Full Transcript of Wenger's Press Conference Ahead of Boxing Day's Fixture Against Stoke

Arsene Wenger faced the media ahead of the boxing day fixture against QPR. He gave updates on injury,
transfers, our chances against QPR amongst others. Below is the full transcript of his press conference.

Team News

From Sunday I think everybody should be fit and available. We might have Rosicky back in the squad, and Sanogo back in the squad, Bellerin I don’t know yet. Certainly Rosicky and Sanogo will be available.

Is Ospina close to being back in full training?

David Ospina is available as well.

And the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta and Mesut Ozil, are they sort of getting there?

They are all out. The closest at the moment is Koscielny, I believe short for Friday, maybe has a chance for Sunday.

What was the mood like in camp after the draw at Anfield?

The mood was disappointment, but I believe its disappointment because we concede a goal in the last minute, but you can concede goals on corners in any minute in the game, and we were caught maybe because we were not quickly enough organized on the corner, but overall I think the result is not a disaster. It’s a fair result considering the run of the game.

You've only lost once on boxing day in 17 seasons. How special is it on your calendar?

It’s more than a day. It’s the appeal that is very important but the day has something special because it’s called boxing day and its famous all over the world. Everybody knows that in England it’s a boxing day and it’s the only day that only England plays, and overall maybe contributes to the fact that the premier league is so famous. This Christmas period contributes certainly.

You seem to have more critical injuries than even normal. It can’t just be bad luck. Are you concerned there might be a deeper underlying problem?

No, you have to consider every injury individually. Most of the injuries we have had are joint problems and accidental problems, and they are post world cup traumatic injuries. The only muscular problems we had consistently this year were Arteta and Ramsey. Ramsey is quite surprising because he is not normally a guy. He’s young, he has good stamina. It’s surprising and we have found out why.

You seem to be suffering more than other clubs, and you play the same number of games. How much of a concern is it?

We played two more champions league games straight after the world cup. Let’s not forget we’ve played 8 champions league games since the start of the season and when your bodies are not really prepared you know, you go Wednesday night to Besiktas, you go Saturday to Sunderland, it’s very demanding, is that the only explanation I don’t know, but I cannot deny we had more injuries than planned.

You said you are looking to do business for a defender in January. Would that be Tyron Mings?

No.

But you’re strongly linked with him

The intensity of the link is not down to us.

Can I ask you about Gary Neville’s comments about your draw at Liverpool. He said there was a lack of intensity in the game, and he said both teams were a long way from the title. What are your assessments of those comments?

Look, you have to take that at a distance, because it’s a judgment of one game and I believe that it’s a bit exaggerated.

How much more different would it make that you are playing QPR at home rather than away, because there is a massive difference between home and away performances?

There’s not a massive difference between home and away performances, because we have won a few games away.

I’m talking about QPR

For QPR?! Yes, but we expect QPR it’s a derby it’s a London derby, we expect QPR nothing to lose to come and have a go at us, but we have to focus on our performances and especially make sure our Christmas we take advantage of the schedule we have, and put the performances in. we have good opportunity over Christmas to show that we are much better than people think we are.

They've lost 8 games in a row away from home. Are you mindful that at some point, their form would change, and it would be someone like arsenal in a big game?

Yes that’s why you focus on your performance, and don’t expect too much any weakness from your opponents. That’s the premiership, every game is difficult, and you just want to turn up.

Do you know much about Charlie Austin, are surprised at how well he’s done as an English striker, 11 goals this season?

Yes it’s good to see that 1^st of all he’s an English striker who’s played in the lower division and has managed to come up. You have to congratulate him for that, because first of all, that shows mental strength and tenacity, and that mental strength is very important at top level. Secondly it could bring some idea that some other players down there who are good enough to come up to the premier league and don’t  get a chance so congratulation to him and as well to the people who have given him the chance.

A word Clark Carlisle former premier league defender and former PFA chairman, he’s having some difficulties in the hospital

I would like to wish him well, he had an accident. Hopefully he will recover very quickly, but of course we wish him very well

Arsene you said about the taking advantage the Christmas schedule you've got. Do I take from that that you are quite happy with the schedule?

