Wenger – The FA Cup is “incomparable” to the Champions League
Arsene Wenger thinks that the FA Cup is a very minor competition in the footballing calendar, and says that it is “compulsory” for Arsenal to reach the Champions League every year rather than win the world’s most famous cup competition.
“The FA Cup is something that is for enjoyment. It is a bonus that we want. The Champions League, for us, is something that is needed. It is more important,” said Wenger.
“For us, the Champions League and FA Cup are not comparable. The Champions League is compulsory.
“That means you will want me to say it’s not important to win on Monday. It is very important to win on Monday for us. But the basis of our life at the top level is dictated by the championship.
“If we can add on top of that the FA Cup, it is fantastic. But our life, at the level where we are, with the wages we have and the aspirations we have, is to play in the Champions League. After that, you want, of course, to win all the other trophies.
“I don’t know where I have my medals. I look forward for the next one, for the next game, for the next win. That’s the life of a top-level player. A top-level player wants to play at the top. He wants to win medals. But there is a difference between playing in the Champions League and playing at a lower level.”
So from that we can assume that Arsenal will be playing weaker teams in the FA Cup again, especially if it is the weekend before a Champions League game. Oh well, thats one trophy that the Gunners won’t be winning again until Wenger leaves…..
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Yeah, second string against leeds
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Damn, grab the chance and don’t risk, especially now when the draw made Manchester teams eliminate each other and now the draw made either ManU or LPool to exit the competition. This should be a year with a trophy, damn it! And maybe next summer star players won’t go to Barca or ManShitty!
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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yes our second string will beat leeds
if you remove the gruesome foursome you are left top youngsters like miquel,coquelin,chamberlain,miyaichi,yennaris. then you add seniors like koz,merte,rosicky,park, benayoun and maybe song.
but wenger will mess it up by picking up his favourite lame ducks, almunia,squillaci,arshavin and chamakh.
then we get outplayed by leeds and cesc is not here to rescue us.
and he will blame the referee
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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henri and walcott on the bench
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Well said Mr wenger looking foward for tomorrows game..arsenal 3-0.
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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CL is better..!
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Play ox against leeds and rape the defence along with henry. Champions league is much more prestigious than the fa cup though. In Wengers position, its like choosing to shoot for an A in AP Calculus or going for the A in Algebra 1 Part 1… But never the less, an A never hurts. So lets grab the win.
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I dont know i heard that next season England will have three team in the champion league. That means Arsenal need to work hard. Also need to sign in January especially some one to support RVP
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thats why do spend mr.wenger.our current squad cnt do it. finish top four.fa cup reach to the final n win it. n champs league wherever we go perhaps with a luck to reach thale final. i wud b even satisfy. not only to reach fa cup r champs league final.bt win it both or one of it wud mkes me happy n soas the rest of fans.
een f we gt the fa cup.rvp i think wud stays.so nxt yr we cn fight for more trophies. bt in the premier league a top four is a must.i think we cn be at third or even scond f wenger bought some quality signings. the current squad is nt good enuf.the likes of almunia,squid,arshavin i jst dnt think so anymre.chamakh i think wenger wil gve him chance perhaps til the summer.hope when he hv a good tournament at the african cup with morrocon which wil boost hes cnfidence.when he is back at february there is henry cn help him with gervinho too. wilshere,sagna,tv5 gonna b back soon.hope they gonna stay fit throughout the season. that will be a massive boost to the current squad.santos is far ahead. gibbs no need to mention.he gonna b back injured n cnt see him fit throughout one season or more than five matches. we definetly need a left back.loan r permanent.dnt mind.f he is versatile n suits into our play n cme good n cn stop messi,prince boateng,robinho,ibrahimovic,thomas muellar,nani,silva,matta..anyone! cissokho seems good. tv5,mert,kos,djourou wud b our centre back.cus wenger wont bought anymre.so hope they all stay fit n no more long term injuries.sagna wil b back.jenkinson wil b back as a backup. so we realy need a left back.or that versatile that cn play both flanks.
wenger wont bring any striker.perhaps in the summer if chamakh leave. so finger crossed.ba or podolski mybe both. f arshavin do leave i think wenger wip find anyone such as hazard or goetze to replace him. not them myb a surprise one. so i cn see two more perhaps in this january. a loan left back n one special signing.someone special that cn play attacking mid, left n right wing.like when he bring arshavin for 16 million.so i cn only see two signings.hope for more.keep my faith.hope henry cn bring somethng to the current squad mybe a winning mentality of the invincible! nvr lose hope arsenal!!come oon! finish top four,wining the fa cup. finish champs league myb with a luck to the final n hope we cn win it!
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So first AW makes a statement about the rich clubs buying the best players just to come up with an excuse now that the transfer window is open and he will not buy any top class players, if any at all.
Now he demotes the FA cup just in case Leeds beat us so he can remind us that it is not his priority.
Totally unacceptable attitude from the manager of the greatest club in the world who should be going for everything.
It’s funny how the board and managers ambitions are practically non existent but we are still expected to fill the ground even if it’s a league cup match.
and then we get some people on here telling us to be positive.
