Arsène Wenger believes Arsenal will start the new season at
a disadvantage due to a clash between the Premier League and
European schedules and has accused the authorities of "unfair"
treatment. Arsenal begin at home to Fulham at midday tomorrow but
then must break from domestic engagements for the first leg of
their Champions League third-round qualifying fixture on Wednesday,
away to Sparta Prague. Although Liverpool are also involved in
Champions League qualification against Toulouse, Arsenal's other
rivals Manchester United, the champions, and Chelsea have midweek
Premier League games. Arsenal's domestic campaign then resumes next
weekend at Blackburn on the Sunday.
Wenger is concerned that the schedule clash removes the margin of
error for his young side against Fulham and Blackburn. Were they
not to win both matches, they could find themselves at least five
points adrift of United or Chelsea after only one week of the
season which, in Wenger's view, could place his charges under
unnecessary pressure.
"There is a problem in the first week," he said. "The two teams
that have a Champions League qualifier have a disadvantage. The
others play another Premier League game so you are already chasing
to get the points back. You can be in the middle of the table if
you don't win the first or second [games] and that's,
psychologically, a big disadvantage. It's unfair to do that because
it doesn't exist anywhere else in the world. The solution is not to
have Premier League games in midweek. Why could we not start this
season one week earlier? Why could we not have played the Champions
League qualifier this [past] week."
Wenger also hinted that the uncertainty arising from his as-yet
unsigned contract could soon be over. Wenger's existing deal
expires next summer. "We are talking and usually when we talk,
there is always a positive outcome," he said. "At the moment,
nothing is done but hopefully soon.
"It looks to me that there are more doubts from outside the club
than ever before but we have a strong belief, a great desire for
success, a great togetherness and we are very hungry. And the fact
that everyone doubts about us reinforces that."
Wenger has been relatively quiet in the summer transfer market but
he remains open to possibilities before the end of the month. "I
don't feel we need any more [signings] but we are always
listening," he said. "If something comes up, we have the funds to
do it."
