Arsene wenger faced the media ahead of the clash against
Newcastle on Sunday evening. Below is the full transcript of the pres conference.
Newcastle on Sunday evening. Below is the full transcript of the pres conference.
Good Morning Arsene
Good Morning.
Let’s check on the injury news first. Koscielny, Monreal definitely out?
Yes.
Chambers suspended?
Chambers suspended.
And is Aaron Ramsey likely to be available?
He’s not suspended but he’s injured.
What are you going to do defensively because there’s a lack of players?.
Defensively I have 24 hours to think about it, and I will find a solution for tomorrow. Of course we have to play somebody, always no experience, or somebody who is not used to playing the position.
Hector Bellerin has been involved in the defence this season, a new name to some people. How do you think he’s done overall?
He’s getting better from game to game, I think at the start he was a bit impressed, and a bit inhibited, and in the last game I think he played with more freedom.
The victory over Galatasaray in the week didn't prevent arsenal finishing second in group D. Some view this as important, some view this as not so important. How important is it to you?
Look ideally you want to finish first, because you feel you have done a good job, but we finished with the same number of points as Dortmund, 13 points, that overall always gives you the first place but Galatasaray like Marseille last season didn't take many points, and that’s why the total even if its high doesn’t guarantee you the first place.
Newcastle would be coming into this game with a lot of confidence in the back of beating Chelsea.
They had a great result last week, they are doing well, they are on a good run, and so it would be a very interesting challenge for us. But I think as well we have a good dynamic in our team, we want four of our last five games and we had one leap was against stoke, but overall, I think we are on a good trend.
On Aaron Ramsey, is it just this game he would miss, or is it more longer term?
We had the scan last night, and I don't know the extent of his injury.
How big a blow is that given he’s coming to some sort of form? Do you think he’s matching the form that he showed in the first half of last season?
Yes he was getting close to it yes.
On his goal I know you've talked about it already, but in your time here, where does that rank, that goal?
I don’t know. It’s a great goal, and unexpected as well, a surprising one, I think even he was surprised that he trained so well, but it’s a great goal. He has a good finishing technique, and he’s not frightened to take his chances you know, and he took it very well.
Aaron Ramsey and Giroud have both said they are playing for you and the club, everyone is united. What does that mean to you when you hear the players saying things like that so publicly?
I think I said that before, that we are united, that our one target is to do well for the club that we love and that’s all we want to achieve.
You've had your difference with Alan Pardew in the past, but he’s actually said the stadium should be named after Arsene Wenger. What do you say to that?
Look, I’m very thankful for compliments, but I don't want anything. I want just one thing to do well my job for this club, that’s what I always try to do.
It was a great night for Lukas Podolski, as well as Aaron Ramsey, against Galatasaray. What does he have to do to get that premier league start?
Look he’s getting back to good form, and he has a lot of competition up front as much at the moment we have injuries in midfield and at the back, up front, we have all the players available so I can rotate a little bit from game to game, and he will get his opportunities.
Can you perhaps understand his frustration, and perhaps understand if he did want to leave Arsenal?
Yes I can understand the frustration of the players who are top quality and don’t play. But that’s part of the job. You have always to be ready when you can help the team and the club.
Regarding your striking options: Welbeck, Giroud, Sanchez and Podolski, how do you fit all those in?
I cannot play all of them, so I have to make decisions.
Last week you described some of your players, or some of your defenders as soft. How do you go around fixing that in 7 days?
We defended well in Galatasaray, and before that game, we got 3 clean sheets in a row. It is just the modern game, it’s always the last game that is judged. Definitely as the quality of the team, but our last game is Galatasaray. Before it was Stoke, and yes we didn't defend well at stoke but I feel in Galatasaray we defended well.
Are there specific things you are working on in terms of the defence?
Look, we came back at 5 o'clock on Wednesday morning and, we had just recovered at the moment. Our sessions are recovery, recovery. Because we played as well 2 more champions league games. We played 8 champions league games since the start of the season. We are a lot exposed to demands physically, that allow us work less than we would like to, but of course we work on our weak points.
