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Arsenal Wenger says Arsenal fans should return for 'quality football'

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments239

Arsenal
There were plenty of empty seats at Emirates Stadium when the game kicked off. The crowd was announced as 59,568 - the capacity is 60,432 - but the ground appeared far from full

Arsene Wenger has urged Arsenal's stay-away fans to turn up and see "quality football" after his side moved third in the Premier League table with a 2-0 win over West Brom at Emirates Stadium.

An official attendance of 59,563 was given for Thursday's game, but large sections of empty seats were visible.

Asked for a message to fans, Wenger said: "Come and support the team. If you love football, you go out there and I think you see quality football."

Alexis Sanchez scored twice in the win.

Arsenal want more than third - Wenger

Clubs usually count season ticket holders in official attendances whether they are actually present or not, and there were reports before Thursday's game that as many as 2,500 fans had returned their tickets.

Wenger said there was no way of knowing why fans did not attend, but defended his side's performance.

He said: "It was a special night as well, a Thursday night, and I don't know if you are intelligent enough, nor am I, to detect exactly why everybody that did not turn up tonight did not turn up.

"I believe we dominated from the start to the last minute and in fact, was what we did in the 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

"Overall I believe the quality of our game was very good. Maybe, we could have scored more goals."

Arsenal fans
Arsenal's victory meant they became the second team, after Manchester United, to record 500 Premier League wins
Arsenal fans
Arsenal have two remaining home games this season, against Norwich and Aston Villa

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239 comments

  • Comment posted by Asitis, at 11:04 22 Apr 2016

    As a spurs fan I'm delighted with this season; and can totally understand AFC fans frustration. However I would warn them to be careful for what they wish for; continuous CL football, good cup record and not far off competing for the league, all in a financially stable club. A new manager only guarantees change- not necessarily for the better. Careful....

  • Comment posted by Perton66, at 11:48 22 Apr 2016

    I support a non-league club and we are in the process of being relegated. I've attended every home league game and the last one is tomorrow. Those who chose to stay away last night aren't proper supporters. They can protest all they like, but nobody has a divine right to success - look at Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City all of who have struggled in the league. Shut up and back your club!

  • Comment posted by leopoldfrank, at 11:46 22 Apr 2016

    Arsenal fans don't know how lucky they are to have the stability of top 4 guaranteed every season.

  • Comment posted by User0813316933, at 11:25 22 Apr 2016

    Make the price worth it and you'll find people attending. If a guy wants to take his two kids to watch Arsenal, he's looking at a minimum of £200. For an hour and a half's entertainment! Far better ways to entertain your kids on £200.

  • Comment posted by WHL_N17, at 11:39 22 Apr 2016

    My heart really bleeds for you lot. A couple of seasons of *only* winning the FA Cup and you're whinging away. Try being a Spurs fan with two league cup wins in 25 years.
    And they call us fickle!

  • Comment posted by WonderBeard, at 11:25 22 Apr 2016

    It's hard to fix something that isn't really broken.

    I understand the fans' vexation, but things could so very easily be so very much worse.

  • Comment posted by SummersIron, at 11:33 22 Apr 2016

    I don't know how Liverpool always seem to escape the level of criticism Arsenal receive. They haven't won the league in the whole Premiership era, but they have spent much more net than Arsenal during this period.

  • Comment posted by BaggiosPonytail, at 11:13 22 Apr 2016

    You know exactly what you will get from Arsenal these days. You can almost set your watch by it. Perform well in the first half of the season. Most of the pundits say 'Arsenal could do it this year' and it all goes pear shaped in February/March as they get knocked out of the CL and lose ground in the league. Once the pressure is off they secure 3rd/4th place. Repeated every season.

  • Comment posted by Asitis, at 11:44 22 Apr 2016

    Sacking him without any suggested replacement is a reaction and not an answer. Who do Arsenal fans want instead, seriously?

  • Comment posted by Martin , at 11:35 22 Apr 2016

    Maybe it's the fact that Arsenal ABSOLUTLEY milk their fans for everything they can get and the fans are sick of pumping money into a club that hasn't progressed or moved forward in the past decade

    Maybe that's why?!?!?!?!?!?

  • Comment posted by User0943683457, at 11:19 22 Apr 2016

    Arsenal are a prime example of a club that have got far too commercial and corporate. I understand money makes the world go round, but isn't football meant to be the working man's game?

    The flags waved behind the goal at the Emirates when they score say it all, and goes to show what a soulless atmosphere there is there, for a costly sum too. All too manufactured and corporate for me.

  • Comment posted by hainba, at 11:48 22 Apr 2016

    The trials of AFC show the limits of fans and how any club even one of the biggest can struggle to attract fans (even those who buy a season ticket) we in week out.

    The new TV contract may give financial security but entertainment = performance and atmosphere. German football seems to have an amazing atmosphere that is missing at PL grounds. These clubs need to think about next gen of fans.

  • Comment posted by D1710552872174, at 13:23 22 Apr 2016

    I'm a Reading fan. We've won nothing ever. Wish we'd only won the fa cup twice in consecutive years...

    Arsenal fans throwing toys out of pram like spoilt brats.

  • Comment posted by Phil, at 11:21 22 Apr 2016

    Those pictures are deceptive - for a midweek evening match fans often turn up 5-10 minutes late because of work and transport issues. I was there last night, the ground was half full at 740 but 95% full at 755.

  • Comment posted by daniel webb, at 11:30 22 Apr 2016

    Most grounds are now quieter than they were even 5 years ago, so can't be blamed on all seater

    - Liverpool regularly have amazing comeback wins in mid-week games, due to the atmosphere, but weekend games are nearly as quiet as Goonerland
    - Even at Highbury Arsenal were not among the noisiest half of team's supporters
    - Man City fans already take Champ league games for granted / don't turn up

  • Comment posted by red leader, at 10:59 22 Apr 2016

    Not sure about value for money though...

  • Comment posted by Bob_Noxious, at 14:47 22 Apr 2016

    The scene of empty seats is fairly common around many, many grounds including the premier...The golden years are coming to an end, mainly because of greedy clubs milking the fans and the growing gap between footballers wages and those of the common man.
    I gave up watching my club after 20 years, this season, Do I miss it? I did up to around Christmas, but not any more. I feel richer and liberated

  • Comment posted by justsaying, at 11:33 22 Apr 2016

    Arsenal are nothing but a corporate shoe who may have a lovely stadia, but it has zero atmosphere. The baron years - was it worth the extra space? Was it worth having no atmosphere unlike Highbury (at times). Wenger is to blame, but so are the fans who year after year allowed themselves to accept failure and medicority. 17 years in CL, not once won it or even that close.

  • Comment posted by User0024041365, at 15:56 22 Apr 2016

    163. Posted by LUFCAT.......MU, MC, Leicester, Tottenham and Chelsea -- all have loftier ambitions.'

    Ambition and league position are not necessarily related, the most ambitious teams do not always lead the table, clubs in the past have been ambitious (Leeds) spent a fortune to achieve those ambitions, they never made it to the top, where are they now?

  • Comment posted by Chicken on a Ball, at 14:12 22 Apr 2016

    Posted by PragueImp.... At another club Ozil could be outstanding

    He was at another club, one of the biggest clubs in the world, he wasn't outstanding, they had 2 more outstanding midfielders than him, that's why he was let go, how you think he is possibly the best in the league doesn't stand up when you look at nominations for players of the season, you disagreeing with the football community

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