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Arsène Wenger questions integrity of Premier League teams taking ‘breathers’

Discussion in 'Arsenal' started by lazarus20000, May 16, 2017.

  1. lazarus20000

    lazarus20000 Well-Known Member

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    https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/may/15/arsenal-arsene-wenger-sunderland-premier-league

    Arsène Wenger has questioned the integrity of some Premier League teams who have secured their top-flight status for next season as he faces the prospect of failing to guide Arsenal to the Champions League for the first time since 1997.

    Arsenal have two games remaining, at home against Sunderland on Tuesday and Everton on Sunday, and even victories in those may not earn a top-four spot after Liverpool thrashed West Ham United 4-0 on Sunday. Two wins would give Wenger’s side 75 points – nine more than Manchester City managed last season in securing the final Champions League spot.

    If Liverpool defeat the relegated Middlesbrough on Sunday and City take four points from matches at home to West Bromwich Albion and away to Watford, it will be impossible for Arsenal to finish in the top four. Wenger appeared to suggest his side’s chances had been diminished by the number of clubs who have nothing to play for other than pride.

    “It will be frustrating,” the Arsenal manager said. “I still think we just have to give our best to get to 75 points and, if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. At least we have done our job well to the end.

    “We have two leagues. For example we had to fight very hard at Stoke and Southampton but some teams once they are safe just have a breather, which didn’t happen 10 years ago. The league has changed mentally. Morally it has changed a lot.”


    Pressed on the teams to which he was referring, Wenger was reluctant to expand. “I don’t want to judge that,” he said when asked whether West Ham had failed to put in a performance on Sunday to match their surprise victory over title-chasing Tottenham last week. “We can only influence our own behaviour and take care of ourselves, not judge too much the others. Normally in an ideal world you want to rely on your own results. Unfortunately for us it’s not the case now but the only thing we can have a chance is to influence our own results and keep going.”

    Wenger’s claim that some teams are already “on holiday” was rejected by Pep Guardiola. “I don’t understand how the managers speak for the other clubs and the other teams,” City’s manager said. “Ask Arsène, not me.


    “I never saw one player in my life go on to the pitch and not try to win the game. But if you don’t want this situation [depending on others to get results], you have to win more games yourself. He plays against Everton and Sunderland, no? Both teams are done, no? One is relegated and one is in the Europa League, so it’s the same situation, so you don’t want to complain. Do it better during the season and you will not have this problem.”

    Wenger admitted his own team’s failings will be to blame if they finish outside the top four for the first time since he arrived at the club more than 20 years ago. “I would say we would be a victim of a lack of consistency that we have shown through the season. Overall, that is in a very short spell where we have paid for it. We are a victim of nobody. If we make 75 points, we can only be beaten by one point. That point can happen in the season one side or the other. You will always have regrets because you could have one point more.”

    He sounds frustrated here and but doesn't have much of a case really. If he's blaming teams for not trying then the same thing can be said about teams playing us. At the end of the day our collapse in late Jan all the way to early March was the main reason here. Not the classiest of comments and I wonder if his comments will back fire and the next team might try against us. The irony.
     
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  2. Quilllogic

    Quilllogic Active Member

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    Agreed. As Pep pointed out if Arsenal had performed better and were already in the top four Wenger would not even be mentioning this let alone bleating about it like a child.
    What a whinger Wenger has become.
     
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  3. lazarus20000

    lazarus20000 Well-Known Member

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    He is a whinger which is quite annoying. Just man the **** up and admit you've cocked up the season, but don't start making ****ty excuses. Maybe if he started accepting the error of his ways, he might start making some progress. But his pride would never allow it. But Pep's response is classy.
     
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  4. BobbyD

    BobbyD President

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    Peps response if more classy. It's a shame that he had to have a dig at english footie though
     
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  5. PINKIE

    PINKIE Wurzel Gummidge

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    In other news. Pep basically just called Man City a small club <laugh> Not so classy
     
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  6. PeterRICK

    PeterRICK Well-Known Member

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    Bit rich this when we have thrown numerous games ourselves through lack of effort. At times we've done our level best to emulate Chelsea when they were trying to get rid of Maureen. Should be taking a long look in the mirror before accusing other teams.

    FWIW I watched West Ham/Liverpool and in the first half I thought they were a bad decision and bad luck (sh*te finishing) away from being comfortably ahead. Football is made of fine margins and to me it just looked like they were disillusioned. Liverpool obviously ended worthy winners but would they have been so confident going in behind? Long story short a ridiculous claim by Arsene.
     
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  7. The RDBD

    The RDBD Well-Known Member

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    This is obviously a thinly veiled dig at the club whose "integrity" allowed Spurs to
    kill St Totteringhams day at WHL on April 30. < shame on them >
     
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  8. lazarus20000

    lazarus20000 Well-Known Member

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    Probably, but his aim was more towards City and Liverpool. His target was realistically 3rd or 4th but he is bitter that either team didn't drop enough points so we could qualify for the CL. He should be more pissed at himself for dropping so many points in Feb and March and not factoring the absence of our key player Cazorla. Every Arsenal fan knows how integral he is to our team and with him, we wouldn't have dropped so many points or been battered by Bayern, though we would have still lost.

    To be honest only two teams deserve to be in the CL, Chelsea and Spurs. The rest have been inconsistent and frankly not as good.
     
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  9. Sanj

    Sanj Well-Known Member

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    If our season came down to getting help from ****ing West Ham and Middlesbrough, then we don't deserve champions league football. Wenger can **** off.
     
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