Arsenal squad risk train journey to Stoke as Arsene Wenger returns to scene of fan anger

Heading back: Wenger has had difficult experiences at the Britannia Stadium
(Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
James Olley15 January 2016

Arsene Wenger has no concerns about Arsenal travelling to Stoke by train, despite being confronted by angry fans in the corresponding fixture last season, but believes the sport has a wider issue to address in dealing with abuse.

The Gunners’ last visit to the Britannia Stadium in December 2014 ended in a 3-2 defeat which was greeted angrily by away fans, a section of whom waited at Stoke train station to verbally attack Wenger and his players ahead of their journey back to London.

The team will travel to Stoke by train as usual for Sunday’s game and Wenger told Standard Sport: “No, [we have no worries about taking the train]. Last time, I took it as people who were upset because we lost a game.

“It was the fact I’m responsible for the club that I was attacked. I didn’t take it [personally]. I was sad and upset more by the result than by the individual reactions of people, which I can understand.

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“When you love a club, you want the results to be positive. It’s a more common thing now and will be a problem in the coming years.

“That problem exists a lot in France, with enchanted people coming out and having an aggressive behaviour. I think it might be one of the problems that football has to face in the coming years.”

Asked if Arsenal may have to modify their travel in future, Wenger replied: “I don’t know. We travel [in] what we think is the best and the shortest way.

“You want as well not to be isolated too much because you want contact with people who love the club.”

Arsenal have secured just one League win at Stoke in the last 25 years and Wenger is expecting another difficult test this weekend.

“Looking at their results against the big teams, they have maybe more consistency,” he said. “We will see that on Sunday. They can fight with anybody today, Stoke. They play out from the back, they’ve improved a lot in the quality of their build-up game.

“They have done very well. They have moved forward as well because they have improved their creative potential with players like Marko Arnautovic, Ibrahim Affelay, Xherdan Shaqiri, Bojan — they can create and play.

“It is a good challenge for us as well because they have to maintain their record and we can show we have taken a big step forward and can beat them. It is an opportunity we want to take.”

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