing results and maintains that the club must stick to their attractive playing style philosophy.
Stressing that the players are not affected by off-field discontent, the boss also pressed home the fact that the club is in a strong position despite admitting there is currently a problem on the pitch.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s final Champions League match of 2012 in Greece, Wenger bullishly underlined that his players must keep clear heads in a world which increasingly thrives on drama.
“Play well and keep faith in the way we want to play football and in the values we want to defend,” said the Frenchman when quizzed on how he plans to cope with the current ‘crisis’.
“We have always done that. We live in a world which needs drama every day. Football is a game where you have to enjoy playing; you can’t live in a dramatic world in a consistent way.”
Pressing home his optimism for the future, he continued: “This club is in fantastic shape. We have a good team, a strong structure of the club that we have built over the years, we have a strong financial situation and we are mentally strong.
“I can understand not everybody is pleased. But that is a fact. That is why we have to continue to behave like we do.”
With press referencing a pre-game march which took place on Saturday and the discontent in the terraces after the two late goals which condemned Arsenal to a fourth league defeat of the season, Wenger reiterated that people are entitled to their opinions but that their views aren’t always that of the majority.
“It’s not affecting the players. I believe intelligence in life is to focus on what is important and what is important is the way we play football. The rest you deal with it.
“Let’s not forget that if people have something to say, then we are open to it. But as well, it is not always necessarily representative of the majority.
“What is important is that we play our football, improve the way we play and keep faith in our players. That at the moment is very important, all the rest…if you look at peoples’ reactions is dramatic. What is important is to be capable to play football.
“There’s a problem there of course, but what is important when you have a problem is to do something about it. The second thing is to have the strength to do something about it. I’m confident we have both, we have the strength and we will do something about it.
“I believe that [we must] develop the quality of our game and continue to play better in the way we want to do it.”
Arsenal principle #1 :buy cheap, sell high
So you would prefer the buy high, sell cheap policy that has resulted in problems for so many clubs. Chelsea have accumulated £1bn in tax losses to offset against future profits, if they ever make one. Is that a long term sustainable model that could be applied to every club?
what about sell high, buy high
how about buy high when necessary and worry about the selling later. if you buy quality, you shouldn’t have to worry about losing value.
In response to comical ali, that is what we do by reinvesting the proceeds of player sales. In the first 9 games of the season Gervinho, frustrating though he is, scored more goals and had more assists than Nasri for Man City over the same number of games. Hardly the failure to replace a world class? player. Shortly after he returned home Cesc stated that he did not understand all the media hysteria about the failure to replace him, stating that his replacement was already at the club, naming Jack Wilshere. It was unfortunate that we lost him for so… Read more »
Sell high, Buy high and keep them is a better policy
@thaat arsenal guy
they age
@ ThaatArsenalGuy
Agreed.
That is the future Wenger is trying to work towards. Create a base from your academy that will constitute the spine of the team: the players who love the club and its institution. The Arsenal Academy is the cornerstone of this. Then you go out and buy top players who will add the extra qualities that cannot be found from your academy. The increased commercialisation and stadium will help us do that. So in the future, we will be able to buy, once again, the Bergkamps and Henry’s of this world.
No one’s asking to buy big just like chelsea or man city do. Everyone bar Wenger can see that squad depth is lacking. Quality replacements man for man would be enough. If they can find someone like Kos from a Frence ligue 2 then Arsenal shouldn’t have problems finding talent given the scouts they have.
Wrong! The first principle will always be “sack the bored”.
You must be really board.
Most broadly so.
Am I the only one being taunted by an advert for the Europa League on the right?
I get the BET 10 and get 20 ad .. kinda reminds me of the transfer model at arsenal 😀
I sure do hope metal man thing isn’t supposed to be the answer to our prayers.
I think it`s important that we sack Wenger now.
Dude I was once like you but I now see the error in my ways. Arsene Wenger!. He is the greatest manager we have ever had. 15 years consecutive champions league football whilst spending considerably less than competitors. Stop whining. We will bounce back, we mostly do anyway. Coyg.
I know my friend, i`m just joking.
I was waiting for someone to insult me, so that I can insult back 😉
i have no problem with this.