Why don’t you tell that to the manager.
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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stop yr lecturing… we have had enough…
If you have brains,m you should offload the likes of Squilachhi, Arshavin, Chamakh, Bendtner, Vela & some more which can fetch us handful of money & with that instaed of buying clowns in hordes, buy lesser no. of players but significant ones – who can make a difference…
I can name at least 10 of them at one go – but no point- u tight ass is so engrossed in your prophecy….
Stop this nonsense & ensure as a Manager, we get closer to the 3rd/4th place – it’s a pity to say that we are hankering now for 3rd/4th spot & you would have some buffoons in this blog who would keep licking you till your grave – but sorry – after 7 fckng years – I’m in no mood to listen from you that Champions Cup is more imp than FA cup – we are all blessed with some amount of grey matter to understand that … thank you
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That’s the language of a loser.To b a champion u must win everything.
Here is a man that has not win any trophy for the past seven years and doest look like breaking the jinx in the nearest future underrating the FA cub.Someone in Wenger situration should not be talking but the miser is always on the news
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@Red DB10 and Asif. My sentiments exactly. Wenger has lost it!!! Since when did Arsenal not have ambition to win the F.A cup? Like we have a chance in hell to win the CL??? We should be striving for both! But Wenger knows we will not win anything, you watch when we get knocked out the CL, he will have some lame excuse again. I’m very tired of Arsenal’s lack of ambition. If it carries on this way, guaranteed RvP, Walcott will leave. Who wants to play for a team who wants to pick and choose what trophy to go for? Especially when we haven’t won a trophy in 7 years! Any trophy will do Wenger. The fans also need something. We wear our hearts on our sleeves for this club, we deserve at least a winning attitude and ambition from our manager and team!
To all Arsenal fans out there – you can see our managers attitude of late. No ambition to even win the F.A cup? I can’t believe there are fans who still think Wenger knows whats best. He and the board are killing this club!
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Another thing, Wenger really thinks we can win the CL and it is more of a high profile competition, then the F.A cup should be a breeze shouldn’t it? Logically speaking, if we can win the CL, then surely we can win the F.A Cup? So why not go for both?
If were Arsene Wenger, these would be my words. ‘We will strive for both cups, although the CL might be a more difficult task, Arsenal are not in a position to pick and choose. Our club is made up of professional footballers, who train hard and earn good money to play football at the highest level. Winning any cup for them should be their goal and another reason for them to continue to play for this great club. As a manager with ambition, winning trophies for this club is my goal too. It is what has built Arsenal into such a great and respectable club in the past, and I intend to keep it that way.”
I have lost all respect for Wenger, sure he has done good things in the past, but all that means NOTHING, if he cannot strive his best to continue the good work. It sounds and looks like he’s not even trying. No buys in the transfer window, terrible in game decisions and blaming losses on the ref. Who is he kidding? No trophy in 7 years speaks volumes of this. And do not tell me Arsenal do not have the money. It’s a crying shame what is happening at our club. With the resources we have and from what we have seen from Arsene in the past, we should be bloody no1 in the league, not fighting for fourth! And we should be going for the triple, nevermind picking and choosing trophies.
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I dont think it is good for us fans to here that coming 4th in the league is of more important that being winners. Ask all the players if they thought that after losing the league cup last year. I think their demise after that game told you what players think and that attitude Wenger has shown is the reason we have lost our players. Winning is a virus we need to go through the whole club. Money making has been the root of all our evil and has become the reason we are not a successful club. Players came to us to win things but they know that is not possible now so they leave to win or don’t bother coming. We sold 60 million pounds worth of talent in the summer and bought 40 millions worth. We kept players that should not be there and continue to play them. Wenger inherited a winning defence and then added flair and a winning attitude further forward. We need to win something to use as a platform for better things. We should also go for winning the league right up until it is mathematically impossible and only then go for the best finish possible. Wrong attitude will always be our downful. I also don’t agree with loan moves between big clubs. If our reserve team players are not good enough when we brought in a 2nd division defender at the start of the season we must get shot of these players and get better depth. Sorry if this sounds a rubbish comment but I hate hearing my club putting winning as less important.
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@Whizniz
is that a threat?? u wnt them to cancel their pre season to nigeria??suport the club n if u dnt like wenger no need to threat for someone death.it is not good.
bring back dein to influence the club.wenger lost his ambition due to this current trio in the board. i put the blame on hil wood,gazidis and kroenky!
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There’s some f**king idiots posting on this one. As for suggesting that our manager should be stoned to death in Nigeria I think that’s my lot. I’ve had enough of you ignorant bunch of tossers.
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Sack Wenger and bring in Steve Bould.We must win the FA Cup this season.AW is only interested in participating in the CL only because of the cash. he has no clue or intention of winning it.bring in Gourcoff and Verthogen.Arsenal wont win a trophy with Wenger’s attitude.it is not rocket science.
