Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger aims to emulate Barcelona

12 August 2009 08:46
FEW Gunners fans need reminding that the past four years have been pretty barren as far as silverware goes. And there has been little to suggest this summer that manager Arsene Wenger is ready to ditch his policy of nurturing young talent in favour of buying league-winning superstars. The Frenchman even admits one fan described last season to him as a "disaster". But he has moved to dispel the doom by claiming that despite the lack of big arrivals ? and the departures of Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City ? the bare minimum is success both at home and in Europe. Wenger said: "What is acceptable anymore? With Arsenal, acceptable means winning the championship and the Champions League. "A guy came up to me recently, an Arsenal supporter for years, and he told me last season was a disaster. I asked him how many times have we been in the semi-final of the Champions League? We were very close to winning the championship in 2007 and last year we got through to the semi-finals of the Champions League. I don?t believe that is a disaster. "The overall perception has been highly negative because we didn?t win a trophy. "We had a bad start, but after that we went on the longest unbeaten run in the Premier League and got to the semi-final of the Champions League, where we didn?t lose against a bad team ? we lost to Manchester United who were the holders." All the spin from Wenger aside, the might of Manchester United and Chelsea in the Premier League ? plus the new riches of City ? and the astronomical spending of Real Madrid suggest honours may elude the Gunners once more. But Wenger said: "Football is not scientific and predictable. For example, last year the team that won everything in Europe was Barcelona. And what did they do before last season? They sold two superstars: Ronaldinho and Deco. They wanted to sell Samuel Eto?o and Thierry Henry as well. "In the end they stayed and they won everything. So it is impossible to predict." And on the lack of signings, Wenger added: "The transfer window peaks around 26 August and goes until the last day ? especially the last two hours. So there is time." Where will Arsenal end up at the end of the season? We want to hear your predicitions?

Source: London_Paper