Arsenal News 24/7Writer: Nick Simmonett 
Date:Monday July 16 2007
Time: 2:25PM
UK time is: 07:01:24
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Wenger Gunning For Title
Arsene Wenger says he and his young team are aiming to bring The Emirates Stadium it's first trophy next season, in the form of the Premiership.
Arsenal haven't won the Premiership since the Invincibles season in the 2003/4 season.
When asked if he thought his team could compete for the Premiership title Wenger replied: 'That is the aim of the season. We are Arsenal.'
'The environment looks very strong but when you go with a young team you feel you can improve every year.
The question now is can Arsenal compete with their current squad? When you look at the strength in depth that United, Chelsea and now Liverpool have, I'm tempted to say no.
However, a couple of class signings and I think definantly.
Either way, Wenger knows!
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Your Comments
its nice to have dreams..............
Dales_Dad
who do you support?
Goofle
We are Arsenal fans and we arent expecting to get relegated so what do you expect us to think?
Goofle
i'm not one to knock ambition - you have to aim high and all that
Dales_Dad
'We are Arsenal'......I love it! That's all he needs to say! ...think we're going to surprise a few people this season...
BergkampsBoot
I think it's a bridge too far this season. However if United's and Liverpool's new players take time to bed in (and ours dont) it might be closer than some people expect. Can't wait for the new season.
Rocky7
lets see fergie thinks we will "certainly be in the top 4..wenger thinks we can win the title. seeing as they have been the premierships 2 top managers over the last decade or more i think they have some credibility. most haters on this sight wouldnt even remember what the trophy looks like...50yrs is a long time. so on whos authority do people say we are doomed?...im a bit drunk...just a bit
mish
this season will be bananas...i wonder how wenger will play everyone if we buy rodrigo? word has it he can play on the left wing otherwise upfront is van persie,dudu,ade, bendtner rodrigo and theo...very nice
mish
Anything can happen this season - this team has everything to prove and nothing to lose.
SUX2BU
2007-08 ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS - ARSENAL ! ..... can wai for he season 2 start !
HENRY`14
*wait
HENRY`14
I think we are in a very good position because we have a very talented squad. We are in the best position we have been in for the last 4 years.
Goofle
No surprises there, what else do we expect Wenger to say when asked such a question?!! I fancy a longer challenge for the title compared to last season, but the title might just be too far out this season. All I want to see is an honest attempt from the team.
prits
I agree with Bergkampsboot and Rocky. I have a feeling it will be closer than what a lot of people have been saying. United's sigings are mostly back up for this season, and Giggs, Scholes and Ronaldo all having a blinder of a season might just not happen again.
prits
For what it is worth I think this is our season. We are now bedded in at our new home we have the players and the ability. Go you gunners
alwaysgunner
I'm not sure we're gonna win the league, but who knows about the CL and the domestic cups? I do think we'll finish close to the top, certainly closer than last season. It is quite strange how much more positive I feel about things recently when it comes to next season. I think with one more player bought (hopefully a winger, I'm thinking Robinho) we'll be pretty much there.
scooch
"We have youth and the fact that no one rates us means that maybe we can surprise people."...Bakary Sagna, after signing for Arsenal
BergkampsBoot
ssup gooners.. anyways.. that coming from the boss.. makes me really happy.. mr simmy.. i would disagree with you on one point.. liverpool DO NOT have great strength in depth.. having two players for every position doesnt make good backup.. u need to have good players as backup.. the first eleven is all fine and good.. but after that.. pool are just crap.. they dont have defensive backup at all.. as for our chances.. i dont see why we cannot challenge the top two.. we have really good strength in depth.. the team is gelling.. if we can convert what we create.. i dont see why we wont be up there.. and reyes is going.. hope we get a swap deal for robinho.. jigsaw completed.. somehow i think with everybody having spent loads in the market.. wenger's got an ace up his sleeve.. hez probably gonna unleash a new signing very soon i think!!
