Wenger - We will be stronger

Gunners boss makes vow

Last updated: 19th May 2008

arsene wenger arsenal

Wenger: Tough season

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Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal will be stronger next season following their failure to claim any silverware this term.

The Gunners were clear at the top of the Premier League at the start of the season as Wenger's young side shone.

But they fell short at domestic and European level, with Eduardo's leg break at Birmingham in February proving very costly.

A series of draws late on cost them in the league, whilst they bowed out to English rivals Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

Wenger, though, feels his all of his players with learned a huge amount from this season's campaign.

"Overall this team has made a huge improvement compared to last year. We were always in the race for the championship until the last three games," the Arsenal boss told the club's website

"We have combined quality with efficiency, but lacked a bit of experience to make the final step.

"We have to realise we were very close to winning both [Premier League and Champions League] and that we have to come back to get that little bit extra which makes us winners of both competitions.

"We have made a tremendous improvement and want to develop - the average age of our team is very young and we can only be better if we have the right spirit next year.

"The team gained a lot of experience with our disappointments. Suffering makes you more mature and that is why I think at the start of next season you will see a team which is much more mature in its behaviour.

"If we can add a bit more experience and talent, that is even better."

Turning point

Wenger points to the draw at Birmingham - the game which saw Eduardo injured - as the turning point of their season.

"We could not win the next game, and then confidence dropped a little bit," he said.

"Then every time after that when we were in a situation leading 1-0, we did not have the same drive going forwards, we just wanted to keep the result because we had less confidence. That all started at Birmingham."