Lyon coach claims Wenger is “indestructible”
Lyon coach Claude Puel has told L’Equipe magazine that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is “indestructable” and that the 61 year old is currently involved in a “special situation”.
Arsenal became unstuck once again on Saturday, losing away to Blackburn Rovers 4-3 in a match that highlighted the Emirate side’s inability to defend. Pule believes however that once the Fifa Financial Fair Play ruling is launched, fans will begin to realise what Wenger is doing.
“Arsene is experiencing a special situation. Everything has gone bad at the same time. Fabregas and Nasri left at the last minute, there are bad results and injured players. So there is such a pessimistic atmosphere, a negative environment which worsens all that.”
“Everything has gone bad at the same time. Fabregas and Nasri left at the last minute, there are bad results and injured players. So there is such a pessimistic atmosphere, a negative environment which worsens all that. The players have been weakened and it is difficult to erase that. They doubt and it came from a long time ago with the failures against Barcelona and Birmingham last season.”
Puel also admitted to meeting Wenger during the summer where he felt the manager was still the same as he has always been.
“Early in August I met Arsene before a friendly against Benfica. He has not changed, he is as full of fight as before, still his old self. He is indestructible. He hasn’t stepped back, and I didn’t feel him fatigued at all. It is not age, it is desire, and he has at least as much as Alex Ferguson.”
“He has preserved the future of the club. He has led talented young players, making almost the same things made at Barcelona, with the same collective demand. Ferguson did the same, but United can spend big money on Rooney or Young. Arsenal doesn’t have the same financial logic.”