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Asif is back! this is his time to shine.
wengerr oh wenger dnt u feel great of winning titles??low club as shity is rising jst due to teir billionaire n even they 10 man down.the back up in the scond half fyting like a true champ.where is our desire??we need fresh n hunger manager.pep guardiola myb he wnt to try somethng new. m nt trying to write wenge oof bt he belong on the executive place. he shud replace gazidis there. we hv evrythng.bt it is ashame this big club hv low ambition.when we hv small stadium n so on our ambition is high.nw wenger n the board is focusing on balancing the money.this is nt a business sales.this is a football.we even geting lost n our pretty football seems gone. manshity wna stole our beautiful play n even swansea being compare to barca.
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But Wenger neve said that we will not be competing for FA CUP!!!He just replied to what was being asked to him…Y r u guys making such a big deal out of it???
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I’m not comparing but just think about the following :-
QPR fter having failed to win in 8 matches have sacked their coach…. nothing great in it, but it’s a fact….
Chelsea have burning ambitions & when they struggle to win, coaches need to move … again – fact of life…
So is with so many BIG clubs….
Look at Man U ( as much as I hate SAF ) – He at least has balls of steel… Rooney was indisciplined – he didn’t wait a second to teach him a lesson by making him sit out for a game – that shows authority over a club & love for the club & more importantly that no SINGLE INDIVIDUAL is above the club…. in contrast AW is poor – he always tries to shield his mistakes, incapable players, – examples can be so many….
We in Arsenal are w/o a trophy for 7 seasons – yet some of our fans see us not like the other clubs – their rationale ? We play beautiful football… what a joke… Barcelona plays better football than us & still wins trophies every year…
What logic we have to keep stupid donkeys like Diaby, Arshavin, Squilachi, Chamakh, Almunia – pay for them week after week & yet state that we manage finances better….
Some of you should roll over the bed – may be yr partner is sleeping with anotther guy…wake up before it’s too late
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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Well said Asif
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@Asif
For ur own good, go support another team
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Asif and the rest of you mugs. Please read the article in it’s entirety. Wenger was asked about priorities and said he would like to win the FA cup but that CL is more important. I’m in the process of writing to the admin of this site as some of the comments made are inflammatory and objectional at best and down right against the law in UK regarding inciting people to riot and stone our manager to death.
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Peter – who I support is my right, isn’t it ???
Bolly – A mug like you should understand that I am not referring to this article – I’m referring to the hopeless & hapless situation that your second-father is taking us to…
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Asif – perhaps you should put comments in correct place then and not just randomly in a specific thread. As for your comments, perhaps you forget where Wenger brought us too with doubles leagues and cups in the preceding years. He does want to win every game but sometimes decisions need to be made to prioritise especially when we have so many injuries.
That’s why he is the manager rather than you or me!
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Wenger
is past his sell buy date
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Return of Thierry tonight! Can’t wait!!!
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Wenger has lost all his medals now what more shite is he going to keep telling us GET OUT NOW
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why is he taking the competition as such a joke? It is realistically our only chance for silverware this season and why does he not take it? Man City has been eliminated and one of Liverpool or Man Utd will eliminate each other in the next round. So take the chance and lets get a cup which means so much to us.
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Life does not get any easier being a gunner. This is an open transfer window, time to add a steel or 2 to the side. It’s funny we have been linked to some top players lately but the only ones that seem to be carrying weight or momentum this morning is the one in the region of £3M lol. How do you compete with that?. When we sell players we want so much for it but when we buy we want it for peanuts. While I agree transfer fee is not directly proportional to quality or value we cannot kid ourselves. You usually reap what you sow so you pay the top pounds for top quality. We need to win this match and go all out to win the cup, period. As fans while we support running the club effectively financially we also expect success on the field . All I see on this report is Wenger talking about what brings in the money and playing down fans expectation. If no FA cup, Carling cup, EPL cup and no Champions league cup then what are we paying for??? No trophies for finishing top 4, just business profit. Wenger is a great manager no question but the board must make a U-Turn. They must know we can continue to be gunners without supporting their pocket with our money till they get it right. Shame!!!
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Bolly, wish I cud hv been as romantic asa u r… I want to live in present and see the future…
Yes Wenger has done phenomenal in his early days with Arsenal… But does it mean that all thru our life we need to only keep reflecting in our past glory… What a bull idea…
If u r talking abt his glory days, why r u so scared to discuss the barren days as well…
And if he knows abt his priorities so well, wht can’t he give a single succeess in 7 long years…hope u agree that’s a terrible long tine…
If u hv been working in an organosation which is professionally run, by now he would hv been kicked out…
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I hope he buys players
his ‘Project youth’ is failing
what happened to all the 16 year olds and unknown players we bought when we moved to the emirates
yeah we sold them for good cash
and what about that cash?
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Qualifying 4 champ every yr and having it in mind nt 2 carry d trouphy is noting 2 write home about.mr Wenger. Make we ur fans happy dis season, Mr qualifier
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Some guys got it all twisted all wenger meant was for the club to set their ambitions high by always making sure that they qualify to champions league and this would mean automatically qualifying to lesser cups or leading in the premier league, because you have to be on top at home to qualify in champions league the hardest league ( I think you all remember man city) and probably this would lead to cups….but I am looking foward to next season.
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