Close menu

Arsene Wenger: Arsenal boss says top four 'not as easy as it looks'

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments303

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
Wenger's Arsenal have not finished outside the top four since he joined in 1996

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says his side's struggles this season prove finishing in the Premier League's top four is "not as easy as it looks".

The Frenchman has led the Gunners to a top-four spot and Champions League qualification for the past 20 seasons.

But with 10 games left, they are currently in sixth place, seven points off the league's leading quartet.

"It [finishing in the top four] is a good challenge but I think it is perfectly possible," said Wenger.

"I have done it for 20 years and it looked always like nothing. Suddenly, it becomes important so I'm quite pleased people realise that it is not as easy as it looks."

In 2012, Wenger compared finishing in the top four to winning a trophyexternal-link and that view was recently echoed by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.external-link

"If you listen to Guardiola, he said the other day that to finish in the top four in England is a trophy because it is so difficult," he added.

Latest on Wenger & Sanchez contracts?

Wenger's contract at Arsenal expires at the end of the season and speaking before Wednesday's game with West Ham, he was again asked if he would extend his stay.

He has been offered a new two-year deal and reiterated he would make his decision public "soon".

Talks about extending forward Alexis Sanchez's contract beyond June 2018 are on hold until the summer and, despite the Chile international being linked with Chelsea, Wenger played down concerns over the 28-year-old's future.

"I don't see what all the debate is about," said Wenger. "We are professional football people. Our job is to perform as long as we are somewhere.

"I don't understand this kind of anxiety one and a half years before the end of contracts. It is denying what the professional guy is about."

'Serious' injury for Koscielny

The Gunners will be without centre-back Laurent Koscielny on Wednesday, and Wenger fears the France international could face a lengthy absence.

Koscielny was substituted at half-time during Sunday's 2-2 draw with Manchester City and will have a scan on an Achilles injury.

"It is certainly serious," said Wenger.

"If he has ruptured a few fibres of his tendon it could be a few weeks. If it is just an inflammation he could be available next week against Crystal Palace."

Comments

Join the conversation

These comments are now closed.

303 comments

  • Comment posted by Kanchelskis, at 11:11 4 Apr 2017

    My prediction is that when he goes, 5 years hence, Arsenal fans will be lauding the days when they used to finish in the top 4 every season, have some decent entertaining football and be in the champions league.

    Don't think by kicking out Wenger everything with your club will be rosy!

  • Comment posted by Jumbo Whiffy, at 12:11 4 Apr 2017

    I can trump all of those complaining about Arsenals plight.......I'm a Sunderland fan! I wish we had Arsenals 'problems'.

  • Comment posted by Mayor of Tondu, at 11:09 4 Apr 2017

    Finishing outside the top four might turn out to be the best thing to happen to Arsenal.

    1 - It might mean the mercenaries jumping ship.....no problem with that.....good riddance. Go forth etc etc...
    2 - It might wake the Directors of the Board up to the fact that the existing squad is made up of spoilt "pretty boys".
    3 - They might spend some cash on players with a backbone.

  • Comment posted by Micky Hazards Gstring, at 12:13 4 Apr 2017

    Got to feel for Moyes, no malice in his comments whatsoever, in fact I actually think he was trying to treat the lass like one of the lads. Papers and media stirring up a sh*tstorm so now even domestic abuse charities getting involved.

    Listen to the tape don't just read the quotes!

    Its a disgrace, the world has finally gone mad!

  • Comment posted by The Old Trafford Career Derailment Scheme, at 11:18 4 Apr 2017

    Wenger isn't so much the problem as a squad full of flimsy overpaid mediocrity more interested in how their hair looks

  • Comment posted by Jezz, at 11:44 4 Apr 2017

    @35 if Sanchez goes they will buy another striker with the money they get for him. All this whinging just because you haven't won the league for 12 yrs is just childish. Many clubs have never won it, and Spurs have been waiting 57 yrs. Get a grip, the Prem is a tough place to win trophies. If thats all you want, support Celtic! ;-)

  • Comment posted by D1679575969508, at 12:36 4 Apr 2017

    I was surprised that Moyes accepted that he meant what he said to the reporter, the recording sounded like he was making a joke after a few tough question from the female reporter, at the time she equally saw the funny side and laughed it off. Can't we have a laugh any more, are males not allow to joke with females.

