Arsene Wenger has spoken of Arsenal’s ” positive moment ” and how vital it is yo seize it ahead of his side’s trip to Everton. The Gunners have won their last successive five Premiership games, form that has Wenger enthused, after what has been his most difficult period in north London over the last 16 years. Having secured the record for coming back the most times from going a goal behind in Premiership games, Arsenal will hope for a less complicated scenario on Merseyside, with the Champions League third spot very much in their sights.
It was a relaxed Arsene Wenger who entered the post match press conference, and having seen his side overcome a one goal deficit to level and ultimately prevail 2-1 over Newcastle United deep into stoppage time at the Emirates, you could have forgiven the Arsenal manager if he had stormed into the press area with double fists pumping and high fiving the assembled world’s media. It is of course not Wenger’s style to gloat, but having seen a stuttering season finally bearing fruit, Wenger has more than a “I told you so” glint in his eyes, after Arsenal recorded their fifth consecutive Premiership victory.
That famed historic if somewhat chaotic organisation UEFA has decided to charge Arsene Wenger for basically telling the truth. All talk of an Arsenal historic Champions League comeback against AC Milan was scuppered after having taken a three goal first half lead, the Gunners were unable to add the fourth goal that would have taken Milan to extra time and possible penalties. Trailing 4-0 from the first leg, an incensed Wenger criticised UEFA’s allowing of a poor San Siro pitch, that had been hurriedly relaid on the wings for their first leg. Wenger also hit out at referee Damir Skomina, who was whistle happy at the Emirates all night, and was unable to give the Gunners the penalty that Robin Van Persie converted, until he appeared to have someone tell him to do so in his earpiece. Skomina was poor, and UEFA should be thanking Wenger and not charging him to highlight the incompetence of the Slovenia official.
Arsene Wenger will go for broke in the Gunners’ Champions League 2nd Leg clash at the Emirates on Tuesday night, with AC Milan sitting on their 4-0 first leg win. Wenger is facing up to a decimated midfield, but the visitors have their own worries in the department too. Talk of an Arsenal miracle has seen few takers, but given the momentum that has seen the Gunners win their last two Premiership matches having gone behind, will create real belief of creating Champions League history. Having netted his stunning winner at Anfield last Saturday, Robin Van Persie declared ” Impossible in nothing,” and that is something that his team-mates will also believe.
Arsene Wenger’s smile is beginning to re-emerge after what has been the most trying of season’s in his sixteen year tenure in north London. Having scooped the Barclay’s manager of the month award in February with ten points secured from a possible twelve, Saturday’s 2-1 win at Anfield did wonders not only to lift Wenger’s spirits, but also those of everyone at the Emirates as well. A brilliantly late Robin Van Persie volley gave the Gunners a vital three points on Saturday, after Laurent Koscielny’s own goal gave the Reds to lead, from which Van Persie also levelled with a header.
Having unveiled a strong set of financial results for the six months ending November 2011, Arsenal fans can rest assured that off the pitch at least, the club is heading in the right direction. Increasingly of concern to the fans over the past few seasons however has been the Gunners’ inability to match the strong results off the pitch with those on it, but we are assured by Arsenal Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis who revealed that the club is not only benefiting from the move to the Emirates, but remains ambitious that the club will continue to fire on all fronts.
After the mauling of Spurs, a set of figures Arsenal fans will never tire of seeing
He may have been suffering from a flu like virus all week, but having seen Arsenal demolish Spurs 5-2 at the Emirates on Sunday, Arsene Wenger received just the tonic to pick him and his players up after some lacklustre performances of late. Arsenal may have succumbed to an early two goal deficit from Louis Saha and Emmanuel Adebayor, but strikes from Bacary Sagna – his second Premiership strike for the Gunners, Robin Van Persie with his 29th goal of a super season for him personally, a neat Tomas Rosicky finish, and a memorable double from Theo Walcott, ensured that Spurs’ misery would be complete in the most public of thrashings, which saw Arsenal re-take fourth spot in the Premiership.
Can Arsene Wenger have endured a more wretched week at Arsenal ? His side taken apart 4-0 by AC Milan in the Champions League last 16 first leg last week, was followed by FA Cup elimination at the hands of Sunderland a matter of days later. Wenger has always resolutely backed his players no matter what the circumstances, but even he seems to have reached his disappointment threshold with a reported dressing room no holds barred assertion of the facts that his players will have had ringing in their ears, but still the malaise was still evident at the Stadium of Light.
They are the words that Arsene Wenger would not normally reveal in public, preferring instead to air his team concerns to the confines and privacy of the Arsenal dressing room. After witnessing the catastrophic performance in the 4-0 thrashing by AC Milan, there was to be no hiding place for this Arsenal side or the strong but negative assessment from Wenger. Understanding as it is, this nevertheless signifies a huge diversion for the Arsenal manager who in 15 years perhaps could not cover up for his sides’ many failings on his worst ever European night
Arsene Wenger has maintained that Arsenal will need to show consistency from now on if their ambitions for Champions League football for next season are to be realised. Talk of a doom and gloom this has surfaced at odd times in a challenging season, yet to see the Gunners lying in fourth place in the Premiership table represents something of a minor miracle. Wenger has had his detractors, and talk of protests have never materialised – all the better really as given the Gunners’ current form, they would be made to look particularly silly just now. The manner in which victory was earned having gone a goal down at Sunderland showed all the fighting spirit that Wenger always alludes to, and the fact that the defence is very close to a first choice back four will not harm matters on bit.
