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Arsene Wenger says Arsenal can finish second in the league

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments873

Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger says finishing second in the Premier League is not out of Arsenal's reach.

Wenger has recently seen his side beaten by Blackburn in the FA Cup and Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

But he believes they can secure the runners-up spot in the league, despite being nine points behind second-placed Manchester City with 11 games left.

"Man City is not out of reach. It could be a tight fight until the end," said the Arsenal boss.

Despite enduring a torrid time last week in cup competition, Arsenal's 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Saturday was their third straight league success, following victories against Sunderland and Stoke.

Yet they remain fifth in the table, behind City, Chelsea and Tottenham ahead of the north London derby at White Hart Lane on 3 March.

Tottenham start Monday's game at West Ham in fourth, one point ahead of Arsenal but knowing victory at Upton Park will lift them two points above third-placed Chelsea.

Manchester United, who Arsenal still have to play at Emirates Stadium on 28 April, are 21 points clear of the Gunners at the top of the table.

Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez suggested before his team's 2-0 defeat at Manchester City on Sunday that a top-two finish could be out of reach if the Blues lost at Etihad Stadium.

"We have to go there with confidence and if we are close we can fight for being in the top two," said Benitez before the weekend.

"And if not we have to fight for being in the top four."

Yet Wenger believes his team can not only overtake Tottenham and Chelsea but also overhaul City and qualify automatically for a place in next season's Champions League group stage.

"I'm not sure it will only be a fight with Tottenham," he added when asked about the battle for fourth. "I'm not sure the other places are not reachable.

"Chelsea are just ahead and even Manchester City is not out of reach. It could be a tight fight until the end."

Arsenal have not finished outside the Premier League's top four since Wenger took charge in September 1996.

The last time they ended the season in the top two was in 2004-05 when they were runners-up to Chelsea.

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873 comments

  • Comment posted by User0629963901, at 11:24 25 Feb 2013

    If you look what Wenger said: "even Manchester City is not out of reach" in response to a question about catching Tottenham, is not quite the same as the headline.

    More tabloid-style gutter press on the BBC. Same as Mancini teh oter week.

    Absolutely pathetic. I think Im going to look for a new sports website to get real news from.

  • Comment posted by User0724153323, at 12:03 25 Feb 2013

    What he actually said was "Chelsea are just ahead and even Manchester City is not out of reach...".
    But this is typical BBC, twisting it around to sensationalize it.

    And I'm not a Wenger fan, in fact I can't stand the bloke (or his football team) but he deserves better than this distortion.

  • Comment posted by Complete and utter horse, at 12:14 25 Feb 2013

    Editorial standards are terrible at the BBC now. I suppose any department where McNulty is top dog is a joke by default.

  • Comment posted by dan, at 11:48 25 Feb 2013

    "Man city is not out of reach" is very different from "Arsenal can finish second". Honestly, do some proper journalism bbc! You did the same misquoting trick with brendan rodgers.

  • Comment posted by Drasticus Maximus, at 12:07 25 Feb 2013

    I see the BBC have released their latest chapter of the WUM diaries.

    When McNulty leaves. how will they advertise for his replacement?

    "The applicant should have no football knowledge, a proven ability to misquote managers and at least 10 years of experience of provoking people with stupid articles. A talent for recycling the same tired phrases when writing - desirable but not essential"

  • Comment posted by User0335908173, at 12:23 25 Feb 2013

    Who writes these headlines?

    Apparent Quote: "Arsene Wenger says finishing second in the Premier League is not out of Arsenal's reach".

    Next, they will be saying Leeds Utd will get promoted.

    These headline writers should be selling crap on QVC....

  • Comment posted by User0213352113, at 12:16 25 Feb 2013

    For goodness sake, the bloke's only said they COULD finish second. Journalists want these people to have something to say every day and when there's nothing to say they pick on the most inane rubbish.

    Not news!

  • Comment posted by User0933041056, at 12:43 25 Feb 2013

    I've always gone to the BBC website for professional, informative and trustworthy news.

