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Posts Tagged ‘after-the-final’

• Wenger says title race is the ‘most open’ for years
• Arsenal are ‘ready for a fight … we do not give up’

Arsène Wenger says Arsenal are “ready to fight” for the Premier League title in a campaign which he believes is the most open for years.

Wenger, speaking ahead of their visit to Burnley tomorrow night, said he believes Arsenal can build on their win at Liverpool on Sunday which closed the gap on leaders Chelsea to six points with a match in hand.

“Instead of having four teams [competing for the title], I believe you have six, seven or eight teams who can all cause a surprise at any weekend. Things change very quickly.

“Chelsea looked to be running away with it two weeks ago, today it is different. That is why, certainly since I have been here, this is the most open championship.

“The real message we gave out [at Anfield] is that Arsenal is ready for a fight and that we do not give up.”

Much has been made of Wenger’s dressing-room tirade during half-time at Liverpool, where Arsenal had trailed 1-0 following a lacklustre display – captain Cesc Fábregas revealing that the manager had “screamed … and said we didn’t deserve to wear the Arsenal shirt if we played like that”.

However Wenger, who was just as quick to show his appreciation to the players after the final whistle, applauding them as they returned to the dressing room, says that man-management is about more than just shouting.

“As a manager, you must first of all love to help people, to give them a chance in life, and to develop players, then you must have a big resistance to stress – all the rest, you learn.

“It has always been the same. Every player is under big pressure, despite the fact they are idolised, they need help. At a young age, people treat you like a mature man, but you are not. It is a very hard job, and you want to help people who have the right attitude and want to achieve something.”

Wenger added: “I learn everyday, and that is quite interesting. I learn a lot about myself as well, but the problem has always been you are facing people who want to do well in their life, and your job is to try to help them achieve something. That has not changed – today the basic human problems are still the same.”

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