  • Comment posted by nemanjawillkillya, at 11:13 4 Apr 2017

    Arsenal fans. Wenger is not the problem you only have to look at the persona of Sanchez, the guy thinks he is bigger than the club and at the end of the day he is just another player, who has in reality disrupted the whole team. Sack him off

  • Comment posted by footyfan94, at 12:21 4 Apr 2017

    63. If Moyes had said what he said to a Male reported would it be classed as sexist. Don't get me wrong he was rude and cruel but he would have behaved in the exact same manner if he were speaking to a man. He was under pressure and lost his cool. There is a difference being rude to someone and purely targeting someone because they are female. Look at the countless reporters Ferguson attacked.

  • Comment posted by zafar, at 11:09 4 Apr 2017

    Agree - Top 4 is not easy
    But Arsenal need to also win trophies and the Board cannot just be allowed to to rake in huge profits to line their pockets.
    Could do with an owner who love this great club than just see it as a CASH COW!

  • Comment posted by User0377747044, at 11:28 4 Apr 2017

    He's right. The premier league isn't the best in the world but it is the most difficult, demanding and competitive.

  • Comment posted by Qcumbor, at 11:50 4 Apr 2017

    I think it's fair comment. It is increasingly obvious that spending ridiculous amounts of money makes the difference (usually) rather than club coaching. I admire AW for sticking to his guns and deplore fans that want success at any cost. Players expecting £250k pw are unbelievable.

  • Comment posted by Stephen, at 11:41 4 Apr 2017

    It can only be good for the PL that the race for top 4 is so tight. Realistically its 6 teams at the minute but Everton & S'ton arent far behind and if they stop selling their best players the next couple of years could be great entertainment.
    No other league has this kind of competition and i personally love all the surprises it brings up every week. Slate it all you like but I love the PL

  • Comment posted by Vilyem Hize, at 11:14 4 Apr 2017

    If the manager's unsackable, why should the players give a toss?

  • Comment posted by nemanjawillkillya, at 11:00 4 Apr 2017

    Best thing to happen to Arsenal will be to get rid of the mercenary Sanchez and Ozil

  • Comment posted by Dudu9, at 12:46 4 Apr 2017

    There is absolutely no point in letting Wenger go, unless the new man is guaranteed at least £200m.

    Pep and Jose inherited strong squads, have since spend millions, but they are still struggling. City even had the luxury to annoy Toure and Aguero, some of the best talent in the EPL; they also let Milner go.

    Without breaking the bank, the title is quite simply beyond reach for the Arsenal

  • Comment posted by detailedcrane, at 13:00 4 Apr 2017

    Arsenal have one of the best stadiums in world football, one of the best managers, some of the best players, playing the most attractive football in the league, with sporting legends like Henry and Bergkamp in recent memory...... and "it's been hard supporting Arsenal lately"
    Wow!!!!! Speechless.....

  • Comment posted by Jezz, at 11:41 4 Apr 2017

    Some of the comments on this thread are simply ridiculous! Arsenal have won the league 13 times, the last of those in 2004. 7 of the current Premier league teams have never won it, and many of the others have been waiting 50 yrs or more for a title. Arsenal have not had the financial backing of some of the other clubs, they can only really compare themselves to Spurs who have been waiting 57 yrs!

  • Comment posted by Chewing the fat, at 13:12 4 Apr 2017

    @91 Neddie

    No mate. We live in an era where being offended & politically correct is king. The media will debate it for weeks. No doubt there will be calls for Moyes to resign. He made what he thought was an amusing throwaway remark to a female Journo. His crime, it wasn't particularly funny & neither does he doesn't come across as a funny bloke. He's apologised, let's move on to the next story.

  • Comment posted by Red Robbo, at 12:54 4 Apr 2017

    Gooners - be careful what you wish for. Just look at united

Elsewhere on the BBC