Well I certainly do because this :- “This club is in fantastic shape. We have a good team, a strong structure of the club that we have built over the years, we have a strong financial situation and we are mentally strong.” Is the most un-utterable rubbish. “We are mentally strong” !!!! Just how many times over the last 7 years has he spewed out this dross ? Mentally strong teams do not play like we saw on Saturday. Jaded, feebly coached, demotivated and under performing teams do. I fully admit I have pretty much given up on Wenger but… Read more »
Wenger has to spew this crap, if he doesn’t then the criticism levelled at him and the team are legitimised and puts him and the team in a much higher pressurised situation – which can or can’t be good for the team, it’s unpredictable. Personally think we’ll get a top 4 finish, Wenger’s got the experience to produce that result without a doubt, and a cup would be a good place to build on for next season. We need players in over Jan and in the summer. Theo can fuck right off with his the £100k he wants..I do like… Read more »
All of that’s pretty true except for the mentally strong part – and he’s hardly going to come out and say “we’re mentally fragile, we’re about to crack!” . Calling him delusional is a bit much, Wenger is an intelligent man with a lot of love for this club. You better believe there’s hard headed assessment going on behind the scenes, Wenger’s too proud to put up with this shit.
My sentiments exactly though. What do we say, “our mental strength is lacking?” That would be a field day for the papers, I can just imagine the Mirror and the Sun’s headlines the next day: “AFRAID TO FIRE: ARSENE BLASTS TEAM FOR MENTAL WEAKNESS” given the kind of word-twisting the press does. And I do think it’s the vogue to blast Arsenal. Chelsea is consistently underperforming, even in the league; they did lead the tables early on but that has now stopped and they now find themselves losing to West Ham. They aren’t doing so well either. City is also… Read more »
I really like these quotes and the manager’s attitude. I’m still confident in a top four finish. For all the talk about the worst Arsenal team in years, it’s also the worst slate of top four contenders in years.
Definately confident of a top four finish, even with our bad patch we are well within touching distance with a lot of football still to play this season. I’d be happy with that (and a good go in the cups!) after such a crap start, as long as we are able to use the transfer windows and the summer to retain and build for the next season for once, without being pulled apart. I have more confidence that we can do that now, than I did in the last few seasons.
I’m inclined to agree. I don’t want to sound too optimistic, because you never know with Arsenal recently, but we’re only 5 points behind 3rd place chelski. But the problem still stands, we lack depth and Arsene has to do something about that in January. Every position other than CB and RB is lacking in depth… He has his work cut out for him. I think a good striker (such as Huntelaar) and a quality winger or two would be good buys. If reports are to be believed that Huntelaar is available for 6m, I think we should pounce on… Read more »
I hate saying it but we haven’t had an attractive style of football since Cesc and Na$ri left,now all we do is try and cross it and hope for the best.
dude? what matches have you been watching , You think arteta gets 10000% pass completion rate by just crossing it? we still play some entertaining possession footy and unlike Barca ours is a bit direct.
It’s the attacking third that has been shitty this season
Aye, and I remember people bad-mouthing our football even when we had Cesc and Nassri, because we have the reputation of good football anything that falls short of the Invincibles on their best days is prone to sharp criticism, through jealousy, contrariness or just sheer stupidity.
Our football is still good, it’s just that we so rarely play it that it seems like we’re an average team prone to good moments rather than the other way round; I really hope that’s not the case.
For starters dude id rather pull my eye sockets out than watch Barca,and yes Arteta has done well but the attacking players not so much.You do know we are now mid table and it looks like it could get worse.
Lol. Mate he got that rate by backpassing.
@Dick….”Our football is still good, it’s just that we so rarely play it ”
Then its not our football! ‘Our football’ is what we churn out most of the time.
exactly. during the invincible season we never played tika-taka football, just good, purposeful, quick and intelligent passing in the final third that made us devastating. the def mid and defense was just brutally physical with an eye for a forward pass, so yes the final third fluidity currently is nowhere near as good as the invincible season let alone fabregas and nasri time period.
arsenal has been playing more crosses than i ever, at least as far as i can remember. so yes, we’ve lost our fluidity, sadly now our original plan b has now become our plan a.
You guys are all wrong. It’s not been our final third that’s been the problem. It’s been the first third, the middle third and the final third. our defense is mistake prone, our midfield goes backwards instead of forwards, and our forwards are scared( podolski and theo) or absolute shit( gervinho). Giroud has been ok at best.
