By Jim Van Wijk, Press Association
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will continue to judge himself by his own high standards of achievement - and not be swayed by 'extreme opinions' on the terraces.
The Gunners head to Everton on Wednesday looking to close the gap between themselves and the top four of the Barclays Premier League, but a sustained bid for the title already looks out of reach as they trail leaders Manchester United by 10 points.
Some sections of the Arsenal support voiced their disapproval during the goalless draw at Aston Villa on Saturday - with chants of 'you don't know what you're doing' greeting the second-half substitution of striker Olivier Giroud for defensive midfielder Francis Coquelin.
Iron willed: Arsene Wenger will not give in to pressure from 'extreme opinions'
Wenger, though, insists focus of doing the job required on the pitch will remain unmoved.
'In the modern media service, the extreme opinions are picked and sold like a majority, what (that) is not always the case,' the Arsenal manager said.
'Those who shout the loudest are usually presented because they are interesting and easy to sell, but they do not represent the majority always of opinions.
'That some fans are not happy when you play 0-0 at Aston Villa, I can understand because I am not happy.
'I want to win the game as well, but I do not share the fact that always the minority is presented like everyone thinks like them.'
After some 16 years at the helm, during which Wenger oversaw the transformation of the Gunners to become undefeated Premier League champions in 2003-2004, the Frenchman insists he is 'not worried' by voices of disapproval.
'We don't give too much importance to those fans' reaction. Our job is somewhere else, on the football pitch, to give our best on the pitch. The rest? If you are at this table and you have any emotional reaction, you have nothing to do in our job," he said.
'My job is to get the best out of my team with the potential we have.
'At the end of last season we finished third. Honestly I don't think there was much more in the team than finishing third. My pride comes from that as well.
Chants: 'You don't know what you're doing,' was the cry when Francis Coquelin (centre) was brought on for Olivier Giroud
'When we won the Premier League with zero defeats, which nobody else has ever done, you can think there is not much room to do much better.
'At the end of the season, I want to stand in front of my mirror and think, 'could you have done more?'.'
Arsenal recently agreed a new 150million sponsorship extension with Emirates Airlines.
Wenger accepted there would be a cost on the pitch for their move to a new, 60,000-seater home six seasons ago.
Youthful side: Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs have been brought through the ranks
However, slowly the Gunners are moving forwards on a strong financial footing which Wenger believes will ultimately help the club hang onto top stars like Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and former captain Robin van Persie, who have all left the club for better deals elsewhere.
'People forget we built a new stadium. We had to go through with limited resources and (yet) still maintained the club at the top,' he said.
'We just qualified for 13 consecutive years in the last 16 of the Champions League and even with all the financial resources we have now, it is not sure we will achieve that in the next 13 years.'
Wenger added: 'We are now going towards a period where we will be able to compete again financially with other clubs.'
This article could have been written in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011...it's just the same stuff out of Arsenal. And to clear up Stank Kroenke was asked explicitly at the AGM wold he be taking dividends out of the club and he refused to answer. Whatever you want to call them, dividends, bonuses, in the same way Gazidis gets obscene money as does Wenger (140 000 a week) they will get their money out. Facts are Arsenal have 210 Million in the bank, 70 Million of it 'uncommitted' and out of that the AST estimate Wenger has 40-60 Million to spend - comfortably. Bt Arsenal fans opinions don't matter to this Arsenal, we've seen this from the despicable way Peter Hill Wood spoke to shareholders at the AGM 'thanks for taking an interest in OUR affairs'...when Gazidis was asked should the club be more ambitious he mumbled 'oh no this lot again' into his microphone. Wenger is always talking about value, well Arsene what should Arsenal fans expect when paying the highest prices in Europe
- BB , London, 28/11/2012 06:53
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