Arsenal

Alisher Usmanov: 'Arsene Wenger is not learning from mistakes'

By Simon Sinclair, Reporter | 25 November 2014

Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov feels that Arsene Wenger needs to start learning from his errors to help the Gunners reach their full potential.

Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov believes that manager Arsene Wenger is not learning from his mistakes.

The Gunners have recorded their worst start to a season since 1982 following their 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

The 61-year-old, who owns 30% of the Gunners, feels that the Frenchman needs to start realising his own and the team's errors in order for them to start challenging for the Premier League title once again.

Usmanov told CNBC: "Arsene Wenger is one of the greatest coaches, not just of European, but of world football. But we have a Russian proverb which goes, 'Even an old lady can have a roof falling on her'.

"Everybody makes mistakes. He can make mistakes and I know as you age it is more difficult, more challenging to accept one's mistakes.

"The potential of the team is there but there is no critical evaluation of mistakes and they need to acknowledge them, because no genius can retain the same level of genius if they do not acknowledge mistakes. It's only when you admit your mistakes that you can get rid of them. I wish this for my club."

Usmanov has also revealed that he is not happy with the level of Arsenal's progression in the Champions League as they have failed to advance beyond the round of 16 for the last four seasons.

He added: "Nothing bad is happening apart from repeating the same result - we keep being in the middle of the Champions League but we only lose the first play-off games. Some may be happy with that but as a share-holder, I am not."

Arsenal have won just one trophy in the past nine seasons, which came in the last campaign with their triumph in the FA Cup against Hull City.