Arsenal's Mikel Arteta defends Arsene Wenger, criticizes Jose Mourinho

Defending his manager

Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta has defended his manager Arsene Wenger and is angry with Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho for calling Arsene Wenger a “specialist in failure”.

Arsene Wenger earlier replied to Mourinho’s comment saying they were “silly, disrespectful remarks”.

Mikel Arteta commented on Mourinho’s remarks saying, “If, for you, success is only to win a trophy, it doesn’t matter how, then I think he (Wenger) is the way he (Mourinho) is saying,”

“If you analyse everything he has done for the club, then if he is a failure I have a different opinion. I don’t like it when someone criticises my team-mates, the staff, the manager, the club because I see what he does every day to look after this club.

“When they are right maybe you can accept, everybody makes mistakes. You can criticise the manager, whoever, but when it comes in a certain moment in a certain way I don’t like it.”

With Arsenal playing Hull City in the FA Cup final in the weekend, Arteta says, “Of course, when you win a trophy and you don’t win it is very different.”

“With the history we have over the last nine years without any trophies at all, obviously it could be a great turning point. It’s something else apart from the trophy as to what it can mean to the club, to the fans, to everyone.

“I have not played in a cup final, I had an opportunity with Everton [but injured my cruciate a few weeks before]. The history of the FA Cup in England is massive compared to Spain. I was very surprised with the atmosphere we got in the semi-final against Wigan, so I imagine how it is going to be like on Saturday.

“It’s a great opportunity it’s great to be there. It’s a big incentive to win. “I can’t sense any fear,” he said. “What I sense is a big determination.

“The players can’t wait for Saturday to come and to be on that pitch. If it was different I would say that but it’s not the case.”