How about the attractive style of football we were playing at the beginning of this season (pre-interlullpocalypse)? The way Arteta, Cazorla, Diaby and Poldi were combining was beautiful to watch – what the fuck happened over that two week break?
So many reactionary idiots around…..calling for Wenger head is a knee-jerk reaction…..anyone remember last year with all the criticism and he got us to third place. Wenger needs to splash some cash this Jan though
And what if he doesn’t eddeee,will you be calling for his head?
Fire Wenger!! Hire someone who’ll spend the money , get that Mancini fella ,he’s so talented at spending . Why do people think that’s It’s only Arsene that’s doesn’t want to spend ,Maybe it’s the board,maybe it’s the board AND Arsene , Also keep in mind that these people are professionals and experienced so maybe they doing for our good or they are cunts and they just want to make Kroenke rich for some reason… But whatever the situation is ,I can’t call for his head . Mainly because I like the man and still appreciate him but also because… Read more »
Would hardly call it a knee-jerk reaction. Maybe a season or two ago. But to discount everything that he has done would be idiotic.
I still think it’s pretty knee-jerk unless you can justify that bringing in someone else at the season’s midpoint would benefit the club.
Yea I’m certainly against letting him go mid-season. That would be disrespectful for what he has done for the club. But after the season it should be up for discussion.
I agree that it should be up for discussion in the summer, but as Arsene says, “judge me in May.” And come May he’s usually back in favor when he falls out of it.
hahaha compete for nothing in 8 years and he calls it knee jerk. ought to knee you, you jerk
Robin van perspective
Rvp did more than what Wenger did to get us to third.
Robin Van present.
Where is he now ? Fucked off when someone waved a stick of cash at him.
And as much as I think Wenger’s future should be open for discussion at the end of the season , the simple fact is he is still here , he’s hurting , but he’s still fighting for Arsenal.
The values we want to defend: selling out the highest prices to watch Gervinho and Ramsey… selling our best player and lying that it was for ‘footballing reasons’, constantly disrespecting the fans (Hill-Wood)…. amazing direction our values are heading…
I certainly have no problem with our principles. The way we try to play is the most aesthetically pleasing form of football around. The problem is that, currently, we are only trying to play like that, rather than succeeding.
When it works, it’s wonderful, but when it doesn’t….. my god it sucks.
We’re playing badly, lot of negativity also created by the media.
Lack of effort, no fluidity, etc etc…
Lets Chuck it, and get behind our team, if we win the rest of our games in December, we’ll turn the corner. COYG !
So you are saying , booing at our players is not help our team ?
In this lean period our players need the support of the fans, we should back them.
The fans can be the 12th man on the pitch.
A good December and new signings in January will pave the way forward.
Although it is very frustrating to watch Gervinho, Ramsey and Santos playing poorly, we have brilliant players too, and we must support the team as a whole.
Wenger will show the poor players the door.
HEY!! I like Ramsey , He gives a fuck most of the time
This guy is crazy the majority opinion is we are shite and it will get worse unless we the fans of The Arsenal stand up to the wengerite/kroenke/board agenda to run our football club as a money making machine and not a “football club” we have a proud history and tradition that was in place long before he came to us those are the principles we need to stick too!
Unfortunately it is you who is crazy if you think that fan opinion carries any weight at board level the only thing that will see Kronke sell Arsenal is losses without the possibility of the business improving, and given the commercial deal with Emirates, next year’s massive increase in revenue from Sky and the fact that we can still generate significant cash from player sales and season ticket sales, there is very little prospect of him going away. Any fan who genuinely wants to affect change should cancel their season ticket, not spend any money that will end up at… Read more »
Thats exactly what i did do two seasons ago when i saw this coming, because I’m not prepared to sit back and just gob off at people, that as you say correctly would make me a hypocrite!
in which case, fair enough. respect to you.
personally i fear that we’re lumbered with investment driven ownership in the UK for the foreseeable and that it’ll take a catastrophic financial turnaround for us to adopt a sensible model like the Germans have whereby 50% plus one share are fan owned.
