Wenger: We cannot finish this season at Arsenal trophyless - Sport - Evening Standard
       

Wenger: We cannot finish this season at Arsenal trophyless

Arsene Wenger accepts it is 'difficult' to predict just what will be a successful season for - but maintained he is out to win both the Barclays Premier League title and the Champions League.

The Gunners will continue their preparations for the new campaign with a trip to the Amsterdam Tournament, after a youthful squad - including Theo Walcott, summer signing Aaron Ramsey and 16-year-old Jack Wilshere - have taken on Coca-Cola League One side Huddersfield at The Galpharm Stadium tonight.

Just what lies in store for Wenger's men over the next nine months remains to be seen, but the Arsenal manager is confident they will be stronger for the rollercoaster ride of last year.

At the double: Wenger is gunning for success in the Premier League and Europe.

At the double: Wenger is gunning for success in the Premier League and Europe.

Having reached the last eight of the European Cup, the Gunners eventually finished only four points behind champions Manchester United and two from Chelsea, which was certainly a step in the right direction.

However, the last trophy won under Wenger was the FA Cup back in 2005 - and the French coach has made it perfectly clear where priorities lie this time around.

'What we would define as success this season is always a difficult question to answer,' said Wenger, whose side take on Steve McClaren's FC Twente in their
Champions League qualifier next week.




'But it is clear there are two trophies we are focused on - the Premier League and the Champions League.

'After that, the FA Cup, but we will never go seriously for the Carling Cup, again this year we will have the same philosophy on the Carling Cup.

'The Premier League and Champions League are the trophies we will fight for.'

Wenger added: 'We want to give hope and belief to all our supporters ahead of
the new season and we know we can only do that if we play our usual game full of
quality.'

Gunners fans who make the journey to Yorkshire for tonight's match as part of Huddersfield's centenary celebrations will get a glimpse of the team likely to
contest the much-maligned Carling Cup competition next season.

Along with England Under-21 international Walcott, Mexican teenager Carlos Vela is set for a run-out while home-grown hope Henri Lansbury is also in the 20-man party.

While many of those on show are ones for the future, Wenger rejects any suggestion his first choice XI lacks big-match experience.

'It is not wrong to call Arsenal a young side still, but it is wrong to call us inexperienced,' he said.

'Cesc Fabregas, for example, has already played in a FA Cup final, a Champions
League final and also now a European Championships final, so you cannot say he
has no experience.'

Fabregas, 21, has been given some extra time off following his exploits with Spain this summer, while defender Kolo Toure has resumed light training following a mild bout of malaria.

Wenger will take a strong team to the Amsterdam Tournament, which will feature games against hosts Ajax on Friday and then Sevilla before a quick return to Holland for the first leg of their European opener on August 13.

Arsenal should have a near full-strength squad for the start of the campaign, with the future of Emmanuel Adebayor now resolved and the Togo striker said to be ready to pen his lucrative contract extension.

Czech winger Tomas Rosicky remains on course for his rehabilitation, as does Croatia forward Eduardo, who broke a leg during February.

'The situation is positive for both players,' said Wenger.

'We believe Tomas could be available in September and Eduardo maybe in November.'

However, the Arsenal manager could still make a move before the transfer window
closes, should the right man become available at the right price.

Wenger said: 'If we have everybody on board and nobody injured then ,
but maybe we could do to take one more experienced player.'

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