Friendly of them!
‘After a defeat I threw up’
MICKEY THOMAS, who helped knock Arsenal out of the FA Cup in one of the competition’s biggest upsets, believes Arsene Wenger will be scared of Sutton tonight. In 1992 Thomas scored a sensational free-kick in Wrexham’s 2-1 win over the Gunners in the third round. Now, the pressure has never been greater on Wenger after last week’s 5-1 thumping at Bayern Munich. And Thomas is warning the Frenchman that Arsenal risk becoming the second Premier League club to be knocked out in the fifth round by a non-League side if he fields a weakened team. National League Sutton have already pulled off two shocks this year, beating AFC Wimbledon and Leeds. And Lincoln showed the way by beating Burnley. Thomas said: “Wenger will be scared of what can happen with Wrexham in mind. He they’re a non-League team and it is no matter. But that will not happen.”
Arsenal looking comfortable in a top-four slot and a successful FA Cup campaign could put a different complexion on things in the months ahead than the current low point. And Wenger is not going to give up his will be concerned because Arsenal are on a bad run.
“If they lose, I think the players will be up for sale! But that result would put immense pressure on the management.
“He can’t afford to play a weakened side that could get knocked out against Sutton.
“I’m sure Wenger will drill it into his players’ heads saying, ‘Listen, we’ve had one massive shock, let’s not make it happen again’.
“He might play a video of the Wrexham game to make his players aware of what can happen.”
Fourth Division club 21-year legacy without a battle.
“I’m a positive person,” he said. “A fighter. You don’t stay so long in this job otherwise. I always fight back.
“The expectation gets higher. That’s not to say the fight gets higher – the fight’s always tough. When you hate defeat like I hate defeat, it’s always tough. I can never transmit to you my feelings about defeats. A player when I managed for the first time at 33 or 34 said that after our Wrexham were 1-0 down against league champions Arsenal until Thomas’s free-kick brought them level in the 82nd minute.
The wonder goal spurred on the Welsh side and Steve Watkin scored the winner to seal a result which is still talked about today.
JAKE BACON first defeat I threw up. Young or old, every defeat hurts.”
And in a shot across the bows of Alexis Sanchez, he said he needed all his players to pull together to ensure a successful campaign.
Wenger surprisingly lashed out when it was suggested Sanchez could perhaps be spared post-Munich criticism.
“Watch the game again,” said Wenger. “I do not want to comment individually but we have lost as a team and Alexis is part of that.”