With the injuries, you've got little time in between games to work on things, and you've just all recovered it must be a hindrance on how you want to take the team forward?
We don’t complain about anything. We want to play top level games and over the years we have learned to cope with that and we don’t want to complain. We just would like to remind you that I’ve played my 118th champions league game so that means we can cope with that, and we have learnt to cope with that, if u look at how many champions league game arsenal played before I arrived, you would see the numbers there was little, but we have learnt to cope with it.
Arsene were you surprised at the level of compliments from Alan Pardew?
Look, we had one time a problem but after we sorted it out and u have to accept that. I think he’s done very well he’s gone through a difficult patch at Newcastle, and he dealt with it with strength and with indignity what happened to him and fortunately has been rewarded for it.
When you retire and what Alan Pardew says might happen, they should name the stadium after you, would that be something you would want?
No, I think what I want comes from inside of myself and that is do well my job, when I retire one day to feel I have given absolutely everything to do what I did with absolute honesty and commitment. That’s all I want I do not want anything from outside.
So it wouldn't mean anything to you?
I do not say it wouldn't mean anything to me, but I don’t demand anything other than from myself.
Just checking on a couple of players. Kieran Gibbs, is he available?
Kieran Gibbs is available yes.
And Mathieu Flamini had a problem in mid week…
Mathieu Flamini is available as well. We have few good news.
Are you still confident that Laurent Koscielny doesn't need surgery on his achilles problem?
Yes because it’s a calf problem he has a calf strain that might be linked with he’s a little over protective of his achilles I don’t know, but the achilles looks quite alright.
So the achilles inflammation is gone now?
Its not gone completely but on one side its gone, on one side not completely. He could play did he not have a calf strain he could play with his Achilles.
How do you think this market would compare to previous ones in terms of players available, players ability, clubs that are active?
There will be very little activity, because all the big clubs want to keep their players, and will be as usual quiet in the first 3 weeks, and a bit tense in the last 3 or four days.
Do you ever think there will be more done because the likes of Liverpool, likes of man united might be looking for players?
Usually d transfer market in January is not very active.
Everyone else who stayed at home in midweek, are they all fit?
Sanchez is fit, Giroud is fit, Welbeck is fit, so they are fit and rested.
Are you confident you can solve your defensive problems on the training pitch, or do you think you have to go the transfer market to get some help?
Look, if everybody is fit and available, we don’t need to go on the transfer market, but we have to consider that Koscielny could be a question mark, with his fitness and we’ll have to go out on the transfer market yes.
This week we seen Nigel Pearson been charged by the FA for reactions to the fans. Is it difficult for managers sometimes to keep themselves from saying what they shouldn’t?
Yes I believe that you have 0 tolerance for no respect, but it not only goes one way.
You are someone who has been targeted, and it must be difficult not to react
Look, I just can repeat that you want respect in society, and you want legally make sure respect is applied to everybody. Everybody has a right to be respected. I don’t think anybody likes not to be respected.
Do you think managers are criticized too quickly, if they go 3 games period, people need to judge, should people see the bigger picture a little bit more?
I think society is as it is. You want to win the next game, and it’s permanent tribunal from everybody and you have to cope with that.
Do you have sympathy for Pardew, it was quite a traumatic experience for Alan Pardew
Of course I have sympathy for every manager who suffers, and of course he has done extremely well last year until December after he lost Cabaye and after, it becomes very difficult. And this year again, he had a difficult start, and he has done a great job to address that. Its not easy.
Looking at the way the league table is, do you think this is the year where a Southampton or west ham could finish in the top 4 or do you think it would be the big clubs come the end of the year?
Look it’s a long way to go, and at the moment I feel it’s difficult to say that, but Southampton, they've been against us, and against man united and have shown they can fight for the top 4 because they are very unlucky to lose against man united and west ham as well, they make surprising and positive results.
Do you think Christmas period would decide who’s in the Champions League?
No. you can show me tables where teams who finished in the champions league were 10 points behind in Christmas, and finished in the champions league.
It’s a long way to go then
It’s a very long way to go yes.
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