Arsene Wenger never looks at the Premier League table yet remains "as motivated as ever" to deliver success to Arsenal.
However, with only five points separating them from fourth place, Wenger insists there is still all to play for over the remaining 15 matches as his men look to leapfrog both Liverpool and Newcastle, who play later in the weekend, with victory over struggling Blackburn at the Emirates Stadium today.
"I don’t look at the table. Never. Even when we are in front I never look at the table because I know where we are. It is very tight," said Wenger.
"We are in a competition with Liverpool, who have not won the league for 20 years, but before they have won it 18 times in 20 years, so it [being outside the top four] can happen.
"You have always to be humble and fight hard and support your team. That is all you can do."
To be precise, Liverpool’s record shows they won the old First Division 11 times in 18 seasons, from 1972-73 to 1989-90.
Wenger has been subjected to some harsh criticism by a section of fans this season. However, the Arsenal manager said: "I am just worried to do as well as I can for this club, every day. I will let other people judge how good it is.
"At the moment it is a bit under scrutiny, but it does not stop me from being as motivated as I have always been to do well for the club.
"To do well for the club is to play the football I want to play and to win football games."
Wenger fought back against what he sees as continued negative external vibes.
"At the moment we are in the Champions League, and only Chelsea (of the other English clubs) is in it," he said.
"Last year we were in four competitions and I had the same press conference — it was all doom and gloom. All, for the whole season.
"The only questions I had were: ‘if you do not make it’, ‘if you do not win’.’’
Meanwhile, Andrey Arshavin is reported to have been offered the chance to return to Russia with big-spending Anzhi Makhachkala. The 30-year-old, signed from Zenit St Petersburg in January 2009, still has 18 months on his current contract left to run.
Wenger sees Arshavin as still part of his plans, despite the Russia captain getting negative reaction from some frustrated supporters.
"We play a little bit under difficult circumstances, but we have to realise that we have to support our players," said the Arsenal boss.
"I understand everybody’s frustrations but there is still a difference between frustration and lack of respect. Things can change quickly — villain today, hero tomorrow, it is like that, nowadays — but when you are a good football player, like he is, you can always come back."
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Saturday, February 04, 2012
