Arsène Wenger says that he and his Arsenal players must work to get the club’s disgruntled fans back onside, as he made the point that a “negative environment” at the Emirates Stadium could only be counterproductive.
Arsenal have seen their Premier League title hopes all but end after a run of four wins in 13 matches and they face West Bromwich Albion at home with a proportion of their season-ticket holders having indicated they will not turn up.
The sense of frustration and disillusionment is clear, and it has been easy to feel the tension at many recent games at the Emirates Stadium.
The team were booed off after the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Sunday. Wenger, though, is nothing if not stoic.
“Everybody is free to do what he wants with his season ticket,” Wenger said. “We have to live with that. It’s a Thursday night, it’s unusual. We just had a disappointing result at home, maybe that plays a part as well. First of all, it’s not experienced yet and we have to live with that.
“Is the disillusionment more pronounced? Yeah, maybe. But we have to take that with distance as well, and focus on our job. The emotional part in our game is always very high but it changes very quickly, as well. Judgment from people [is something] we have to live with. It’s down to us to change that belief and judgment.”
Wenger called for the supporters who do attend against West Bromwich to stay behind the team. “I want our fans to be happy and when they are not it affects me,” he said. “You do not want to play in a negative environment; if we do, we can still perform”.
Not for the first time, Wenger gave short shrift to the question of whether he would consider his future in the summer – 12 months before the end of his contract.
“I do not want to come back on that,” he said. “I respect always my contract.”
He added: “Every time it doesn’t work, you question yourself. That is part of your job.”
Wenger said that Jack Wilshere had come through his 90-minute appearance for the club’s under-21s against West Bromwich on Monday but he would not feature. He could be in contention for the visit to Sunderland on Sunday.
New contracts
Wenger also expressed his confidence that Mesut Özil and Alexis Sánchez would agree to new contracts. Their deals expire in the summer of 2018. “These two players have two years on their contracts at the end of the season,” Wenger said. “We are not in a hurry. We are talking and the players are very keen to stay.”
Elsewhere, Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who had been linked with a move to Manchester City, has signed a new five-year contract at Bayern Munich.
The 30-year-old’s new deal ties him to the Bundesliga champions until 2021 and ends any hope that Pep Guardiola, the incoming City manager, had of luring the World Cup winner to the Etihad Stadium in the summer.
The Germany international, widely regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world, has been at the Allianz Arena since joining from Schalke in 2011.
Neuer, whose previous deal was due to expire in the summer of 2019, follows his team-mates Jérôme Boateng, Thomas Müller, David Alaba and Javi Martínez in committing his future to the club until 2021.
Neuer said on the club website: “I feel at home at Bayern and am happy that we have now got everything sorted. I am looking forward to the future with Bayern.”
Bayern’s chief executive, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, said: “He is the best keeper in the world and we are completely happy with his performances”. Guardian Service
