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‘A strong pre-season breeds confidence'

Arsene Wenger says Arsenal’s pre-season form will give them confidence going into the 2015/16 Premier League campaign.

The Gunners have won all four of their summer friendlies, scoring 14 goals and conceding just once as they lifted the Barclays Asia Trophy and Emirates Cup in the space of eight days.

Arsenal face Chelsea in the Community Shield on Sunday, and Wenger says the Gunners’ 100 per cent record will only help them when the season gets underway on August 9.

"It doesn’t give you a guarantee that you start strong in the competition but it’s still better for the confidence and the belief of the group"

Arsene Wenger

“We had a good preparation and a good preparation brings confidence,” he said. “Of course confidence is important but competition demands performance. It’s a good basis to have a good confidence level in the preparation.

“If you have the choice, when you prepare a team you want a good pre-season. It doesn’t give you a guarantee that you start strong in the competition but it’s still better for the confidence and the belief of the group. Then, when it comes down to points, you add that little bit of extra commitment that is demanded in games.

“We want to improve,” added Wenger. “We know we will be better and we work very hard to better. It’s difficult to know how much better our opponents will be. Everybody tries to be better. Let’s not forget that Chelsea won the Premier League with a comfortable distance last year, so we have to make our way up.

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“There was still a gap between them and the others but the desire is to improve and to move up there to fight for the championship. We know that many teams will be in that position. Let’s start well and try to give our best.”

Mikel Arteta lifts the Emirates Cup

Mikel Arteta lifts the Emirates Cup