DOES WENGER PROTEST TOO MUCH?

Last updated : 14 April 2003 By Editor
Arsene saw his team progress to the FA Cup final yesterday,
yet most of his post match comments involved Manchester
United.

Talking about the mind games he said:

"I can guarantee it doesn't disturb me or my team at all.
Frankly, I think to be mature is to give importance to
things that are important. Some things are not important.

"What is important is not what people say, but the result in
the end. We know that we can achieve something that has
never been done before with another double. So let's put our
best effort in there to try and achieve it. If we do it,
everyone will say we are great - no matter what anyone has
said before. Let's focus on how good we are and how good we
can be and let other people do the talking.

"Do you really expect me to say that I don't want to win it?

"In England, every time I say that we can win the league, it
seems that it's shocking. What do you want me to say? That I
want to lose the league? That would be even more shocking.

"We know that Manchester United are a good side, but we know
that we can beat them. It has happened before."

He also claimed that the 6-2 thrashing of Newcastle hasn’t
worried him at all:

"I don't believe that big scores usually have a big meaning.
They are both very good sides and Newcastle had a complete
off-day. That can happen at any time of the season.

“I believe in my players. We have lost just one more game
this season than at the same stage last season.

"We have only lost away to Blackburn since December, we are
fighting for the championship for the third year running and
we are in the FA Cup final for the third year running, so we
deserve the credit."

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