go4it_adi
yep.. agreed with him.. there's no pressure on us to perform.. nice thing u brought that up bergyboot.. anyways.. i think this is going to be a good season for us.. with a close to the top finish.. realistically speaking.. i dont see us winning the title.. but i think we can give the top guy a pretty decent scare.. and go far in all the cup competitions.. and with vela and merida coming through.. nortveidt and fabianski.. the CC could have Arsenal FC written on it this year..
go4it_adi
The blues have a problem at left back so they to have a big problem to fill both Bridge and Cashy are out.
alwaysgunner
Apart from Newcastle who are the other two clubs raided by the police; news any one?
alwaysgunner
Please let it be Chel$ki.... Please let it be Chel$ki!!!!
scooch
Join me in prayer brethern. May the good lord deliver the Royal London Constabulary to the offices of Dynamo Chavski. May they find tear asunder the pariah that has cast a shadow on the truth. There's only one team in London, one team in London. Amen
GunnerBlood
Amen to that GunnerBlood!!
adamski243
I would like to think it was the mob down the lane but all they do is throw chairs.
alwaysgunner
*****! It's Portsmouth. along with Glasgow Rangers and Newcastle.
GunnerBlood
Thats the SPIRIT
Babeasta
I'm with the optimists here and think we can shine this season, but have two little concerns, and would like to know if anyone shares these: firstly - doesn't our team need a bit more added grit? Baptista didn’t work out, but do we need someone of Essien’s ilk. I hope that with Henry gone, many of the others will now become more imposing, because we need exactly that, but it’s not obvious form where it will come yet. Secondly - and maybe unjustified - with Cesc now coming to the fore, if he did really just consider a move to Spain, I’d tend to question a bit his commitment to really knuckling down and helping us "kick some ass". If your head is floating in tomorrow, it stops you giving 100%, and we need that winner quality and that hunger to appear today. We'll know early in the season if it's there, in which case I would say yes, we can challenge for the title... otherwise we are going to have to wait.
Andy-bayor
I agree with you on the grit issue. I was really hoping Yaya Toure would join or someone like that, but I am enthused by Flamini's decision to stay. He does roll his sleeves up a bit.
GunnerBlood
If Abou Diaby can nail down a starting place I think you will see him smashing into a few next season.
iceman10
Ì think Andy's point is that we have already got several players who can score a few goals, but what we need is a couple of battlers. Guys to get well stuck in.
GunnerBlood
The Boss will be there and he has said Ces has that commitment, and as I'm a big big fan of Ces then I really think this team will shine. I agree we do need that little bit in the back bone but with the new signings and the possible signing Rodrigo Palacio; I really think we are going to win. Every one is knocking us. I like the odds the bookies are giving; how many times does the favorite win? Go you gunners.
alwaysgunner
Smashing into a few as in tackling GB.
iceman10
I am expecting the team to improve in set pieces & more challenges won in the air from offensive crosses. RVP, Ade & Bendtner have enough height to head in crosses. Even Eduardo is good in the air albeit not too tall. If we can improve on this two aspects, we will be winning a lot more points from those ultra defensive 9-men-behind-ball teams. We could even find ourselves challenging for titles.
Joe_@**
bacari is grit epitomised
anonymous
Yep I hope for some of that too iceman, and maybe you're right and we'll see more of Diaby if he gets rotated.
Andy-bayor
I think we would have our leaders in Diaby, Denilson, cesc and Most of all Tommy. I think this is going to be Tommy Gun's season. For that to happen he needs to play below the strikers in a free roaming role along with Cesc. for the back four, i would prefer Sanderos in or Djourou instead of Gallas along with King Kolo. I know it is a controversial selection but I somehow feel the youngsters would do better if they consider themselves to be important and have, responsibility and tacit confidence, given by Wenger. But one man who would get better and should display tenacity and grit u guys are asking for would be clichy.
questforavalon
Andy, I dont have any worries about Cesc. Yes, a little disappointed perhaps that he chose to talk to Madrid, but there is no doubting his commitment now.
