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Wenger has new golden generation at Arsenal
Arsene Wenger said yesterday that his young Arsenal team would emulate the achievements of Manchester United's so-called "golden generation" within the next four years. (ok, fair enough - that's his opinion - he's entitled to have one )
In a bold assessment Wenger also claimed he was the only Champions League manager who was developing players rather than buying success. (wtf )
In comments heavily-laden with sarcasm Wenger, who watched Cesc Fabregas return to training after his injury problems, brushed aside criticism that his team is struggling through a failure to score goals by saying that every team goes "through a period like that? Villa struggled, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd. They (United) had a bit more help than the others, but they struggled as well."
When asked what he meant by "help", and was he questioning how United's games are refereed, Wenger said: "No, no, no. Nobody would think that in England. I just read the comments of (Blackburn manager) Sam Allardyce and he starts to think they get some help. It was completely new for me and for the other managers as well." (i'm not even gonna comment that )Allardyce was raging after Saturday's defeat at Old Trafford and Wenger could not help stir the pot. But it was his statement, offered rather than teased out of him, that if he keeps his present team together "they will beat comfortably all the other teams, believe me" that was the most arresting.
"We play with Walcott at the start of the season, Diaby, Fabregas, Nasri and Denilson and the oldest is 21-years-old (Diaby is actually 22)," he said.
"Man Utd had a golden generation with Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, the Nevilles and Butt and they won together because they stayed together.
"This team can have a similar success, I believe. If you can beat Man Utd at 20 and 21 (as Arsenal did at the Emirates last November) why can't you beat them at 23 or 24?( erm , maybe because they (United ) have a strong team too . You know mr. ARSE - you will never learn ! It's not always about your team ! It's not always about how good you play - You know , there are some insagnificant little players , who , of course, are unworthy of a place in your team , so they have to settle with playing for another clubs , who actually can win a few insagnificant little games, and unlike your team, trophies. I'm not talking about anyone important - just about some guys named Messi,Ronaldo,Rooney,Berbatov,Tevez,Gerrard,Torres (ok -these two can't win anything but you know what I mean
),Xavi,Eto'o,Iniesta,DecoLampard,Drogba,Anelka,Terry,Vidic,Rio etc ) That is why I feel they can have a similar success."
There is a fear, of course, that as with last year, when Mathieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb left, some players will not share that belief. "You always lose one or two en route like Flamini,(erm - no you dont' - you don't lose em for 0 pounds )" Wenger admitted. "That is disappointing and I tried personally to keep him but we wanted to respect our wages structure because that is even more important for the future of the club."
That future, he said, was built on a philosophy he, somewhat controversially, claimed was unique.
"Normally big clubs do not educate young players any more," Wenger (below) stated.
"That does not exist. You give me tomorrow and look how many players educated at our club, and then take all the players from the other Champions League teams and tell me how many have been educated at the club."
Given that Nasri and Walcott (injured) were both big money buys and few others are exactly "home-grown" and Wenger's logic is a little shaky, even if his reasoning that a young team should grow together is admirable. Not only that - but even adebayor,rvp,eduardo were eduacted somewhere else.
Sir Alex Ferguson may point out that Jonny Evans, Darren Fletcher and John O'Shea have a greater claim to having been "educated" at their present club, for example. Perfect example is Ronaldo - who if anyone , was educated by SAF- and when you consider his market value at the moment - he was bought for peanuts
Tonight Arsenal, with Andrei Arshavin ineligible, host Roma for a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, with the return leg in two weeks time.
With seven first-team players injured for last Saturday's home draw against Sunderland, only Abou Diaby has since been declared fit although Wenger is confident of progressing.
"I believe this team is as good as anything in England," he said.
Roma headed Chelsea's group in qualifying but have had a stuttering season and are struggling to qualify for next season's competition.
Arsene Wenger said yesterday that his young Arsenal team would emulate the achievements of Manchester United's so-called "golden generation" within the next four years. (ok, fair enough - that's his opinion - he's entitled to have one )
In a bold assessment Wenger also claimed he was the only Champions League manager who was developing players rather than buying success. (wtf )
In comments heavily-laden with sarcasm Wenger, who watched Cesc Fabregas return to training after his injury problems, brushed aside criticism that his team is struggling through a failure to score goals by saying that every team goes "through a period like that? Villa struggled, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd. They (United) had a bit more help than the others, but they struggled as well."
When asked what he meant by "help", and was he questioning how United's games are refereed, Wenger said: "No, no, no. Nobody would think that in England. I just read the comments of (Blackburn manager) Sam Allardyce and he starts to think they get some help. It was completely new for me and for the other managers as well." (i'm not even gonna comment that )Allardyce was raging after Saturday's defeat at Old Trafford and Wenger could not help stir the pot. But it was his statement, offered rather than teased out of him, that if he keeps his present team together "they will beat comfortably all the other teams, believe me" that was the most arresting.
"We play with Walcott at the start of the season, Diaby, Fabregas, Nasri and Denilson and the oldest is 21-years-old (Diaby is actually 22)," he said.
"Man Utd had a golden generation with Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, the Nevilles and Butt and they won together because they stayed together.
"This team can have a similar success, I believe. If you can beat Man Utd at 20 and 21 (as Arsenal did at the Emirates last November) why can't you beat them at 23 or 24?( erm , maybe because they (United ) have a strong team too . You know mr. ARSE - you will never learn ! It's not always about your team ! It's not always about how good you play - You know , there are some insagnificant little players , who , of course, are unworthy of a place in your team , so they have to settle with playing for another clubs , who actually can win a few insagnificant little games, and unlike your team, trophies. I'm not talking about anyone important - just about some guys named Messi,Ronaldo,Rooney,Berbatov,Tevez,Gerrard,Torres (ok -these two can't win anything but you know what I mean
),Xavi,Eto'o,Iniesta,DecoLampard,Drogba,Anelka,Terry,Vidic,Rio etc ) That is why I feel they can have a similar success." There is a fear, of course, that as with last year, when Mathieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb left, some players will not share that belief. "You always lose one or two en route like Flamini,(erm - no you dont' - you don't lose em for 0 pounds )" Wenger admitted. "That is disappointing and I tried personally to keep him but we wanted to respect our wages structure because that is even more important for the future of the club."
That future, he said, was built on a philosophy he, somewhat controversially, claimed was unique.
"Normally big clubs do not educate young players any more," Wenger (below) stated.
"That does not exist. You give me tomorrow and look how many players educated at our club, and then take all the players from the other Champions League teams and tell me how many have been educated at the club."
Given that Nasri and Walcott (injured) were both big money buys and few others are exactly "home-grown" and Wenger's logic is a little shaky, even if his reasoning that a young team should grow together is admirable. Not only that - but even adebayor,rvp,eduardo were eduacted somewhere else.
Sir Alex Ferguson may point out that Jonny Evans, Darren Fletcher and John O'Shea have a greater claim to having been "educated" at their present club, for example. Perfect example is Ronaldo - who if anyone , was educated by SAF- and when you consider his market value at the moment - he was bought for peanuts
Tonight Arsenal, with Andrei Arshavin ineligible, host Roma for a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, with the return leg in two weeks time.
With seven first-team players injured for last Saturday's home draw against Sunderland, only Abou Diaby has since been declared fit although Wenger is confident of progressing.
"I believe this team is as good as anything in England," he said.
Roma headed Chelsea's group in qualifying but have had a stuttering season and are struggling to qualify for next season's competition.
