That's more like it!

[Naushad78]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/07/16/sfnars116.xml

Especially ""We want them to create an efficiency in our attacking play and replace the 25 goals Thierry Henry gave us mathematically every season. It is the aim of the season to be challenging for the title. We are Arsenal FC. The environment of the club looks very strong and as a young team you can improve every year.""

'I have told parents of young players that I will take care of them. When will there be news about the contract? Soon."


Did he really say those words?!?! Wenger sounds more determined than ever. Maybe the stricter Wenger some of us here are hoping will show. All we need is a winger and I'm ok for the season.

And I think he'll re-sign for sure....

[RealMadGunner]

We should rename this: "Where are all the goals going to come from !!" .. But it has been already used, in the ManU board last season .. :D

On a serious note, Wenger does sound determined but looks pretty tired .. And good he mentioned about us being Arsenal FC and not Henry FC or Arsene FC .. And i'm looking forward to this season .. I have complete faith in Wenger and probably all the players and i think we have a decent squad even on paper too .. And aren't his statements kinda equivalent to saying "We are not in transition mode anymore", footballistically i mean ?! :D

[Naushad78]

We should rename this: "Where are all the goals going to come from !!" .. But it has been already used, in the ManU board last season .. :D

On a serious note, Wenger does sound determined but looks pretty tired .. And good he mentioned about us being Arsenal FC and not Henry FC or Arsene FC .. And i'm looking forward to this season .. I have complete faith in Wenger and probably all the players and i think we have a decent squad even on paper too .. And aren't his statements kinda equivalent to saying "We are not in transition mode anymore", footballistically i mean ?! :D

1) No, we're not Arsene FC. But I feel that after taking these kids under his wing, building a little 'club commitment' or 'organisational commitment' into them, won't do any harm.

2) Many quotes last year pointed us to believe that our dressing room was too soft a place. No one took responsibility, accountability, leadership etc. It looks like Wenger realises that a little more discipline and strictness is required.

3) The signs are good. Once we get a winger, we're good to go...

[Skizz]

I think we're good to go as it is. We can compete with the team as it is but I'd never say no to bringing a couple more top class players in.

[RealMadGunner]

Wenger - We feel at home at Emirates Stadium (http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=477236&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Wenger+-+We+feel+at+home+at+Emirates+Stadium) ..
nice article from the official site .. He talks about lots of things .. Good read ..

[RealMadGunner]

Flamini looks to the future with faith in Wenger's rising stars (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=471249&in_page_id=1779)

The 23-year-old Frenchman said: “I was talking about buying out my contract but I spoke to the board and the boss and we decided it was better for me to stay.

“I wanted them to give me confidence. They gave me confidence and told me that they will need me. I thought: 'Okay, why not? I will stay,' and now I'm happy to be here.

“I'm hoping for opportunities. I'm a footballer, I have a lot to prove, and I'm sure we're going to have a very good season.”
Flamini believes in the potential of an Arsenal squad who go into the new campaign without the expectation that they are genuine title challengers.

He said: “We're a very young team but also with a lot of experience. You must not forget we got to the final of the Champions League with this team. We have great players and all the quality to do well. We beat all the strongest teams last year.

“We want to win trophies. That would be a good season. We want to win the Premiership and the Champions League. We have a high objective.”


Yeah .. That's more liek it ..

[ibby]

Inspiring stuff from Arsenal, now all they need to do is show it on the pitch.

[alain_9510]

Wenger in optimistic mood (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=448802&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1&cc=5901)

After two successive wins against Paris St. Germain and Inter Milan last weekend Arsenal lifted The Emirates Cup, hardly the most prestigious piece of silverware but a triumph that boosted Arsene Wenger's confidence in his much criticised youth system.



ESPNSoccernet caught up with the charismatic Frenchman as he reflected on victory in the pre-season tournament and revealed his thoughts and ambitions for the coming season.

ESPNSoccernet: Arsenal won the Emirates Cup. What does that mean for the club only two weeks before the Premiership restarts?
Arsene Wenger: 'It was an important win for us. We were missing a lot of key players going into the tournament like Rosicky, Adebayor, Walcott, Djourou and Eduardo but you could see that the players we had at our disposal still formed a very strong unit. I always had faith in this team and what I saw during the tournament confirmed my confidence that we can pull off something big this season. I am very optimistic.'