prits
we are all just getting scared seeing united, chelsea and liverpool sign players. united and liverpool are signing players that they need to improve their squad, and chelsea are signing because they are a fantasy of a billionaire russian. arsenal have all the players they need except maybe one more striker. otherwise the team is complete. there are suggestions that we need wide players, but after overmars left, have we ever played with wide players? pires, ljungberg, wiltord, hleb, rosicky are all central players who drift in and the width is provided by the fullbacks. and we have enough cover in the wide departments both in terms of numbers and quality. i'm the most optimist of optimistic gooners. every season my heart says that we will win the title, but this year, my brain agrees with my heart, that this is our best chance to bring home the title for years. and like Arsene said, we are The Arsenal, we'll be up there come next may and bring the title home..
luckys_10
the title might be a bit too much to ask for but a good run in the CL and the cups, with a top 4 finish and a closed gap would be fine
G4L
luckys, I'm not scared of their purchases... just feel that we are yet to fire on all cylinders, and that we are one mean stare and a growl away from pushing for the title... we were real dangerous many times last year, so I'd be happy just to see an improvement on that, and for the team to gel... so I'd agree with the targets that G4L mentioned.
Andy-bayor
i think getting the title is unrealistic.. but we're gonna give the top boy a mighty scare.. and probably go far in the cup competitions.. have a hunch we'll definitely get the CC this year.. whatsay fellas??
go4it_adi
i dun want a good run in the CL guys, we have to win it. Paris still hurts. the obession of the European Cup will always remain till we win it. i would give up the title and even the unbeaten season just to have a shot at the final again..
luckys_10
who wants the CC adi, the CL and the League title is all tat matters. saying that the title is a unrealistic target is not correct. who expected United to win the title last year with the squad they had. i'll be honest, i expected them to finish 4th with that team. but they had all the luck and everything going for them last season, and with a little bit of luck with injuries, we have a wonderful chance to win both the top honours this season..
luckys_10
luckys, it's true that we never really played with wide players. We succeeded then because many other smaller teams had not discovered that ugly way to kill our fluency. Increasingly more teams are learning to put more men in the box, employ rough house tactic & try to hit us with long balls and set pieces. Even in those years when we were winning domestic titles, we still struggled in CL because European teams were playing more compact at the back. Players in the mould of Pires, Ljungberg or Wiltord need adequate space for their diagonal runs into the box and enough opening for a through ball to be treaded in. This tactic is most effective when both teams on the pitch play an open game where we could launch one-touch counter attacks. The problem we had lately is, not only teams now were playing more compact against us, our wingers (Rosicky & Hleb) do not even want to be in the box, let alone making diagonal runs. Hence we need true width players because we could not remain status quo in terms of our attacking approach.
Joe_@**
So you won`t be happy with 5th? Uefa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cockeril
We aint like you lot Cock-eril, we dont celebrate mediocrity. Im with Luckys, 1 more striker would set us up nicely :)
iceman10
Who would?.....other than the Tottensham HotSpurm that is.
SUX2BU
Does anyone think there's any truth in these rumours about the Rodrigo Palacio signing...? I would've thought that Wenger would want to give the likes of Merida and Vela chance to break into the first team squad rather than spend a lot of money on someone else.
Gooner_Vin
I agree with the comments about Rosicky and Hleb being unwilling to get into the box, but I think that with Walcott, RVP and Eduardo that won't be a problem next season. All are speedy attacking minded players who will be happy to feed on chances in and out of the box. That may free up Rosicky to play more of a natural attacking midfield/deep striker role.
I am not an optimist by nature about arsenal but our two main problems last year were giving away cheap goals and not finishing our great approach work. I think that a fit rvp and theo and signing eduardo will take care of the goals and that a fit gallas and the new signings in defence may solve the other problem.
Who wins the title is impossible to guess but I like the fact that Radio 5 tonight were discussing the three challengers not four and discounting us. This could be our year, we have the canniest manager of them all.
hugh jarse
I would love it if we beat tham! That will be SAF comment when we play them in the last 2 games of the season aimed at Arsenal!!!
