Wenger 'It is so frustrating to flirt with success'

[LDG]

He covered all his bases over the last few years.

He said the defence wasn't up to scratch during last summer, and that we were short in that department in the January transfer window. He failed to correct it on both occasions.

No nobody believes him.

But I do agree with Flavs. The basic groundwork of coaching the defence is of paramount importance before you even look to strengthen that department.

Think I may have put this in the wrong thread

[Marc Overmars]

Just heard it

the attitude of the squad - the attitude of this team is very good
Arsenal’s away form - it was the best away form in the league. This show great mental strength and spirit
failing to hold their nerve - We finished top 4 so i would say we held our nerve
the games that lost Arsenal the title - it was the games Man Utd won rather than the ones we lost that lost us the title
the manner of the goals conceded - every team concedes goals. It is not a problem
correcting the problems from set-pieces - There is no problem. We are 2% away from correcting the problem
the height of his players - Look at Barca players. Messi, Xavi and Iniesta are not tall and they are successful. We can be the same
the criticism of his team - the only opinions that matter are the board and they are happy with how the club is going. We make a lot of money and that says it all im afraid

True story

[Özim]

I'm sure it is frustrating, but 6 million probably goes some way to reducing the anguish.

[Tony Tuesdays]

Arsene Wenger understands 'disappointed' love of Arsenal fans


Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal's philosophy needs only minor tweaking for them to challenge for the Barclays Premier League title.

The Gunners finished 12 points behind champions Manchester United following an end of season collapse that highlighted the psychological frailties that continue to haunt them.

Wenger understands the "disappointed love" of Arsenal fans, some of whom have turned on the Frenchman, but insists the team is only five per cent away from becoming winners.

"The criticism has been sharper this year because of the impatience of people," Wenger told Arsenal TV Online.

"People are used to us being in the Champions League so we have to give them more, but we're not capable of doing that. People love what we do but they want us to be rewarded so that they can be convinced we do things the right way. They want proof that we do things the right way.

"For our fans the frustration was that we were so close to convincing everybody of how football can be great, but in the end not being able to deliver.

"I would call it disappointed love. It was cruel and sometimes you get excessive responses to that. I share that and understand it. But that doesn't mean we have to change our philosophy or the way the club is run.

"We get it 95 per cent right, but we must gain that five per cent because it's so frustrating to flirt with success like we have done. The fans are unhappy that we didn't win the Premier League, but we are close.

"In 2003 we were also the best away team, but didn't win. We kept going and in 2004 we were very strong."

Wenger pinpoints Arsenal's run of two points from three games in late April as the end of their title challenge.

"I was happy with the attitude of the players and our away form," he said. "But what was disappointing was that when we needed to push on, we could not show the nerves to deal well with some games.

"I'm thinking about Liverpool, Tottenham and Bolton. We had good opportunities to win those games and had we done, that would have been seven points more."

Arsenal conceded 41 goals in the Premier League with the set piece their Achilles heel, prompting Wenger to target some taller players in the transfer market this summer.

"We conceded very few goals from open play, most of them were from set pieces in a way you don't want to concede goals," he said.

"It's something that's easy to correct. We need to improve the size of our squad. We need a bigger variety in the height of our players. We need to be more capable of fighting against some characteristics than we have been this season."

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standa...senal-fans.do?

[Özim]

Him and his bloody percentages etc...he starting to change his take now saying we only need minor tweaks....before you know it we'll have a couple nobodies on board and he'll be satisfied with his summer trading.

I think we need more than "minor tweaks"

[Niall_Quinn]

Just heard it

the attitude of the squad - the attitude of this team is very good
Arsenal’s away form - it was the best away form in the league. This show great mental strength and spirit
failing to hold their nerve - We finished top 4 so i would say we held our nerve
the games that lost Arsenal the title - it was the games Man Utd won rather than the ones we lost that lost us the title
the manner of the goals conceded - every team concedes goals. It is not a problem
correcting the problems from set-pieces - There is no problem. We are 2% away from correcting the problem
the height of his players - Look at Barca players. Messi, Xavi and Iniesta are not tall and they are successful. We can be the same
the criticism of his team - the only opinions that matter are the board and they are happy with how the club is going. We make a lot of money and that says it all im afraid

True story

Fuck, you had me until "We are 2% away from correcting the problem".

[AKBapologist]

it's now 5% not 2%... AW being more pessimistic than Ach....

[Niall_Quinn]

Wenger understands the "disappointed love" of Arsenal fans, some of whom have turned on the Frenchman, but insists the team is only five per cent away from becoming winners.

So we've gone backwards, we're 150% further away now than before? Fuuuuuck! Actually I prefer Ach's summary, it is less offensive.

[Joker]

Wenger must take us for fools if he thinks repeating this nonsense is going to placate fans.

[IBK]

I'm afraid, AW, that the frustration is having a manager with a God complex - impervious to any other point of view than his own - condescending to us that we are impatient, and implying that we are ungrateful and know nothing, when for the past few seasons now you have told us that this will be the year for trophies, only to shift the goalposts come the end of the season while we have none.

'Impatient'? I'd say that Wenger has benefitted by immesurably more patience than managers at other 'top' clubs have enjoyed. 'Love what we do'? - I think that you could benefit from a reality check. We love our club, but we are beginning to hate and resent the never-corrected failings that you are presiding over, and the constant self-justification that we have to put up with after yet another season of relative failure.