Arsene Wenger has dismissed suggestions of a crisis of confidence at Highbury after Arsenal suffered their fifth defeat in six matches in last night's Worthington Cup tie. Wenger was not particularly concerned after the reserve team he fielded in the home Cup clash against fellow Premiership club Sunderland went out of the competition on a 3-2 scoreline but when asked if confidence at the club had been affected by recent results, he was obviously incensed.
"That is newspaper talk and they can say what they like, it doesn't bother me. Don't get me started on that subject but I must tell you that of the five matches we have lost two have been Champions League games which had little or no impact and now another defeat has come in the Worthington Cup when we have been without 10 (of our best) players," he explained.
Wenger also added that the only regret he has over Arsenal's early exit from the Worthington Cup is that they have lost the opportunity to blood some of the promising young players at Highbury.
"The positives were the way Pires and van Bronckhorst showed they are getting sharper and fitter all the time, but we were naive to lose the game although unlucky as well. I don't think we deserved to lose and I'm disappointed for the young players most of all," added the French man.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
