Wenger aims for fitting finale with Arsenal
Arsene Wenger is keen to win the last game of his Arsenal reign – but more for the players he will be leaving behind than to toast his own farewell.
The Gunners boss will leave the club after almost 22 years at the helm when the final whistle blows at Huddersfield Town today.
Arsenal travel to the John Smith’s Stadium knowing they will finish sixth in the Premier League, the lowestever position under the 68-year-old Wenger.
A 3- 1 defeat at Leicester City in midweek means Arsenal have an identical away record to the alreadyrelegated West Bromwich Albion, winning just three games on the road and taking three points away from the Emirates Stadium since the turn of the year.
Wenger wants to address that woeful record against Huddersfield, who will be in a party mood, having secured their top-flight status with impressive draws at Manchester City and Chelsea over the past week.
The outgoing Frenchman believes a rare away victory will be a confidence-boost to the squad he is leaving behind.
“I will say to the players: ‘Look, we have to prepare for the future, and the best way to do that is to win your last game and go in a positive mind into next season’,” he said.
“We have gone through a season of ups and downs, but they have always created something special and I would like that to come out in the last game.
“In fairness, that’s what they did last at Leicester and I hope that, for them, the best way to prepare for next season is to win the next game.”
As his 10 men slipped to defeat at Leicester, the home fans applauded Wenger and chanted his name in tribute to his achievements during his tenure.
He was also treated to a warm reception at Manchester United, a team he battled against for honours in the past, and was pleased to see the respect shown to him, with Huddersfield’s fans likely to follow suit.
“They all love me now! It’s a pleasant surprise,” he joked. “People respect that I tried to play football in the right way and I tried to give pleasure to people. The most important thing when you wake up in the morning is to go, ‘Oh, I watch Arsenal today – I have a chance to see a good game’.
“That is basically what I tried to do – to give people an experience in life that is not everyday.
“Every day is not a pleasure. I think football has a responsibility to try to give some people a special moment in their life.
“You do not always manage to do it, unfortunately, but at least you have to give them the hope they can see something special and can be transported somewhere that they do not always experience on a daily basis.”