Hear hear Arsene. Let’s not kneejerk and dismantle all the club is, just because we are playing shit. We can use the (admittedly a bit crap) situation and build on it, and get better on the pitch. Football is capable of kicking you in the teeth, but also making you feel awesome the next weekend. Let’s back the lads to improve through this difficult patch, and augment the squad a bit later on, when we actually can.
Principles my arse(ene)… Back then with henry, bergkamp, vieira, pires, et al, we used to do our passing in the opponents’ half/final 3rd. Now our passing is started by the BFG, and ends in the centre circle with santi and arteta interchanging passes in vain. HFB just runs around, chased by defenders………..aaaah… Principles! Do something Mr. Arse!
I see lots of sideway passes here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTYBm2tk3a4
Why do people think we used to play like stoke city during the invincibles
United we stand, divided we fall.
COYG. The season aint even halfway over yet.
Dam fucking straight mate.
A lot of moaning lately. Don’t get me wrong, I know things aren’t very good at present and everyone has the right to express their opinion, but it appears that some of my fellow gooners could do with chilling out a bit and getting behind the Arsenal – give Wenger and the team a chance to right the recent wrongs.
Peace
you know it mate, 18th at worst last season, finished 3rd. its only over after the last game. so come on guys, get behind the team, supporters support, leave the bitching to the press!
Come to think of it, why are we always satisfied with 3rd???
And by march you’ll say ”oh we still have about 10 games left. We can still get into the TOP FOUR” Isn’t it?
No. It means be optimistic at any point,ad sing your heart out pushing the players to do better than they feel they can… Y’know… Like supporters are supposed to do. You’re welcome to create your own pessimistic little world, which is what it is when you nor I have a clue what the results will be in March, but don’t pretend in your insecure world you have this nailed down to a tee. I’m confident we’re Gooner do well. If we don’t, the board KNOWS money will be lost, supporters fade away, and the media pressure alone will add whirlwind… Read more »
Nail, hammer, head.
Buy Huntelaar and M’Vila
Buy M’villa. Yes buy a player who can’t keep it together and has been involved in various brawls with his managers. Buy a player who’s been bannesd for 20 month away from international football…cause?.MISDEMEANOR…..yes buy him!
4th place is a trophy
The fact of the matter of the matter is that we need a bigger squad. We cant pin our hopes on Arteta, Wilshere and Cazorla with no back up plans as we are wearing thes eplayers into the ground. Furthermore, as much as I like them, Rosicky&Diaby are too injury prone to be reliable back up for a full season. We cannot expect to sell our top players and not replace them? There are no longer any winners in the team, players who league or cup winners who can install confidence in the youngsters we have. Look at Man U,… Read more »
10th place is a trophy
Goddamnit if I wanted fucking philosophy lessons I would go back to college. You run a damn football club Arsene, not a university. I guess he feels if he says “mental strength” enough times it must come true!
If we have such strength why were we, for just one example, completely outplayed by Swansea, a team built on a fraction of our budget? It’s one thing being beat by Manure, or playing really well, dominating possession, and still losing (like we used to often when Cesc was around), its something else again when we just consistently don’t perform. We need to be bolder and more radical, not just buying in the transfer window but giving more of the squad (including youngsters) a chance in the first team. We seem terrified to go much outside the 15 or so… Read more »
sack the fucking board
Do you mind me asking who you expect to sack the board?
The board?
the supporters?? don´t go to the matches = problem solved
Yeah we should go on selling our best players. Sagna and Walcott for this year. But who will Arsenal sell in 2014?
Wilshere, Ox and Szczesny.
Happy with the positivity on this comment section today. The only good thing about a “crisis” is that at least some of the undesirable fans jump ship (and hopefully drown).
Arsene Wonga ON 7.5M A YEAR has been banging on about his so called principles for donkeys years lol.
He could set a good example if he wants to claim that he has principles by offering, along with slimy Ivan, to take a pay cut to punish himself for selling our best players that allowed Ivan to pay himself a big bonus after producing a profit on that – and for putting together a useless squad of overrated and overpaid players .
I love Wenger but sometimes he sounds more like an accountant than a football manager.
Yawn. Same thing said time and time again. Preface for no real investment in the squad in the Jan transfer window. We’ll just cross our fingers that everyone stays healthy and Diaby will come back 100% for more than 15 minutes.
It’s very easy to espouse these principles when you know your job isn’t in danger.