Well what I mean by that is the number of games. We have 3 games 26^th, 28^th and the 1^st. it’s not an easy schedule. It’s a tough schedule. It’s just that what I meant is there are 3 games in a very short period of time, and we can take points. It’s a period where we have an opportunity to make points. Our opponents would think that as well. But let’s just put in the performances and capitalize on it.

Momentum during this period is crucial and you’ve got 2 London derbies effectively, one after another. How do you feel about those?

Look it’s always difficult. We played QPR 2 years ago, it was a very difficult game and West ham at the moment is in a very good shape, we go away to Southampton, that’s a very difficult schedule as well. But again it’s down to our performance

After QPR’s match, you have games against sides that are currently above you, West ham and Southampton. How crucial do you think they would be?

They'd be important, but you know West ham has difficult games as well, they play against Chelsea just before us, everybody has difficult games. It’s the consistency during that period that will matter.

In this period going into Christmas, can we re-access the aspirations of Arsenal for the season?

To give absolutely anything and everything until the end of the season and I believe that with the injured players back, we will have a very much stronger squad than we had in the last 2 months and I think 2015 would be exciting do we manage to get our injured players back and have a good run.

And confidence about making that top 4 once more?

Look, that’s always the minimum required here, but we have the Champions league, we have the FA cup, we have the premiership where we want to come back of course to a much stronger position, and I think we will.

Arsene how is Mikel Arteta progressing?

He’s progressing well, he had a little setback. He has an ankle problem but now it should be very quick now. He would not play before January.

And Aaron Ramsey?

Ramsey, I believe has a chance to be fit for Southampton

Is Theo ready to start now?

Ready to start? He had only 2 days training with the team I would see how he is during this week, but fitness wise he’s not far. It is more due to Theo has not played basically since last 3^rd of January you know, it’s a year.

How much would you say you missed him?

He has been missed, because first of all, he’s a top quality player he’s a team player as well, and when he got injured, he was in a fantastic form you know. Of course he was a big miss for us.

Do you feel when he comes back we would see the best of him?

I think so, because Theo was born ’89. 25 years old now is the best age for a player of his quality.

Is he as quick as he was?

He’s as quick as he was. Believe me, I see it in training.

You had the best away record in the league last season. You and Liverpool, yet you've only won 3 games away from home this season. Is that an area you feel you need to improve?

Of course I feel that we haven’t been efficient enough away from home. Our last 2 away games defensively we were not strong enough. Not at stoke, not at Liverpool.

Jamie Carragher was quite critical of Per Mertesacker after the game on Sunday and also at Stoke. How do you access his form after the world cup?

I don’t want to go into any individual assessment. I believe that Mertesacker gives his best, and on the corner we conceded, I think it’s more organizational and collective problem, because nobody really talks, and we are going to work on that.

How do you rectify that kind of problem?

We work on it, and improve on it. Usually we are not bad on set pieces defensively, we have one of the better records in the league, but occasionally it can happen.

You spoke to Per after the Anderlecht game in October, you said he was struggling for motivation after having won the world cup with Germany and to have reached the top of the game do you think he still has an issue with it?

No, I don’t feel that no. Look its difficult for the players who were at the world cup. I've said many times you don't see them really before November and it is the case. We have enough experience to know that. We have enough players who have won the world cup and come back. It’s very difficult for them to get straight away behind there to go to Stoke and win, or to Sunderland straight away after having won the world cup. It takes time to settle, and to come back to normal life.

How far is Mesut Ozil from coming back into training?

He’ll be back beginning of January.

Has his rehab gone well?

His rehab has gone well, but he took time you know he works very hard, he’s very focused. Fitness wise he’s there.

On Harry Redknapp, you've had a lot of battles with him over the years. After managing a top club like Tottenham, did it surprise you that he came to manage a club like QPR?

No, because what he wanted certainly is to be in the premier league. Then you go where you get the opportunity. It was an interesting change because he managed to get them up with QPR. They have an ambitious policy, and I think it was an interesting change for him.

We have many managers in their 60’s in the premier league. Does it show the hunger you and harry have to manage?

Yes it’s a job where you first of all need to be healthy, focused and motivated and dedicated, and he does that well.