Wenger eyes end to manic Mondays
ARSENE WENGER insists there can be no excuses.
The Arsenal boss (above) knows speculation surrounding his future, and that of key players, will not be accepted as an excuse for yet another poor display at Middlesbrough tomorrow.
Relegation-threatened Boro are fighting for their Premier League lives and take on an Arsenal team shell-shocked from their 3-0 humiliation at Crystal Palace six days ago. This could be another dose of Monday night misery for the Gunners.
At Selhurst Park, fed-up Arsenal fans turned their frustration towards the players with chants of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt”, with Spanish defender Hector Bellerin (right) a particular target.
As yet there is no formal clarification about whether Wenger will be at Arsenal next season as manager – or whether star striker Alexis Sanchez and Germany World Cup winner Mesut Ozil will extend their contracts at the Emirates.
Yet Wenger refuses to cite the political turmoil engulfing his club as a reason for their decline and potential fall from Champions League status.
Asked if that was the reason, Wenger said: “I honestly don’t know. But I hope not – because when I speak about a mental test it is to perform no matter what the circumstances are around you.
“What is for sure is that in the last three months there has been no consistency – especially away from home.
“At home we have not been disastrous in the quality of performance.
“But away – we have not performed and it is difficult to analyse why because in the past we have been very strong. The results are not what we expect them to be.”
Consistency and stability have been crucial to Wenger during his two decades at Arsenal. Those qualities have been absent in the last two months as a top-four finish in the Premier League has become a distant dream.
That could see Wenger fail to bring Champions League football to Arsenal for the first time and the cause has been damaged by four defeats in five matches – and all four have been on the road. For months, senior club officials have insisted that the decision over Wenger’s future will not impact on negotiations with players. Yet, Ozil skilfully sidestepped questions about his future last week and hinted that his decision will hinge on Wenger’s.
The German said: “We will talk in the summer.”
In other words, he is waiting for his boss to make his declaration of intent.
Wenger added: “Ozil can justify and explain what he means. He may be coming to the end of his contract but you perform until the last day of contract. That is how I see it.”
Wenger is hopeful Petr Cech and Laurent Koscielny will be fit after missing the Palace match with injury.