Wenger is ready to destroy Spurs dream

Posted Saturday, May 18, 2013 by thesun.co.uk

ARSENE WENGER knew his Arsenal team could once again destroy Tottenham’s European dreams — the night they beat Bayern Munich.

Wenger’s side travel to Newcastle tomorrow and know a win will guarantee the final Champions League spot with Spurs once again set to miss out.

Arsenal overcame a 10-point deficit on their North London rivals last year.

And a 2-1 loss at White Hart Lane on March 6 saw them fall seven points behind Tottenham this season.

But Wenger watched his team beat Bayern 2-1 in Munich in their next match and this sparked a 10-game unbeaten run which has seen them once again overtake their rivals.

Even though Arsenal went out of Europe that night on aggregate, the triumph illustrated to Wenger the team were growing and improving.

He said: “The Bayern Munich away game was important and you could feel, after that, we could do it. That helped.

“I never felt this team lacked focus or desire to do well but we lacked confidence for a while. This team suffered for a long time from a lack of confidence because talisman Robin van Persie had been taken away.

“We then got some new players in and lost the first big games.

“Suddenly there was scepticism surrounding the team. You could see that.

“That was the problem and it took a while to find a formula to have a good balance in the team. Since this has been back we’ve been very efficient.

“Seven points on Spurs is a big comeback.

“And you cannot say Tottenham have not done well recently.

“They won their games. We needed not to lose any of ours.

“I don’t know how much of a psychological advantage we have over Spurs.

“What is important is how much effort we put in the game on Sunday. The only advantage we have is our fate depends on our result.

“We don’t look at Tottenham. I’m not concerned by that. It’s just, ‘Let us win the game’.

“What is at stake is a desire to stay at the top. To play top-level European football.

“There is a difference between the Champions League and Europa League. The Champions League features the best teams.

“That’s what we want to do. The financial consequences are big but that is not the most important thing for me.”

Asked whether he is suffering from deja vu, due to another battle with Spurs, Wenger added: “Of course, we’re on a strong run like the end of last season. We know how to behave to win the game.

“Recently we’ve shown we can win these games. Let’s just continue to do what we’ve done.

“I had the feeling it could go to the last day. I know that, for a long time, for us when we were seven points behind, we’d be happy for it to go to the last game.

“We’re in a position no one expected us to be in — we have our destiny and fate in our own hands and that’s what you fight for in the game.”