Must also attack against Bayern
Wenger believes playing too defensively against Bayern could prove fatal.
I would sign today to take a point but to sit off Bayern. But with their offensive quality, that would be difficult to maintain for 90 minutes. We have to relieve the pressure whenever we can and try to score goals. That is the structure of our team, to attack. If you get our players only to defend then I do not think we will be so efficient. We have to play every time we can.
He also says the team has ‘stabilized’
[The victory against Swansea City] was impressive because if you look at our away results since the start of the season, we have won at Crystal Palace and Watford, at Newcastle and at Swansea. So it looks like the team has stabilised and is growing as a unit. So let’s grow even more. We are certainly more stable defensively but that is from the start of January. If you look at the points we have taken from January 1, we have taken more points than anyone else.
Wenger snubs Mourinho
As the victorious Arsenal squad come back down the Wembley steps after collecting their medals for their victory over Chelsea in the Community Shield, Mourinho starts congratulating them one by one. But Wenger, rather than shake the Chelsea manager’s hand, changes his path to avoid him, leaving a snubbed Mourinho to head down the tunnel on his own. Mourinho:
You only miss me if you want to miss me and every Arsenal player came in my direction, which was the easiest thing to do because I was just there. If other people didn’t come in my direction, that is not a problem, not a story and not the end of the world. I did my job, the job that my club deserves me to do and the status as a manager when I lose any trophy.
Wenger:
I shook a few hands today after the game, but nothing special there. I believe we live in a job where you have to respect people and respect everybody. It’s a difficult job. I think it’s vital, I have said many times, in managers’ meetings that managers respect each other.
Arsenal 3-0 Aston Villa
Arsenal win at Villa park beating their opponents through goals from Mesut Ozil in the 32nd minute, Danny Welbeck in the 34th, and an own goal by Aly Cossokho in the 36th minute. This ends the host’s unbeaten start to the season. Wenger:
We had a good work-rate and concentration from the start. We had a very good first half when we were in control and dominated the game. They [Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil] combined very well, especially in the first half. Our plan today was to play Mesut behind their midfield and it worked.
Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Arsenal
Dortmund win by two goals from Ciro Immobile and Emerick Aubameyang in the 45th and 48 minutes of the game. Danny Welbeck gets chances to score for Arsenal but fails to convert them. Jack Wilshere is substituted after twisting his ankle. Wenger:
We were not at the requested level, We had a difficult night, congratulations to Dortmund because they were the better team, but we had a disappointing performance.
Leicester 1-1 Arsenal
Alexis Sanchez puts Arsenal ahead in the 22nd minute but the opponents level the score two minutes later through Leonardo Ulloa. This score puts the Gunners in the 7th position on the league table while Leicester City in 15th with two points from three matches. Wenger:
It was tough, Leicester played very well and defended with a lot of heart. Our attackers did well but on the other hand they were not fantastic they didn’t score. We are active in the window, we are working hard to find a solution. We try very hard. Nobody can ever predict what can happen in the last 24 hours. But if we had to buy a player every time you didn’t win a game it would be too easy. In the Premier League it is difficult to win games. That is the way it is.