Wenger: We will return stronger next season

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
23 Feb	12:45 PM	P	Birmingham City (A)	2	2	Draw

Manager Arsène Wenger has said that his team will return stronger next year, sending a warning out to Manchester United and Chelsea.

The Gunners were leading for much of the campaign but a run of draws saw them lose valuable points and eventually finish just four points behind champions United.

Wenger, though, feels his all of his players with learned a huge amount from this season's campaign.

He said: "Overall this team has made a huge improvement compared to last year. We were always in the race for the championship until the last three games.

"We have combined quality with efficiency, but lacked a bit of experience to make the final step.

"We have to realise we were very close to winning both [Premier League and Champions League] and that we have to come back to get that little bit extra which makes us winners of both competitions.

"We have made a tremendous improvement and want to develop - the average age of our team is very young and we can only be better if we have the right spirit next year.

"The team gained a lot of experience with our disappointments. Suffering makes you more mature and that is why I think at the start of next season you will see a team which is much more mature in its behaviour.

"If we can add a bit more experience and talent, that is even better."

The Frenchman also admitted that the turning point of the season for his team was the draw at Birmingham, which saw striker Eduardo da Silva break his leg and Arsenal drop two points in injury time.

Wenger added: "We could not win the next game, and then confidence dropped a little bit.

"Then every time after that when we were in a situation leading 1-0, we did not have the same drive going forwards, we just wanted to keep the result because we had less confidence. That all started at Birmingham."

User Comments

Obiero

Posted on 21 May, 2008 at 04:02 PM - Reply

We have signed the talented 20yr old Nasri from france. Its a step in the right direction.

Obiero

Posted on 21 May, 2008 at 03:57 PM - Reply

We need clinical strikers with an eye for goal. Benzima Karim would be my first choice with the likes of kun Aguero would also add the much needed punch we need.

Femi

Posted on 21 May, 2008 at 08:57 AM - Reply

If Chelsea win the CL tonight, it would be a shame on us because we and Man U had been the top two contenders in the Prem for a while but in only about 4 years, Chelsea have virtually equalled Arsenal's feats and taken Arsenal's place as Top 2 Contenders. Winning I believe will take them ahead. Wenger should please keep quiet and check the stats. He has fallen behind. Anything short of winning the Prem. Next season is not acceptable. Arsenal is slipping behind and we bahave as if it's still a great team. IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP TO THE TRUTH!!!

Will

Posted on 20 May, 2008 at 08:56 PM - Reply

The devastating injury to Eduardo had a big impact on the everyone.

Scott

Posted on 20 May, 2008 at 03:15 PM - Reply

Wenger waited too long to get Lahm. Too bad he has experience and talent but is too old for Wenger-- he is 25.

Owen Thomas

Posted on 20 May, 2008 at 12:36 PM - Reply

I agree with Wenger however there is more to it. Over a period of 6 to 8 games, Arsenal lost points due to bad official decisions. It started at Birmingham where a penalty was given when it was a fair tackle. We had bad decisions playing against Middlesborough, Wigan, Chelsea, and Liverpool in first leg of the Champions League. I've actually now forgotten the amount of games that an official made a decision that either caused a goal against Arsenal or denied a goal for Arsenal. When you take into consideration what the team had to experience with Eduardo at Birmingham, and then the run of bad results through bad officiating, you can expect a team as young as this, with a leader who is questionable, to stuggle.

scott

Posted on 20 May, 2008 at 10:18 AM - Reply

we need to sign world class, iconic players. Has anyone heard of the players linked with us in the press? Arsene is in last chance saloon!

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