Wenger: Arsenal are much stronger this season

Monday, August 13, 2012
11:52 AM

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has warned his title rivals that the Gunners are “up for it” this season

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has fired a warning at his Premier League rivals, saying Arsenal are stronger than last season and targeting trophies.

The Gunners ended their pre-season with a 4-0 win at Cologne yesterday, where summer signing Lukas Podolski grabbed a brace and fellow new boys Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud also impressed.

Manchester United are desperate to take unsettled striker Robin van Persie to Old Trafford but Wenger insists his side are well placed to launch their title challenge.

“We want to [compete for honours] and we have a desire to. We are up for it and what we want is to come out of the season and know we have given our best,” Wenger told Arsenal’s official website.

“I feel we did that last year, finishing third with the start we had.

“The first target is to do as well as we can in every single game and see where we stand at the end of the season, but of course we want to fight for the championship.”

Wenger added: “We are in a much stronger position now because last summer we lost [Samir] Nasri and [Cesc] Fabregas, and on top of that we lost [Abou] Diaby and Wilshere [to injury].

“We lost four players at the start of last season and that is not the case this time.”