Arsenal-Mania

Wenger urging for patience from fans

By Jonathan Chong on Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Manager Arsčne Wenger has asked Arsenal fans worldwide to be patient whilst he strives to achieve success for the team.

The Gunners have not won a trophy for a few seasons now and were leading the Premiership for most of last season only to see their challenge wilt away to eventually finish third.

Wenger has so far strengthened the squad sparingly, and says that the current crop of players have enough talent and ability to usher in a new era of success at the club.

Speaking to the club's official magazine, the Frenchman said: "In life you need to patient to get to the very top, and don't forget some players do not start to win until they are 28 or 29 and we have many players who are still under 25.

"I still believe we have created something special here, through the vision we have for the game, through the vision we have for the club and through the togetherness we have in the dressing room.

"Yes, maybe we have the feeling that we deserve something this season and we did not get reward for our work, but when you are a winner you come back.

"If you really share the kind of vision that the club has, you come back and say, let's show that we can win it.

"When things go against you of course it is very frustrating. You have to stay motivated though and what drives me on is my love for football, and also what drives me on is to try and come back and win."

User Comments

51

Mudassir

Posted on 5 Jul, 2008 at 08:11 PM - Reply

i'm in love with Arsenal...
i have just started it and i think they're the best. They're very young and still manage to kick ass! the AC Milan match was a classic! they're the best. Cesc is only 21 and has 4 yrs of experience!
but other clubs buy their player offering good salaries. then their loyalty is questioned... clubs like these ruin their careers! now henry is getting bids from la galaxy etc!
whatever it is. now we'll have nasri InshaAllah and we'll win the title! i'm sure. my prayers are with the gunners!

50

Kipis

Posted on 5 Jul, 2008 at 07:07 PM - Reply

We scored, BUt they scored.In most cases we were ahead and then the result turned out to be draws.My say is we get a waterproof defence.Centre back is not all that efficient, especially when foreign teams counter attack us..,Wenger, with all due respect, do your magic on our central defence.

49

Nat

Posted on 5 Jul, 2008 at 07:04 PM - Reply

1) The shock of the continued physical attack on arsenalplayers showed up in the deflation of spirit after Eduardo went done;
2) the center backs were weak, inexperienced or unpredictable like unstable Gallas
3) the team handles the ball, the structure of the passing is marvelous but no one can finish! plus Cesc,Rosisky,Hleb even Flamini rarely scored. How many chances did Adb just blow? No Henri there
4) bottom line our young men just ran out of steam at the end with little depth to fall back on
5) our trust is safe with our genius coach -- if he could just spend more cash!

48

mizinga

Posted on 5 Jul, 2008 at 05:01 PM - Reply

Young talent yes we have. but what is the point of having if they cant deliver? we need a change in our squad dispose the likes of adebayor and get another. at this point even the DEVIL will do for me, if he can deliver (that is if our cheque still got the figures)

47

Slique

Posted on 4 Jul, 2008 at 08:17 PM - Reply

Wenger has done exceptionally well at Arsenal. The quality of football that the lads are playing is sometimes beyond belief. Watching Spain lifting the Euro 2008 cup gave me hope that 2008/09 is our season. Cesc is a revelation, all the players that wanted to leave are gone now and the future looks more promising than before... In Arsene we trust!!!

46

greatsteve billionaire

Posted on 4 Jul, 2008 at 02:37 PM - Reply

the future belongs to those who believes in the beauty of their dreams,i understood arsene had a dream and vision for club and i give my total loyalty and support towards regenerating football theory the great coach and mentor.

45

mallam

Posted on 4 Jul, 2008 at 01:29 PM - Reply

with all due respect to wenger, i believe things are changing with clubs investing more on players in order to win trophies, even if it means buying more than two quality players for a position eg Man U and Chelsea so Arsenal need a stronger squad to compete

44

malcom

Posted on 4 Jul, 2008 at 12:55 PM - Reply

he his a great coach,but if he wants to win these season i think he needs martins to help eduardo and van persie in the front.we can afford to loose anything these season.we need experienced and hungry striker

43

Omar

Posted on 4 Jul, 2008 at 08:38 AM - Reply

We appreciate Wenger's appeal for calm BUT it's apparent we are bound to be frustrated so are the players. Kindly open up the purse and pay them more to please them as well as ward off poachers and significantly bring in alternatives to shield us from the possibility of playing same players all round despite flops due to injuries on others. Bring in some sharp shooters, that is what costed us the league as Adebayor turned out to be a defender of the teams we wwere supposed to score against. this is so because he was always opredictably sending the ball to the flanks whenever he gets it and rushed to wait for a cross instaed of attempting to shoot as all credible marksmen do. We like Arsenal hence our genuine plea, please add power and punch in the forward line and trophies will be coming pretty fast.

