Wenger unhappy as Gunners misfire

ARSENE WENGER’S mood was as black as the Bolton night after a defeat that leaves Arsenal with a mountain to climb if the Premiership title is to be retained.

The Arsenal manager believes his side can forget about back-to-back titles unless they rediscover their clinical edge in front of goal.

After seeing his side spurn a number of opportunities to get something from the game at the Reebok Stadium, the manager admitted the spark had gone from his side’s attack.

“We couldn’t take our chances and that has been our problem for a number of weeks,” Wenger said. “And we have been shooting ourselves in the foot by conceding goals that make our task so much harder.

“We are just not clinical in every department and we were not determined enough in the final third.

“Chelsea are in an ideal position. We have just one point out of a possible six from our last two games and with that form you can only dream of winning the title.”

Wenger also indicated he is still not happy with his goalkeeping position after another shaky display by Manuel Almunia. “I did not think he was at fault for the goal but I did think he made a number of mistakes before then,” said.

With Jens Lehmann also out of favour, Wenger’s comments indicates he may bring in another goalkeeper before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

However, Lehmann still believes it is “very, very likely” that his long-term future lies at Highbury. Speaking on German television, he spoke last night of his surprise after losing his place, but admitted he is keen to stay.

“I want to fulfil my contract,” he said. “I will keep fighting and will try to win my place back. You never know what happens but judging from today’s point of view it is very, very likely that I will stay with Arsenal for a long time.

“Of course I have made mistakes but unlike recent reports suggest, I have never presented myself as infallible,” said Lehmann. “I was surprised about the demise because we’ve had a sensational run with me between the posts. Now things are not going my way at the time being but I am very confident I will be playing again soon. I don’t know whether it will be next week or in two months, though.”

In a separate interview with the Bild am Sonntag newspaper, Lehmann claimed that Wenger had asked him whether he wanted to leave the London-based club after he had been dropped from the team.

“After two games on the bench the coach asked me to see him. I thought I would be re-inserted into the starting 11. Instead he asked me whether I wanted to leave in January.

“I don’t think (he wanted me to leave immediately). He just wanted to see how I assessed my situation with the national team and whether I wanted to leave in January.”

But he added: “You’ve got to take some humiliation every now and then. When I was 18-years-old and played for Schalke, we almost got relegated to the third division,” he said.

“The fans would throw stones at me. When we played Leverkusen, our own fans booed me and the coach urged me to leave the club. I will learn from this and emerge much stronger.”