Arsenal are in contention to avoid a 6-year title drought. The Gunners’ Carling Cup semi-final clash against Ipswich Town tonight is a match that they’ve vowed not to take lightly.
Interestingly, however, manager Arsene Wenger has downplayed the obsession of achieving silverware. Speaking to The Mirror, he explained that Arsenal’s failure to lift a single trophy since the past 5 years had not driven him mad.
“It is not as much of a mental block for us as it appears in the media and as it is for supporters,” Arsene Wenger explained.
“There is a big bond from what you read every day and then, it gets into your brain. Of, course, I want to end it [that title drought].
“But, being professional isn’t to look at the trophies but to focus on the quality of our performance.”
These comments from Arsene Wenger may not go down too well with Arsenal fans that are desperate to celebrate cup glory for the first time since 2005. At their pleasure, however, Wenger admitted that Wednesday night’s Ipswich Town vs Arsenal match in the Carling Cup could follow silverware come February 27th.
“What is in the players’ brain is a desire to win,” Wenger stated as he talked about the Gunners’ psychology ahead of the game.
“And, once you are in the Carling Cup semi-final, you don’t want to go out,” he continued, before concluding:
“I see it as a possibility to win a trophy, and that is how we’ll approach the semi-final.”
Next Wednesday, Arsenal will face Leeds United in an FA Cup 3rd Round replay at Elland Road before hosting Ipswich Town in the second leg of their Carling Cup semi-final tie. That match will take place on January 25, and the Gunners will hope to have put matters to bed by then.
“It is not as much of a mental block for us as it appears in the media and as it is for supporters,” Arsene Wenger explained.
“There is a big bond from what you read every day and then, it gets into your brain. Of, course, I want to end it [that title drought].
“But, being professional isn’t to look at the trophies but to focus on the quality of our performance.”
These comments from Arsene Wenger may not go down too well with Arsenal fans that are desperate to celebrate cup glory for the first time since 2005. At their pleasure, however, Wenger admitted that Wednesday night’s Ipswich Town vs Arsenal match in the Carling Cup could follow silverware come February 27th.
“What is in the players’ brain is a desire to win,” Wenger stated as he talked about the Gunners’ psychology ahead of the game.
“And, once you are in the Carling Cup semi-final, you don’t want to go out,” he continued, before concluding:
“I see it as a possibility to win a trophy, and that is how we’ll approach the semi-final.”
Next Wednesday, Arsenal will face Leeds United in an FA Cup 3rd Round replay at Elland Road before hosting Ipswich Town in the second leg of their Carling Cup semi-final tie. That match will take place on January 25, and the Gunners will hope to have put matters to bed by then.
