Arsene
Wenger has responded to the criticism of Arsenal this week by saying people are
“too emotional” and challenged his players to use the negativity as motivation
to turn things around.
Wenger
and his team have been scrutinised following their 3-2 loss at an
under-strength Manchester United on Sunday, with even some former Arsenal
players questioning the Frenchman’s ability to deliver the Premier League title
this season.
Speaking
at his news conference ahead of league games against Swansea and Tottenham,
Wenger has urged for calm.
“I’m
never surprised by the criticism that comes, that’s part of the media today.
The opinions are always a bit excessive and emotional. But we have to deal with
that, and I don’t complain about that,” Wenger said at a news conference.
“What
we want to do is to transform the negatives around us into positives and create
even more solidarity. Let’s not go overboard, we do not play to avoid being
relegated, we play to fight for the Premiership and that’s why we have to put the
criticism into the right place.”
Asked
about comments made by the likes of Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness, who said
Arsenal were “weak” and almost a “joke” against United, Wenger said: “I don’t
want to respond to individual criticism.
“I
think people are a bit too emotional, and we want to put that into perspective
and analyse things a bit more in a [productive] way. I believe this club is
respected all over the world no matter what people say.”
Even
former Arsenal players like Paul Merson and Ray Parlour have joined in the
criticism. Merson said Wenger must go if Leicester or Tottenham win the title
ahead of the Gunners, while Parlour said Wenger has failed to bring in enough
leaders in the team.
Wenger
made it clear he doesn’t think those types of comments are helpful, adding:
“This club has been built before me on values, and what we try to do is respect
these values. And when we have a disappointing game, [people must] show that
those values mean solidarity, togetherness and fight together.
“After
that, what people say, everybody has a freedom of opinion and I enjoy very much
that people care about my future, and I thank them for that. But apart from
that in my life I have always taken care of myself and my future, and I have
not done too badly.”
Instead,
Wenger called on fans to stick together through the times, saying maintaining
the support could be crucial in the final part of the season.
“What
you want from your fans is to fight together until the last game of the
season,” Wenger said. “What we have learned from the league is that it’s very
tight, that everybody can drop points. And the teams and the fans who can show
togetherness and solidarity until the end might come out of it in a positive
way.
“And
that’s what we want, fight together until the last game of the season and not
give up when you have a bad game. That’s what fans and players and teams and
clubs are about.”
Arsenal
are five points behind leader Leicester and three behind Tottenham, things
could look much better again if they bounce back with two victories this week.
The Gunners host Swansea on Wednesday before playing at White Hart Lane on
Saturday.
“We
had a very bad week, and it’s down to us to make this week a very good week.
That’s why you love competition,” Wenger said. “A bad week is not permanent.
It’s what you make of it, and how you respond. That’s the beauty in sports,
things change quickly one way or the other. And that’s absolutely beautiful as
well.”
Wenger
also dismissed the suggestions that Arsenal lack leadership, saying the side
have “a leader in every position.”
“In
the collective psyche, you need a saviour when you have a bad result,” Wenger
said. “We have won many big games this season with exactly the same players. I
don’t feel at all that I lack leaders.”
However,
when asked to identify who those leaders are, Wenger said: “The team. In every
position I think the players lead, and we try to develop that with our work to
have a leader in every position.”