Let’s be honest, were only moaning because were playing slow tippy tappy football, rather than the usual quick incisive pass and move stuff that’s been the hallmark of Afc over last decade. If we were more entertaining the fans would moan less, that’s hopefully what AW means by our footballing philosophy rather than our bean counting skills.
Pfft. Not trying to scream cynicism, but again, Wenger has to put his money where his mouth is. It’s a results game, that’s all football is and ever has been. I’d be over the moon if we won every game from now until May, even if we don’t buy anyone over the January period. Conversely, if we spent £50m in January and we keep getting the same results, I’ll be spitting blood. I understand why Wenger has to say these things, and I’m positive we’ve got a good squad (which actually makes it more infuriating) that’s capable of winning things.… Read more »
Yawn, heard it all before, ‘good mental strength’ ‘great financial position’ its thensame bollocks every week and we are bored of it. Massively grateful for everything he’s done but he’s clearly run out of ideas and needs to resign. The scary thing is that nobody on that board has any idea who to replace him with.
Most of the board make him look like a spring chicken, I’d start at the board and work our way down to get the right people in the right roles. Just looks like they’re stans poodles/minians atm. As stubborn as Wenger is even he knows who’s in charge, the yank.
We are in incredible shape ? He really needs to sit in my £1200 seat. It aint looking to good from the upper tier that’s for sure.
for how long will you be sticking with this useless principles to end yourself a silverware huh? Look wenger, Ferguson and Co are wining trophies for their teams year in year out and you want us to believe in this aimless principles of yours that is turning us into a mid table team right? If you’re much aware that the board can’t sack you and you use that opportunity to toil with our heart, you will surely pay for it one day.
For fucks sake we are not mentally strong you stubborn old….. We are mentally disturbed!
I sadly see no mental strength on the pitch whatsoever. The good thing is we will not be selling our best players in the Summer 2014 as bar JW and Carzola we don’t have any? I really see little hope for the next 18 months but after Wenger leaves and the money rules in and FFP tempers our rivals spending then we may see a huge golden period. I waited 18 years until 1989 for one so have no choice to wait 2 seasons now! It still annoys the hell out of me and for those fans who say support… Read more »
I’m sorry but FFP won’t give us any chance whatsoever against the sugar daddy clubs. Eufa and fifa are the most corrupt organisations in the world and they will roll over and take it up their arses when the oil-money-men of Chelski, PSG, Chitty… comes and offers them whatever they want. Chitty already showed the world how to get around it with that huge sponsorship deal from their “own” company. Eufa talked about investigating but soon rolled over and offered their arses to the moneymen.
No the majority of fans love how we are in 10th place while in mid season. It’s such a special number. A tribute to a certain player we sold last season. Wenger is seriously annoying me more and more. The guy maybe intelligent but he is not wise.
He’s not intelligent either. Was replacing Song with Arteta intelligent? Was hoping Diaby would be fit this season intelligent? Right now I’m having to revise everything I once thought about Wenger on a weekly basis. I think he’s average, very average and only won anything because of what George Graham left him. Because he got lucky with that it all went to his head and he thought he was some untouchable god, whereas if he actually knew what he was doing he might have been more humble and not created the horrendous mess we have seen over the past 8… Read more »
stick to our principles…is that selling our start players ever year and not replacing them with equal or better quality?
tried of arsenal fans yelling buy him!!!!! Buy that player…so u prefer the club 2buy all this stars,pay high wages and win a trophy + get bankrupt e.g.(remember pompey did it under rednapp) were r they nw??rather than club remains self reliate and have a sound structure…wow I see u guys really care bout the clubs future.Arsene is a professional let him do his job until end of season then u can judge,instead of spending time protesting outside the stadium,get into the stadium and get behind the team
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBlDLmwXwJo
before every match arsene say:strong mentality,play football,strong financial position………………..AND after the match:lack of sharpnes,fatigue,jaded,we play three games this week…………………
Usmanov as majority please….I live in NY, so I can appreciate what a billionaire owner can bring to a sports club.
The most important thing is how we are playing football? Well. We are playing shit. Wenger, we are tired of your platitudes.
Sticking to your principles at a time like this is the very last thing you should be thinking of. Time Wenger moved out and made way for some new ideas.