I know it’s a case of stating-the-bleeding-obvious, but after last season’s terrible start it is imperative that Arsenal continue their winning run now that the Premier League is finally getting up-and-running.
The only worry I can see is that the players may be trying too hard to get a result and start making unforced errors in their rush to score goals. Wenger has done very well to maintain the squads confidence over the summer and hopes that will lessen the pressure, but as he begins his 20th season with Arsenal he still feels the butterflies. “I still feel the same excitement, the same uncertainty, because football is not predictable so you always have the level of excitement and uncertainty,” Le Prof said on Arsenal.com.
“The pressure for me today is even bigger because you know what is expected – the expectation level is very high at Arsenal and you have that weight of wanting to do well and start well. That is why we are all under a huge desire to perform from the start.”
An unbeaten pre-season and three trophies can only have helped the teams confidence, and Wenger is only asking for more of the same from his players. “I couldn’t ask for a better preparation,” he continued.
“Preparation breeds confidence so we can go into the season in a good shape. Now it’s about points, about performance, about efficiency, about togetherness and about heart. We have to earn the right to win the games through effort. Those are the qualities that will be tested now.”
I don’t know about the team but I am already stressed from the waiting for the season to start. I know we are all used to suffering right until the end of games from last season, but wouldn’t it be nice to race into a lead and have a nice calm end of game for a change……
Onwards and Upwards!