Wenger questions principles

Wenger: Arsenal boss facing another season without silverware

Arsene Wenger has admitted another season without silverware has caused him to question his Arsenal philosophy.

The Gunners boss, who last claimed a trophy with victory in the 2005 FA Cup final, saw his side effectively drop out of the Premier League title race with a 2-1 defeat at Bolton on Sunday.

Wenger’s men are now nine points behind leaders Manchester United with just four games of the season remaining and have slipped three adrift of defending champions Chelsea to third place in the table.

Fanciful talk of a quadruple evaporated during a miserable spell which saw defeats by Birmingham City, Barcelona and United end their Carling Cup, UEFA Champions League and FA Cup dreams, with the league now also beyond them.

Despite falling short once again, Wenger insists he will not be changing his approach, although he plans to make some changes to his squad over the summer.

“If someone can convince me that the principles are wrong I am ready to change, but I feel we try to play football the proper way,” he told Arsenal TV Online.

“When you don’t win you question your principles, but you have to give yourself the right distance to see what is right and wrong in what you do.”
Arsene Wenger Quotes of the week

Question

“When you don’t win you question your principles, but you have to give yourself the right distance to see what is right and wrong in what you do.

“I think if something is wrong in our team, it is not the principles in playing our football.

“We have the quality, that is for sure. We have to strengthen the squad where it needs and make the right decision on that front. It transfers is always in my mind every day.

“The team have had an outstanding attitude and will not be rewarded because of small things, but small things cost you.

“It is frustrating because the team has produced the efforts.

“We have to be realistic that it the title is very unlikely now, but we have to finish as well as we can.”

Too frail

Next up for Arsenal is the visit of United on 1st May, in what Wenger had hoped could prove a title showdown, but where now an Arsenal victory would only seem to serve as a delaying tactic for the Red Devils’ coronation or give London rivals Chelsea a shot in the arm.

Wenger accepted shortcomings at the back have proved too costly, with Arsenal missing injured centre-half Thomas Vermaelen for most of the campaign.

“We have not been stable enough defensively,” he said.

“The numbers are the numbers – this week we have conceded six goals and you cannot afford to concede six goals in April in three games and win the championship.

“Defensively we have been too frail this season.”