Wenger sets sights on history

ARSENE WENGER has set his sights on his Arsenal side “making history” this season by winning the Champions League for the first time.

Wenger recognises that Arsenal must win the competition to be considered as a European force but believes the competition is wide open, claiming Valencia are bigger dangers than Real Madrid, while warning of the renewed threat posed from Italy.

The Gunners can, nevertheless, take a significant step towards qualifying for the quarter-finals by defeating Ajax at Highbury tomorrow night in what Wenger has described as their biggest game of the season so far.

Arsenal have not made it past the last eight under the Frenchman, but he believes they can start to aspire towards emulating the sort of success which sides like four-times winners Ajax have enjoyed in the past.

“We want to make history and that’s why we want to do well in the Champions League,” declared Wenger.

“It’s a huge game. We want to beat Ajax and go through and do well in the knock-out stages. There is a pressure on us but a positive one.

“We have worked hard for the past five years to be in the position we are in now. We treat it as a challenge to get the best out of the team.

“We have the capability to do that and it’s in the core of this team to do well in the Champions League. There is a real will and a real mental commitment to it.”

As the competition resumes after a winter break, Arsenal are top of their group with four points, equal with surprise package Ajax.

Wenger has been impressed with the young, pacy Dutch side who have drawn at Valencia and beaten Roma at home.

Indeed, he revealed he tried to sign striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic before the Swede moved to Holland, while he believes Rafael van der Vaart is potentially a “young Dennis Bergkamp”.

Wenger nevertheless maintains that victory tonight could set the tone for the return fixture the following week, and seal his side’s place in the last eight.

Thereafter, anything could be possible, especially with pre-tournament favourites Real facing problems in qualifying from their own group after struggling in the opening two games.

“It is very open and that is encouraging. Real Madrid are not sure of qualifying and I think the biggest Spanish dangers are Valencia. But the Italian sides look as though they are coming back quite strongly,” said Wenger.

“We want to qualify for the quarter-finals and I would also like Manchester United to progress there as it is in the interests of English football for all the teams to go through to keep our four qualifying places.”

Meanwhile, in the wake of Alex Ferguson’s freak dressing room incident with David Beckham, Wenger insisted he has learned how to control the “animal” raging inside him as it was revealed he has only ever completely lost his temper once inside the Arsenal dressing-room.

Wenger did not wish to comment on Ferguson’s apparent weekend outburst, insisting “some things are secret inside any dressing-room”.

However, he did clearly recall that day at Old Trafford in February 2001 when his own frustration boiled over.

“We were losing 5-1 and I was scared it could be 10-2, so it was not so difficult to lose it,” he revealed. “The bigger the animal inside you, the more you have to keep it under control. There is a big animal in there but you learn to control yourself most of the time. Sometimes you have a gut reaction though.

“I’ve never seen a manager who doesn’t care. What should you do? Sit down in an armchair in the dressing-room and say ‘never mind that we’re 5-1 down, I don’t care, go out and do it again’?”

Wenger believes there is no right or wrong way for a manager to react. In short, he feels everyone must simply stay true to their own personality.

“Of course, you have frustrations when you lose. The biggest problem in our job is handling disappointment. But apart from making decisions, the one thing you need to survive in this job is passion.”

Wenger does not lack that passion, as his reactions on the bench and his criticism of officials have proved, but he shows it in a much different way to Ferguson.

Bergkamp observed: “He will be upset and angry about certain things, that’s just human. He’s more of a quiet person though. He shouts sometimes, but in his own way.

“He realises that we know when we have made mistakes. He just reminds us about the good things and how we should do them.”

Ferguson’s frustration also publicly boiled over after his side’s tame 2-0 defeat in the FA Cup fifth round, accusing Arsenal’s players of having attempted to “bully” referee Jeff Winter.

Wenger responded: “That was a difference of opinion after the game as I don’t share his view. I feel that we handled the situation in a dignified way.”

The Arsenal boss also warned his main rivals that Arsenal’s victory at Old Trafford will benefit the Gunners’ title campaign.

“To have lost at Old Trafford would have put us in a weaker position in the championship for when we play them at Highbury later in the season,” he said.