Arsene Wenger understands Arsenal fans' protests but insists he can turn around 'crisis'

A number of Arsenal fans made their feelings clear to Wenger in Brighton
PA
James Benge4 March 2018

Arsene Wenger insists he is the right man to save Arsenal’s season from further disaster after the Gunners slipped to their fourth defeat in a row with a 2-1 Premier League loss at Brighton.

Away supporters turned on their manager after 28 minutes at Brighton's Amex Stadium - by which time Glenn Murray had added to Lewis Dunk’s opener - with several raising 'Wenger Out' banners.

Soon after, brief but vociferous chants of "We Want Wenger Out" were heard from the away end.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang halved the deficit before half-time, but in the second period Arsenal rarely put together a spell of pressure dangerous enough to break through the Brighton rearguard as they succumbed to an eighth defeat in 15 away league games this season.

Though Wenger admitted that Arsenal’s chances of a top four finish had all but faded, there is still the hope that the Europa League could offer them a way back into the Champions League.

Wenger believes he is the right man to guide that challenge for silverware.

"I’ve done it before," Wenger told Standard Sport when asked if he is the man to turn the ship around.

"This is the first time I lose so many games on the trot in my life.

"I believe a quality of manager is as well to try to shorten the crisis. Until now I have always managed to do that and I still believe I can do it."

In Pictures | Brighton vs Arsenal | 04/03/2018

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Wenger said of the protests: "I can understand the frustration. What can I say?

"The League Cup situated in the middle of the season is always very difficult when you don’t win it. It brings a lot of negative waves.

"We were four times in the last five years in the finals [including the FA Cup]. We won three, we lost one. You could see the one we lost brought a lot of negativity.

"On top of that the game rearranged for Thursday night didn’t help us to compete today.

"The negativity of having lost the final plus the fact we are not in a fantastic position in the league of course heats us up."

This is not the first occasion Wenger’s future has come under the microscope. Indeed it is in danger of becoming a recurring trope of Arsenal’s seasons.

Last year Wenger admitted that his failure to sign a contract extension had created a "horrendous psychological environment" around the club but he claimed this was not the case this year.

"I must tell you honestly at the moment my future is not my main worry," he insisted. "My worry is to get Arsenal to win football games.

"Then we see where we go from there. I will try to give my best as long as I am here and do everything to get the team back to more confidence.

"There’s no uncertainty [over my future]. The uncertainty is the quality of our performances. When you go through a difficult patch uncertainty before the game is the quality of our feature.

"I don’t want to talk about my future today. I’m long enough in the job to know what’s going on.

"I’m long enough to know that what is most important is focusing on what’s important and that you give absolutely your best with full commitment."

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