Arsene Wenger has spoken about the need for managers to make the most out of the resources they already have at a club, while also suggesting that he knows the potential of his side and whether or not they are ‘up to scratch’.
Wenger highlighted Mark Hughes and Stoke as a side that gets the best out of their team, labeling it a challenge to do such a thing: “A manager has to make the most of the potential of the team that he has. For example I said openly that Mark Hughes took the maximum out of his squad last year.
“They finished ninth in the league and they played well, but this year they want to do better. It might not necessarily be 100 per cent guaranteed to do it but the challenge is always to get the best out of your team.”
He then discussed his awareness of the potential that the current squad possesses, and how he can determine whether or not they’ve achieved the best they can once every season is over: “At the end of the day I know where my team can be and whether I’ve got the maximum out of them at the end of the season. That’s where experience helps.”
Arsenal finished third last season after back-to-back fourth placed finishes in previous seasons, with Wenger admitting that he knew a title challenge was almost impossible after just six games of the season.
“I know if we could have won the league or not. For example the year we lost it at Birmingham, I think we could have won the league.”
He added: “Last year we couldn’t, because after six games we were 11 points behind Chelsea and to catch them up was nearly impossible with the run they had.
Since then, the Gunners have signed Petr Cech from the Premier League champions, and believes that the squad are closing in on the Blues, with their heaviest defeat of last season being a two-goal margin, compared to six the season before:
“Our heaviest defeat last year was by two goal. It was 2-0, from a whole season, and it was against Chelsea. That means we have reduced the gap and I believe we are ready to go further.”
Arsenal face Chelsea in the Community Shield on August 2nd, before starting the 2015/16 Premier League season against West Ham at the Emirates a week later.