42

Harv

Posted on 4 Jul, 2008 at 08:33 AM - Reply

In the '70's we went 8 years without a trophy; in the '80's 7 years. Who gives Arsenal the divine right to silverware? Get a grip, man, or sod off and support manure!

41

Sam

Posted on 3 Jul, 2008 at 09:41 PM - Reply

Winning by age 28?? they don't even get to 28 and want to leave for money... Flam,Ade,Hleb...

40

cp

Posted on 3 Jul, 2008 at 03:55 PM - Reply

once again all flair players being linked with us. but no money spent on world class goalkeeper or centre back.

all season ticket holders will tell you these positions cost us last year, esp in crucial games. obviously arsene is a legend, but please it doesnt take a genius to realise that a balanced side is the key to success...lets beef things up at the back and replace flamini asap...

39

gaz

Posted on 3 Jul, 2008 at 03:20 PM - Reply

although we do have a good crop of great youngsters it will always be the case that bigger teams such as barca,real madrid and ac milan will want these players when they are at their peak. there is no guarantee that this crop of players will be at arsenal in 3 years.does anyone really believe that Fabregas will be at arsenal in 3 years time ,i dont think so.

38

Eze Arinze Collins

Posted on 3 Jul, 2008 at 02:41 PM - Reply

Prof. Wenger is exceptional when it comes for coaching no doubt, but he needs to strenghten the team because plying for long without trophy makes a coach nobody in the world of soccer.

37

gooooooooner

Posted on 3 Jul, 2008 at 02:01 PM - Reply

You say we have the quality in the team but all of these young players don't graduate to the next level of football at the same time and they will continue to be picked off by the big clubs for example adebayor, hleb, and flamini,and we will continue to reinforce in youth, the cycle won't end until you concentrate on the present. If you want to keep the togetherness in the team you need to win, if we hadn't dropped those 5 games after bimingham do you think all these players would be trying to leave? Love you Arsene. losing faith

36

elninio

Posted on 3 Jul, 2008 at 12:27 PM - Reply

After the double winning season '01/'02 Arsene Wenger made a seemingly very stupid comment...he said something along the lines of... this team can win the league without losing a single game!! Season '02/'03 went to Manure and Alex Ferguson made a point about Arsene's far fetched fantasies. Ofcourse we all know what happened in season '03/'04... YEP... Fergie was left eating his own words because.... We actually did what Wenger said we were capable of doing and the best thing was that Fergie had said it was not possible in the modern game. I was so happy I got to witness something like that in my lifetime achieved by my team and everyone had to take there hats off to us. My point is... KEEP THE FAITH ... football is a game of peaks and troughs ... we are due to peak again and Wenger always knows something we dont.

35

kalipo

Posted on 3 Jul, 2008 at 12:21 PM - Reply

deja vu?

34

richie

Posted on 3 Jul, 2008 at 09:20 AM - Reply

I agree with a lot of what wenger says but come on the rest of the league has noticed how bad senderous is ive know for years how bad he is the man is hes got us knocked out of the last 2 champions league games and still wenger plays the man come on sell him and hoyte go out and bye a world class center half

33

nmeme

Posted on 3 Jul, 2008 at 08:15 AM - Reply

I think we should review our club policies Mr Wenger. At least buy some experienced heads in key positions like the central back and central midfield cos i think Gallas, Gilberto, Diaby can't bring us tropies and our wage structure Damn!!!!!!!!! We are better than this.

32

kakibola

Posted on 3 Jul, 2008 at 06:23 AM - Reply

football is something tht you can't really predict...
sometime good or bad result will depend on the player themselves...once they on the pitch,nothing the coach cud do no more....tht's the fact....
so,let's hope arsenal can maintain to win to every each team they confronted...

viva arsenal..!!!viva wenger..!!!

