By Fab4.
‘Wenger’s scathing attack on media’
‘Arsene rages: Stop calling me a bad loser’
‘Wenger attacks media in latest outburst’
These will be the sort of headline’s you will see on the back pages of tomorrow’s newspapers. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hit back at the media for twisting his words to make more interesting news stories. In doing so he will simply add fuel to the fire. But at least he is standing up for himself.
In his pre-match press conference prior to Arsenal’s Premier League match with Liverpool, Wenger highlights two recent occasions, after the Aston Villa and Chelsea games, where the media have taken his post-match comments out of context to make him look like a bad loser and condemn the opponents style of play.
I just would like to say that I was full of praise and compliments for Chelsea, Wenger stated on Sky Sports News.
I find it unfair from the press that you take one word from my press conference and turn it in a kind of hope [of a big story], you did that atAston Villa, you did that at Chelsea.
Every time if you look at the intent of the press conference it is positive to the opposition, if you want I can say nothing.
I am in England long enough to know that if the team wins you can say what you want, it is my job to take a distance from that but I analyse it in a cold way and look at what is right and wrong.
I’m happy Arsene has had a go back, I tire of trying to explain to my mates, both Arsenal fans and non-Arsenal fans, that Arsene was actually being complimentary in his comments after the Chelsea and Villa games. But for those who get their football news by simply reading newspapers, they read the exaggerated one-sided ‘stories’ and get the opinion that Arsene is always moaning, complaining about physical teams, long-ball tactics, etc.
The truth is Arsene knows very well that there are several ways to win a football match and compliments a team when they manage to stifle him team from playing their free-flowing game. How many times has he said something like ‘they defended very well but it’s up to us to find a way of beating teams who stop us from playing’?
But the headlines will read ‘Arsene attacks defensive approach’. It’s ridiculous how the media concentrate their efforts on one part of a sentence and make a whole story from it.
Look closely at his comments after the Villa game.
They play a very efficient English game, with long balls and it is very physical. They are a good side at counter attacking. When we took the gamble to go forward and they won the ball, they are quick and that is why it was always us managing to create chances and score, or them catching us on the counter attack or playing on Agbonlahor or Heskey with long balls.”
I wish them to have a good run now because they are quality. They are well-organised and have a strong spirit. They are very strong physically and the four in midfield do not stop running and all these players can score goals, so they have a chance.
It was not a dirty game it was a committed game. I think it was a fair game, but not dirty at all.
I found it hilarious that Martin O’Neill attacked Wenger on two separate occasions after these comments. He must not have taken the time to watch the full interview, he must have read the Daily Mail and reacted. O’Neill’s outburst was embarrassing but look at how the media portrayed him following his comments at Wenger. Does anyone have the opinion Martin O’Neill is a moaning, complaining hypocrite? No, because the papers chose to show O’Neill as some kind of hero, the voice of the people who were tired of Wengers complaining. Could you imagine how Arsene would have been reported if he had attacked O’Neill in a similar fashion.
Similarly following the Chelsea game. Arsene Wenger compliments Carlo Ancelotti’s team on several occasion.
You have to congratulate Chelsea. We didn’t get a demonstration of football but they were efficient. They defended very well. I am not unhappy with their challenges. The referee is on the pitch to make the rules respected and that is his job.
But you have to give them credit, they defended very well, they are very experienced at the back. They make the foul at the right time when they are caught on the counter-attack. The little push with the shirt, it is not enough to get a yellow card. They have a lot of tricks of a very experienced team and they do that very well.
Today I give credit to Chelsea for their defending. They had always the guy who came back in the box. They didn’t make silly mistakes. They have fantastic defenders and I believe many times they were out of position and managed to get back.
But again the media chose to report that Wenger was complaining of Chelsea’s defensive approach and dirty tactics. There may have been a slight sarcastic tone, but his words are clear. Wenger states the obvious:
– ”Chelsea defended very well’ – of course they did.
– ‘Im not unhappy with their challenges’ – me neither.
– ‘They are very experienced at the back’ – yes they are.
– ‘They make the foul at the right time’ – yes they do, i wish Arsenal did this more. Again in saying this Arsene highlights their experience as being key in knowing when to make that little foul to break up attacks. I feel this is something he wishes his inexperienced Arsenal players would add to their game.
I am proud that Arsene Wenger has finally had enough of the biased media and had a go, but it won’t stop them from distorting his every word to generate a more interesting news story.
Failed attempt to sign new players
Anyway, during his latest pre-match press conference Wenger also admitted that he tried his best to sign new players during the transfer window but again refused to name any players.
“We tried to sign players but it didn’t work and we have to accept that,” he said. “We lost strikers. At the moment unfortunately we have got three strikers out basically with Bendtner just coming back, Eduardo out and Van Persie out.”
Notice how he said ‘players’. It appears reports that we missed out on three signings are in fact true. More evidence that the Arsenal staff feel we are not strong enough to maintain our challenge for the title and Champions League. Maybe next year we should think about signing players before the final day of the window.
RVP recovery on schedule
Finally, Robin Van Persie has confirmed his recovery from injury is on schedule and hopes to be back to play some part in our run-in.
“At this point I can say that my recovery is right on schedule,” Van Persie told the Sun. “The injury has been quite bad.”
“I would however like to be part of the team’s campaign in the later stages of the league, or if we are still there, in the Champions League.”
Good news i suppose, but i briefly had my hopes up we might see him in late March after reports suggested he was ahead of schedule. Lets hope he can get back mid-April and take part in our final few games. Hopefully in time for a Champions League semi-final!
