Focused Wenger piles the pressure on himself

Arsene Wenger yesterday lifted the deadpan mask he usually employs in public and revealed the inner turmoil he suffers each time his team fail to achieve victory.

"Every game we do not win is a real disaster because we want to win every game," he said. "I personally have big problems about being philosophical. I always say it still hurts the same, no matter how long you have been in the game."

The confession perhaps explains his recent touchline squabble with Alan Pardew, the only surprise being that it does not happen more often. Wenger must respond to English Football Association misconduct charges arising from the defeat at West Ham by Thursday, but he is unlikely to change his touchline manner.

His desire remains undiluted and at 57 the Frenchman - twice a double-winning manager, the architect of an unbeaten season and a Champions League finalist last term - believes that feeling that kind of pain is a necessary motivational tool for successful managers.

"Newcastle was a game we should have won," said Wenger of his team's most recent slip, the 1-1 draw at home to Glenn Roeder's side. "I prefer not to say what I was like on Saturday night. We are in a job where you survive only if you want to win. If you cope well with defeats then you will not live a long time in the job."

Tonight Hamburg are in town and a win against the German team, who have yet to pick up a point, is crucial if Arsenal are to remain on course for the knockout stages. They are currently level on seven points with Porto, where they play next month but who this evening face the leaders, CSKA Moscow, in Russia.

By putting so much pressure on himself, however, Wenger's prospects of prolonged service in his job must be in doubt. The Frenchman spoke with heartfelt admiration of Alex Ferguson's recent 20-year anniversary at Manchester United and questioned whether his own health would permit such a feat for him at Arsenal. Yesterday's candour revealed why he might feel that way.

"You cannot really switch off, because you play every three days," he said. "It is difficult. You cannot always drive a car at 100mph because it will explode at some stage, so you have to think in advance. You always anticipate the next game and the one after. How can you make sure you win?" Even though he is the man putting out a callow team of outfield players whose average age last Saturday was 23, Wenger stresses the need for more emotional maturity. He admits that his players have been guilty of elation after their positive results while suffering self-doubt in defeat.

This might explain why Manchester United can be beaten at Old Trafford and Liverpool dispatched 3-0 at Highbury while defeats at Manchester City and West Ham are also possible. "When you are young, you are a bit more up and down, but when you are more experienced you are more consistent," said Wenger. "That's what we are missing at the moment, a little bit. Not much though.

"They are hungry . . . it's a bit subconscious. When you go from one to 38 games you (need to) have that focus to where you want to go, without being disturbed by a good performance or an average performance or a bad one.

"One game is only three points, you want to get to 38 (games). You have to put things into perspective to know where you want to go, and what you want to achieve. The team is not far away (right now) but not completely there."

Wenger will miss William Gallas's experience over the next three weeks after the 29-year-old defender suffered a freak thigh injury with the last kick of a training match yesterday. The 21-year-old Philippe Senderos is likely to be his replacement.

"It's a huge blow because we have so many games coming up," said Wenger, who conceded that Gallas could miss the visit to his former club Chelsea on December 10th.

A game like tonight's, which Wenger described as a "must-win" to maintain hopes of topping the group, might well prove an even sterner test.