31

Gunner4Ever

Posted on 3 Jul, 2008 at 06:09 AM - Reply

I agree we have some great young talent. But we need a few experienced players to win more trophies. I feel with a bit more experience last year, we would have won the premier league & champions league. Please buy some experienced players AW. The rest will fall into place.

30

Gunner4Ever

Posted on 3 Jul, 2008 at 06:09 AM - Reply

I agree we have some great young talent. But we need a few experienced players to win more trophies. I feel with a bit more experience last year, we would have won the premier league & champions league. Please buy some experienced players AW. The rest will fall into place.

29

SAM

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 10:30 PM - Reply

his method isn't working.young players will become more mature as they grow..BUT THEY NEVER STAY WITH THE TEAM TILL THAT HAPPENS..we definitely need more experienced n professional players..they can come n they will leave next season..but then again we can get new pro players.

28

SAM

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 10:29 PM - Reply

his method isnt working.young players will become more mature as they grow..BUT THEY NEVER STAY WITH THE TEAM TILL THAT HAPPENS..we definitely need more experienced n professional players..they can come n they will leave next season..but then again we can get new pro players.

27

Jack

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 10:08 PM - Reply

A larger % rise in ticket prices than any other club in the Premiership (including the successful ones), extortionate catering prices within the Emirates, extortionate merchandise pricing within the Emirates and on the club website, the sudden introduction of a third kit, separate admission price for the Arsenal museum, priority given to corporate (AKA non fans)membership. What is the price of patience Arsene? And why does it cost more to buy an Arsenal shirt at the Arsenal shop in the Arsenal stadium than it does anywhere else in the UK? Think of the fans Arsenal.

26

Williams from Nigeria

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 06:31 PM - Reply

Wenger should know by now that Arsenal is no more a baby club,it is high he injects somebig names to our team.All over Africa,we are supporting arsenal.We can not not to win trophys again this season.

25

Marc Pierre

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 05:35 PM - Reply

To back his statement, Arsene Wenger needs to do two things, first get rid of Robin Van Pussy who cannot give Arsenal a full season & replace him with a striker like villa, and would he please get it over whith that Samir Nasri crappy deal which isn`t yet been done.

24

Scott

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 05:14 PM - Reply

I believe in Wenger but think he made a HUGE error in not selling Ade and making a play for Villa. We already have a tall strong striker with a better touch (Bendtner). Sell Ade-- if he thinks he is equal to Henry or deserves $120,000 wk he is fooling himself. Sell him and get a striker with better finishing skills. We also need a strong English CB.

23

Metalgunners

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 04:59 PM - Reply

whatever the prof says, i will believe. :) he will win champs lg with arsenal one day...

22

Olusola

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 04:08 PM - Reply

I am arsenal loyal fans, i can't see arsenal to win anything under Wenger for the next three years, Because, if he was really un happy with what happened to us last season, buy now he should have sign at least four to five good players. Take a look at Chelsea, and Man U, i think without them buying any players just the way it is right now we can't beat them. You can't win a war without good troops. i am tired of Wenger to be sincere.

21

sachin

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 03:45 PM - Reply

Well all wenger needs r 2 or 3 players who can step up when injury happens;so a backup 4 rvp & rosicky with some goals in them could ensure trophies...
IN CESC WE BELIVE

20

obii

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 02:23 PM - Reply

my view is that wenger shld do the right buys not matter of big names. even if it will cost him more than he evaluates, he shld just do it because he has so many gud players on which other teams had built their success 2day.

19

Arsenal girl

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 01:09 PM - Reply

As a die hard Arsenal fan, i have an outstanding trust in Wenger.. Our time will come. We've been champions two years in a row once already, we can do it again !! :)

18

Marto- Kenya

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 12:56 PM - Reply

Wenger blend the old and young players and also make Gilberto or Fabregas the Arsenal captain.

17

maina

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 12:49 PM - Reply

wenger wassup with you we need trophies we're patient enough and buying more time wont help. buy tha players who are 29 yrs of age then the team will perform.