ESPNSoccernet: However, that wasn't always the case following a season without trophies plus the departures of Thierry Henry and David Dein. At one stage there were also rumours that you were on the verge of leaving the club. Is Arsenal in a state of crisis at the moment?
Arsene Wenger: 'From the outside it is easy to get that impression. But on the inside we are working, and we are very determined. The rumours that were created were based on the friendship I had with Thierry Henry and David. But I am responsible for the technical development of the club and it was important that I remained in my place.'

ESPNSoccernet: Your contract runs out at the end of this season and you haven't signed an extension yet. Why?
Arsene Wenger: 'It is not the right time to discuss that. But when I came here in 1996 nobody had thought that I would stay for such a long time here.'

ESPNSoccernet: After Manchester United, United, Chelsea, Liverpool and West Ham, Manchester City were recently purchased by a billionaire (The former Prime Minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra). But Arsenal has resisted any outside attempts to buy the club. And the result is that club is leading a very withdrawn existence in the transfer market.
Arsene Wenger: 'Everybody knew that the competition on the transfer market would be extremely tough with the enormous amounts which clubs invest in players these days. But we wanted to take a different path than the rest of the clubs with emphasis on our young players. At the same time we did not have the luxury of investing heavily because of our financial restrictions. Besides, people should remember that Manchester United did not spend a lot of money recruiting last season and they won the title. I think that says it all, right?'

ESPNSoccernet: But that is why Thierry Henry left. Because of the missing promises to bring in any big players.
Arsene Wenger: 'Neither Arsenal nor I make promises to anybody. A club functions best if everyone sticks to their job. I am in charge of the technical part. Not the financial part. Everybody must stick to their role and a player cannot intervene. But at the moment of his departure I did not get the feeling that Henry was unhappy about our recruitment policy. Henry left because he wanted to leave the club. Besides, I took time to thank him for everything he did for the club. But the club also did a lot for him. Nobody stays here forever.'

ESPNSoccernet: Following the departure of David Dein, you took over all the transfer negotiations. How did that affect you physically and psychologically?
Arsene Wenger: 'Yes, you are right. It is very demanding. I was extremely occupied during the summer but this is the case every summer. What I hate is all the paperwork that takes such a long time. But somebody has now taken the place of David Dein and he is in charge of all the negotiations.'

ESPNSoccernet: You have been a big believer in the return of Anelka to Arsenal. And he also wants to come back. But he hasn't signed yet. Has Peter Hill-Wood laid down a veto against this move?
Arsene Wenger: 'The President has not said no. I can get Anelka if I want. But we chose Eduardo instead because it was easier to work with a player who had no prior history at the club. Besides, we have plenty of strikers with Eduardo, Bendtner, Adebayor et Van Persie.'

ESPNSoccernet: It is now two years since Arsenal has won a trophy. Is that acceptable?
Arsene Wenger: 'What people don't understand is that we played in a new stadium and my players needed to adapt to that. But of course it was completely unacceptable that we were 16 points behind the league leaders by the end of October. This season I want us to compete for the title. We want to be respected for our style of play. And I will try to apply the tactics that respects the philosophy of the club. It was very interesting to see what we accomplished in the Carling Cup. It is a good competition to develop young players. But it is not a major trophy. What we are interested in is solely the English title and the Champions League.'

ESPNSoccernet: Thierry Henry has said that Arsenal could win the English title this season. What do you think about that.
Arsene Wenger: 'It is not bad for a club in crisis to get such a vote of confidence from one of your players. When I see the number of talents that we have at this club it gives me reason for being optimistic. We have world-class players and we have compensated for the departures from the club. We are very well prepared. I am very excited!'

[flyerhawk]

Good interview. I wonder if he simply forgot to mention the FA Cup or does he really think that it isn't that important?

[goonsquad]

Good interview. I wonder if he simply forgot to mention the FA Cup or does he really think that it isn't that important?

I've always been something of a romantic when it comes to the FA Cup, but if Arsene is saying that he wants to focus on the Prem and CL then so be it. I'd gladly sacrifice the FA cup for either of those trophies.

[Naushad78]

Team spirit and attitude is on the up. Gallas also had some positive things to say. I'm counting on him to lead by example this season and with a vocal presence.
I just hope we don't get complacent.

[ArsenalTexan3]

Wenger has said in some of the papers over here that he is ready to sign a new deal. I imagine with Sagna, Eduardo, and any other new player that comes in, one of their first questions is, will Wenger be staying? I don't think they would sign knowing the person who brought them over was going to leave after a year.