Arsenal chairman blasts fans and tells Wenger to ignore them
-
Wenger: New Signings Not The Solution
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hit out at suggestions he needs to strengthen his squad following yesterday’s defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The Gunners surprisingly lost their first game of the season yesterday, courtesy of a first half goal by Brede Hangeland that had Wenger fuming on the touchline. He said: “It was not excusable to concede a goal like that.”
Yet throughout the game Arsenal looked weak in midfield and with Cesc Fabregas and Abou Diaby missing through injury and Matthieu Flamini, Gilberto Silva and Alex Hleb having left the club in the summer, they had relatively few options in the middle of the park.
Wenger chose to partner Emmanuel Eboue with Denilson in the centre of midfield with Theo Walcott and new signing Samir Nasri on the flanks, but it failed to pay off and Fulham looked by far the stronger side.
Speaking to the media, after the game, Wenger revealed that although he was disappointed by the defeat, he did not feel it meant he needed to sign new players. He explained: “Of course I am frustrated but when you lose a game it is not always the solution to buy.”
Arsenal have been linked with moves for both Gareth Barry and Xabi Alonso in recent weeks, however Wenger appears to believe that the reason for the defeat lies in the current squad and not in the transfer market. Wenger insisted: “We did not create enough chances and have to look at why and how we can do it better. I didn't feel we were into the game right from the start and you can't be like that.”
The Frenchman also pointed to the start of last season when Arsenal also stuttered early on, but managed to snatch vital victories.
“We had problems as well to win our (early) games last year but we did win them and it made things easier. Now we have to respond,” explained Wenger, “We had 60 minutes to respond after Fulham scored but we did not create a lot and I don't know why.”
Despite losing several players in the summer and bringing in Samir Nasri and Aaron Ramsey, Wenger emphasised that the current team was not so different from last season’s which threatened topped the Premier League for long periods of the season. He concluded: “But let's not make comparisons with this team and last season's team because it is not a lot different. If it is better only the future will tell us that.”
-
if he's going like that, he's going to lose Fabregas too.. who was imploring him to strengthen the squad
-
ya right, AW doesn't needs to strengthen his squad, all he needs to do is just register himself, his field caretaker, his office assistance, ticket collector and his coffee lady's son with the league then pen them in as and when necessary!!!
-
aiyo...Arsenal is the only team in the top 4 that is not in foreign hands leh...so, its no wonder they are the most cash-strapped. I think the owners are still paying off the loans for moving to Emirates...where got extra dough to buy players. So, lan lan loh, put up a strong front and say we trust the youngsters. Last season, they depended on youngsters on large part of the way but looks like this cannot last with Chelsea showing so much hunger and desire. But desire is one thing, Le Professior has no money to buy...what to do, lan lan suck thumb.
-
Well, they are the only team in the top 4 that is not in foreign hands out of their own choice... They are only preventing something that will eventually happen within the next 2, 3 yrs... I think not spending has nothing to do with no money but rather the present board don't wish to spend now knowing they will soon sell out and therefore does not want these sums to be incorporated into their eventual sale price... I belief they want to milk as much as they can before they leave...
Talk about debts, which of the top 4 are debt free? I think Arsenal has the smallest debt amount compare to the other 3... So the bottom line is... how much profit will the individual directors get to take away when they eventually sell their shares... Thats the difference between them and Dein...
-
Arsenal chairman blasts fans and tells Wenger to ignore calls to splash the cash
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has taken a swipe at moaning fans at the Emirates while insisting Arsene Wenger's squad does not need major changes.
Some Gunners fans feel their side is not strong enough to compete after losing experienced players such as Mathieu Flamini, Alexander Hleb, Gilberto and Jens Lehmann this summer.
Philippe Senderos is the latest to head for the exit, joining AC Milan on loan ahead of a potential £6million deal, while Wenger has struggled to bring in big-name players.
There have been calls to splash out before the transfer window closes next week, especially after Saturday's 1-0 Barclays Premier League defeat at Fulham. But Hill-Wood told the Daily Star: 'The first lesson is you don't necessarily do everything the fans want you to do. I am a fan too and I would love to have a squad that is much better than everyone else's.
'We are very nearly there, but not quite. I think we are quite happy - we are not going to buy somebody who doesn't improve the squad. '"I keep saying money is available but I am not going to say how much. But it is enough to buy an experienced international player.
'We have won one match and lost one in the league and hopefully we will be in the draw for the Champions League. 'We didn't play well at Fulham on Saturday but I think all this stuff about us having to buy a complete lot of new players is rubbish.'
-
Arsenal is cash strapped due to the new stadium, not whether its is foreign owned or not.
Outlining the harsh realities of life at the Emirates, Wenger said: 'The strategy of the club is to sell every year and to buy less expensive players.
'We manage at Arsenal to maintain all our football ambition, national and European, while having to free up - for 17 more years - an annual surplus of £24m to pay for our stadium.
'The club's strategy is to favour the policy of youngsters ahead of stars and to count on the collective quality of our game.'
So the situation for Arsenal will continue for number of seasons.
-
as a arsenal fan, we are not requesting for overhaul of the youth system which i supported upon. but to lose 3-4 experience player at a short without 1-2 experience replacement is quite hard to take for most fans.
please sign 1-2 experience player, such as barry and alonso.
