Wenger: Judge us at end of the season

Manager Arsene Wenger has called on everyone to judge Arsenal at the end of the season — not just when emotions are running high in the disappointment of defeat.

The Gunners head to Istanbul looking to quickly get over the Premier League loss at Stoke, where they had trailed 3-0 at half-time having gone behind after just 19 seconds on another afternoon to forget at the Britannia Stadium.

The 65-year-old insists everyone must take a distance on current issues, with Arsenal having left several senior men such as Alexis Sanchez back in London and travelled to Turkey to face Galatasaray with half a dozen youngsters for the final Champions League Group D tie, the team already qualified for the last 16.

“Look, the response after a defeat is always very important. What we want is to come back quickly to a strong defensive performance, what we had before the game (on Saturday),” said Wenger, whose side are sixth in the Premier League.

“We want to be judged at the end of the season, not after every single game where it is normal that emotion is always very high, so let us get our stability back defensively and see at the end of the season where we are.”

Wenger maintains the constant criticism from some sections of Arsenal support is not wearing him down.

“No, not at all. We have to cope with that. We are professional footballers. What is important is the next game and the desire to do it,” said Wenger, who ended a nine-season trophy drought with victory in the 2014 FA Cup final.

“I am a competitive person. What is important is the next game and responding in a strong way, to play to win the game.

“It is part of our job here, you cannot always look for excuses. We are down. Everyone feels it.”

Wenger took the unusual step of naming his starting XI in the pre-match press conference.

“To make it as simple as possible, I have 11 experienced players and six young field players on the bench. That means I have nothing to hide,” said Wenger, whose team must win and then hope Borussia Dortmund lose to finish top of the group.

Full-back Mathieu Debuchy returns from three-months out with an ankle injury, while Hector Bellerin and Calum Chambers will also play. Lukas Podolski, Yaya Sanogo and Joel Campbell will lead the attack.

Wenger added: “The players who needed it stayed behind, like Cazorla, Sanchez, Gibbs — Giroud is not qualified — and Welbeck, who could have travelled but recently had a little knee problem, so took advantage of that to rest him.

Midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, at only 21 now considered an established member of the first team, has every confidence in the young squad players.

“They all have quality,” he said.

“For all young players, you have to start somewhere, and you have to be challenged at some point, the young lads who are in the squad if they have the chance that is their chance to prove their point and prove they are capable.”

Wenger, meanwhile, confirmed midfielder Jack Wilshere was continuing his rehabilitation as planned following ankle surgery.

“How long will Wilshere be out? Three months, and he had no setback,” said the Arsenal boss. “He is just in a boot, he cannot have a setback because he does not practise.”