16

abidat

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 12:39 PM - Reply

i like what the manager is saying but pls wenger should no that arsenal is a big club i we the fans can't wait anymore,he should try and bring in players like dm inler,makoun,cb like chellini,mexes and left back like emmanuelson,taiwo.and finally obafemi martins,arda turan.and there will be competition in the team up gunners 4 life.

15

Mike

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 08:47 AM - Reply

Arsene makes some excellent points,as always.
Though I can't help but feel that a couple of more experienced quality players in the squad just might make all the difference.

14

mackay

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 08:43 AM - Reply

ahh we are tired of this statement wenger we want trophies bwana

13

jake

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 05:50 AM - Reply

Isnt' this what he says at the start of every season

12

SAGooner

Posted on 2 Jul, 2008 at 12:03 AM - Reply

sure i've heard this before

11

Fendenburgen

Posted on 1 Jul, 2008 at 11:57 PM - Reply

The youngsters that Wenger brings through will always make Ferguson and Benitez drool but there needs to be a strong spine to the team and Gallas is more fragile than my gran. Bring in some experienced players and screw the previous buying structure, we have enough promising youngsters.

10

john quinn

Posted on 1 Jul, 2008 at 10:18 PM - Reply

we love you arsene... do what you think is best... good luck..

9

Gunnerholic

Posted on 1 Jul, 2008 at 05:47 PM - Reply

I think that we shold be proud of the squad we have , i mean after all they are all under 28 and are beating experienced teams like AC Milan.

8

Brooke

Posted on 1 Jul, 2008 at 04:30 PM - Reply

Arsene is a god amongst men when it comes to building teams AND building players - I for one more than trust his visions...

I was surprised that our team fell away towards the end of last season - and I vehemently believe that if Eduardo had stayed fit EVEN WITH THE OTHER INJURIES we could have challenged for the title.

It was no less than bad fortune and maybe towards the end of the season 'taking your foot off the pedal' syndrome for some players.

That will not happen again with this team under Arsene

COME ON THE ARSENAL!!! CHAMPS OF 08-09!!

7

Sege Bee

Posted on 1 Jul, 2008 at 03:26 PM - Reply

While I fully agree with your philosophy Prof. Wenger...lets face facts..how many talented players can wait 4-6yrs for success these days..wth the likes of Milan, Barca and Real Madrid around.I very much doubt it...so the realistic thing is at least a trophy every season

6

Yusuf

Posted on 1 Jul, 2008 at 02:33 PM - Reply

Well Arsene's usually right. I just hope that eventually it doesnt turn out to a a case in which he has to accept his human error and splash in the cash when it's too late, his dream is just too good to contemplate.

5

Sherif

Posted on 1 Jul, 2008 at 01:42 PM - Reply

I am tired of being patient, three years is more than enough...it is time to deliver ...i hate it when Arsene Wenger misuses our trust in him

4

Ted Stewart

Posted on 1 Jul, 2008 at 11:46 AM - Reply

I have supported The Arsenal for more years than I like to remember. Jack Kelsey was in goal at the time.
Whereas it is good to win championships etc., it does not affect that support and Arsene is the best manager I can remember at the Club.
However,he knows like all the fans that it was a weak central defence that cost the Club the league title last season. It would be reasurring to think that position in particular would be strengthened.

3

wilson henry otieno onyimbi

Posted on 1 Jul, 2008 at 11:22 AM - Reply

i would like our manager pro. wenger to strenghthen
the team, we like arsenal and we support our beloved team. please we need to win more cups. this wilson otieno from kisumu city kenya.

2

Alex

Posted on 1 Jul, 2008 at 10:55 AM - Reply

It's a fair point from Arséne, and if I'm honest, I have had doubts about the club. But after mulling things over for a while, I've realised that things like this do take time, and our team will eventually turn into world beaters, so I'm looking forward to the future :)

1

Lusekelo

Posted on 1 Jul, 2008 at 10:51 AM - Reply

We have been patient for the last three years and next season we need a trophty. Arsene are you Kevin Kegan in disguise? he pessimistically predicted Newcastle wont break into top four. If the next season goes without winning any silverware the fans will call for your sacking. Arsenal is big club and to go four season without any trophy is not acceptable whatever the excuse.