Arsene Wenger Comments on Fan Protests and More After Win vs. Norwich

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger responded to the protests that took place at the Emirates Stadium during Saturday’s 1-0 win over Norwich City, telling reporters he’s “sorry” he can’t make everyone happy and he heard and acknowledged the majority of fans who voiced their support.

As shared by Tom Williams of Agence France-Presse, the Frenchman told Sky Sports he will continue to try to make as many fans as possible happy:

The Gunners served up a drab, dull affair against the Canaries, but a single flash from Mesut Ozil, who found Danny Welbeck with a brilliant pass, ensured the hosts grabbed all three points and stayed on track for a top-four finish. 

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A scheduled protest by some of the fans overshadowed the contest, however. Groups of supporters held up banners asking for “change” and comparing Wenger’s lack of silverware in the last few seasons to Claudio Ranieri, who is on the verge of securing the Premier League title with Leicester City.

The majority of fans didn’t partake in the protests, and a large number backed the manager or simply supported the side, something he heard as well, per ESPN FC’s Miguel Delaney:

Via Chris Wheatley of Goal, Wenger also spoke about the chants some of the fans sang:

Arsenal’s season has been filled with ups and downs, and the Gunners suffered a tremendous drop in form during the second half, which saw the team fall out of the top spot in the standings.

Wenger addressed the slide:

Turning his attention to the match, Wenger pointed at Norwich’s tactics of sitting deep as a reason his team found it difficult to unlock their defence, before highlighting that many other teams have played the Gunners in the same way, via Arsenal’s official Twitter account:

He also emphasised the need to finish the season on a high note:

While it’s never easy for a manager to deal with fan dissatisfaction, the planned protests at the Emirates were somewhat underwhelming, and the fact most fans backed the manager must have been some comfort for Wenger.

The 2015-16 campaign has ultimately been a disappointing one, and some difficult questions will need answers during the summer, but Wenger and his squad need to focus on finishing the season strong, not pockets of fans holding up banners.

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