Goofle
Gooner_Vin read the following http://aculturedleftfoot.wordpress.com/. after reading the article not so sure but maybe, today will tell. I am glad we are the dark horse in the race to be champions; that suits me fine. How many games did we win at home last year how many lost points. How many silly games did we lose away when we should have slaughtered the opposition? Add them us yes my heart like others will always say every year we are going to win but like others my head tells me this will happen;. That's what supporting your team is all about. Go you gunners.
alwaysgunner
should be 'Add them up' sorry.
alwaysgunner
I honestly think we have as good a chance as anyone of winning the Premiership this year.
With Henry in the side, he dictated the way we play too much. He took all freekicks and corners meaning we never scored from set pieces. You could see from his body language if players failed to pass to him he got annoyed. We don’t need that sort of influence from a captain!
I think next season you will see more of a team orientated approach and now we have a natural finisher in Eduardo, I think we will manage to finish teams off next season. How many points did we drop in games we dominated?
I think if Gallas and RVP can stay fit added to the rapidly improving Clichy, Diaby, Denilson, Fabregas and Walcott, in our squad we will have a great season.
COME ON YOU GOONERS!!!!
codchops
Its heart-warming to see such optimism :).
prits
Well.. that is nonsense now and the Boca Blog writer admits that he conned everyone into believing that... http://bocajnews.blogspot.com/.. so no Rodrigo Palacio.
arsenalrulz4ever
arsenalrulz4ever, yes you are right but it was a nice dream while it lasted. I still feel there is still something in the wind to come who i don't know but as usual when it happens it will surprise everyone. While the Boss is in charge and they way he keeps talking I still think we are in for a great year. Go you gunners.
alwaysgunner
this season you will have the advantage that united had last season. very few people gave them a chance to win the title and that helped them get off to a very good start... Now teams like blackburn will come to ashburton grove looking for a win and that might actually work in your favour... me thinks you will beat liverpool to 3rd...
SiLaSSin
Alwaywsgunner - thanks for finding that out. I had a feeling it wasn't true. I know that Wenger keeps his cards close to his chest but given his philosophy on youth, I can't see us signing another striker. He's always liked players that can play in different positions and I won't be surprised if Eboue is pushed to right mid. If Sagnay is that strong, maybe he might be converted into a tough tackling centre mid to give Bert a breather.
Gooner_Vin
in the wake of the dream u arse scums might find yourself battling with the likes of sunderland birmingham wigan, and soon colchester.
TKJ
alwaysgunner - yeah, there's always a possiblility of us pulling off something because that's the way Wenger works.. he is a silent operator.. hopefully we will pull off a couple of good signings before august ends.
arsenalrulz4ever
TKJ, Would that be the same dream where the Spuds lift the Premiership title, and qualify regularly for the CL? It would be just that - a dream.
prits
luckys_10.. the CC will be brought home by the youngsters.. u know that.. so ofcourse i want it.. seeing that we deserved to get it last season and didnt.. ofcourse i'll be vying for the EPL title and the CL much much more and would trade the CC anytime for them.. as for u speaking of united's luck.. that is what got them the title.. if we have luck on our side.. if those chances we missed by whiskers or hit the bar would go in.. and if we suffer lesser injuries.. we're there for it.. nobody expected united to get the title.. nobody expects us to get it this year.. we're under the least pressure to perform.. and its all falling into place.. we might get it fellas.. but we'll need luck along the way.. something we've been lacking A LOT for the last couple of seasons.. its there for everyone to see.. the transition is almost complete.. and yeah.. i think the whole palacio think is a big smoke screen.. still think wenger has something up his sleeve to reveal.. any ideas ppl??
go4it_adi
Nicely put prits :-) It must be so hard being a sp*rs fan right now, watching your nearest rivals developing into the biggest club in Europe! To have a 'lean' period like ours (CC final, CL final, CL qualification - again) is something they can only dream of!