    I may look at tabloids or certain other websites for a laugh at sensationalist tales and manufactured nonsense.

    Based on recent articles it seems I can no longer rely on the BBC - standards have severely dipped.

    Sad.

  • Comment posted by Darren E, at 13:35 25 Feb 2013

    I've filed my complaint, have you?

    "Arsenal can make top two - Wenger.
    Misleading.

    Arsene Wenger should not be sacked - Vermaelen
    Misquoted.

    Arsene Wenger happy he signed Theo Walcott over Gareth Bale
    Utter lie.

    That is only in recent weeks. Its getting quite annoying, just look at the top comments.
    People are calling journalists to be fired. Standards are slipping at the BBC, sort it out."

  • Comment posted by dont, at 12:59 25 Feb 2013

    Who on here would have thought it (!?)... but BBC Online is governed by the same journalistic Guidelines as the news on TV & Radio !!

    If you feel license fee money is being wasted and journalistic standards abused...
    OR
    If you feel your intelligence is just being taken the piss out of...

    You can easily make an official complaint online here:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/complain-online/

  • Comment posted by Stuart, at 13:04 25 Feb 2013

    BBC used to be respected, now it's an organisation more content with muck raking and peddling tacky journalism while most of the writers are puerile to say the least, and THIS is the garbage we pay a license fee for.

  • Comment posted by bilbo, at 13:00 25 Feb 2013

    Usual rubbish from the BBC they did the same thing to Brendan Rodgers. The standard of journalism here gets worse by the week.

  • Comment posted by Andyspur37, at 12:00 25 Feb 2013

    As you'll see from my username, Arsenal are not my favourite team, but.....if Wenger is asked in a press conference "do you think 2nd place is acheivable", what message does it send to the fans and the other mangers if he says "no, we have no chance of finishing 2nd".

    I think everyone should stop talking and get on with the job in hand. I think Spurs can finish 2nd, but they probably won't !

  • Comment posted by simple, at 13:05 25 Feb 2013

    It's alright Arsenal fans, it's Liverpool's turn to have 47 ridiculous articles written about them again tomorrow.

  • Comment posted by James_AFC, at 11:59 25 Feb 2013

    I wonder if Phil Mcnulty is behind this article - anyone notice his piece on Swansea beating Bradford - something "Arsenal" failed to do. I guess no publicity is bad publicity.

  • Comment posted by Madmandan, at 12:06 25 Feb 2013

    Seriously, where does Arsene specifically say we can finish second in the league... What a shoddy article. It's not out of reach mathematically, so there is always a possibility. Re-quoted the same thing twice with a bit about Chelsea at the beginning. Pathetic article.

  • Comment posted by User0084208188, at 13:01 25 Feb 2013

    It was actually a modest, low-key, motivational announcement blown out of proportion. I do like to laugh at Arsene`s announcements sometimes, but this is just wrong.

    Such a non-article. Terrible, terrible journalism.

  • Comment posted by User0528936077, at 13:07 25 Feb 2013

    Last week we had the pathetic article about Mancini where loads of morons on here bit. This week it's time to take what Wenger says completely out of context. Shame on you BBC - Tacky journalism

  • Comment posted by Grumpy old Gooner, at 12:57 25 Feb 2013

    Nice. Inflammatory headline that appears to be a quote that was not said.
    3 quotes from Wenger. 2 of them misquoted/adjusted. The third selectively pruned and placed out of order.

    Build an article around them that supports the headline.
    Welcome to the Tabloids. At least they usually sign their hack jobs.

    What was said: http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-get-ready-for-a-tight-fight-

  • Comment posted by User0117218983, at 12:10 25 Feb 2013

    @9
    are you kidding me? that is the most idiotic thing i have ever heard.
    managers get asked "what are your chances" by the media, the manager will always say a positive reply or else he will get crucified by the fans and then the media take whatever the manager says, chops it up, give it a sensational heading and then get idiots like you who make stupid comments so that they get more hits.

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