BergkampsBoot
Talk about punching above your weight. Nothing like a bit of pressure.
cockeril
lets just wait and see
gunnerchi
World class stadium, world class manager, world class players, turnover of £100+ million......hardly punching above our weight!
BergkampsBoot
Thanks BB (BergkampsBoot is just too long:). It must be hard being a spurs fan at any time, let alone right now. They have shown themselves to be fantastic chokers (and consistently too) and I see no reason for that to change. Just a bit sad, really. But also hilarious to read a spud talking about punching above one's weight, what with their ambitions of breaking into the top 4. The pressure is firmly on them now with their summer spending. Interesting to see how they cope.
prits
To be honest, I think the Spuds will be far more preoccupied with fighting Newcastle and Portsmouth for 5th place than trying to break into the top four. Although I admire Wenger's ambition and courage to say that we're going for the title, I just can't see it. I think we'll be a lot closer than last season but I'm just not sure whether our blend of VERY talented youngsters and Premiership newbies will be able to handle the pressure throughout the season.
adamski243
Not really adamski243.
We've got Van Persie with 3 Prem. Seasons Exp. and Adebayor with 1 season Exp. up front , Cesc with 3 Seasons Exp. and Gilberto with 5 seasons Exp. in midfield (Freddie may leave) Toure with at least 4 seasons and Gallas with 6 seasons Exp.(Provided Gallas stays) in defence the team is actually quite balanced in Exp. and talent, Walcott just needs to find the net more often, Rosicky and Hleb need to shoot more and Duda just needs to find the rythem with the team... and now with TH gone the youngsters don't have much pressure on them to perform to TH's standard...
<>
stukazufuss
You may be right stuk. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. I must admit I am really looking forward to the Premiership this season. So many changes, so many signings for all the clubs. Should be very interesting.
adamski243
Has anyone seen the Bosses talk on Arsenal .com? If not its well worth a read. If that is the way he is thinking and its as good as any comment by our Wingston then I for one am more upbeat than every. If someone else has already talked about this item please excuse.
alwaysgunner
oops Starts with we feel at home
alwaysgunner
No more transitional excusses then, With all that experience it`s time to produce!!
cockeril
Was that David pleats war cry in the 80's Cock-eril?
iceman10
No david Pleats war cry was "Honestly officer i was asking her for directions!"
LondonGooner
The Spuds seem to be content with a season objective limited to finishing higher than fifth, so why would Wenger aspire to achieve anything less than the PL title? What good is a manager who tells his team and supporters he hopes they can finish fourth again this year!? Good on AW for believing in his players and in himself...that's what makes a manager great. As supporters we owe our team and our manager all our support to acheive this objective. Call it being optimistic or whatever, but I agree with many here that we have a squad and a manager that are/is of the highest quality and class; and fully capable of giving the title a good challenge this season.
SUX2BU
Yep the spuds are sounding cocky alright... spent £16m on Bent and now they're off to conquer the world - on a diet of pasta-infused optimism !
Andy-bayor
No pasta for Martin tho AB, he's on the atkins! Cant you tell?!
iceman10
I would like to see how Liverpool copes with so many players in so few positions... Vorolin, Torres, Kuyt, Babel and Crouch up front alone... Dude!!! You've only got 11 starting places!!! Someone's bound to get unhappy and throw in the towel soon...I've lost count of the new MFs and DFs in their team... it's even worse than Chelsea.
stukazufuss
lol, maybe he is more trim iceman, but his squad is definitely bloated and gassy!
Andy-bayor
Bye bye CL. Hope you all enjoyed not quite winning the 1 trophy you all wanted. Now its our turn! I predict a slow decline for you boys. Out of the CL nxt year, Fabregas off, no new signings and back to wishing your Dad was a yid. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha
yid4ever
Pete Doherty wants some of your high grade crack yid4ever!
iceman10
Crack? The only crack yids see is when Robbo bends down to pick up a ball!
Goofle
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