Arsene Wenger says an experienced manager will always know the true potential of his team and what they can achieve.
The Gunners finished third in the Premier League last season and retained the FA Cup, and have been tipped to mount a serious title challenge this term.
Wenger is confident in his squad, but says the biggest challenge at the start of any season is to get the most out of his playing resources.
"At the end of the day I know where my team can be and whether I’ve got the maximum out of them at the end of the season"
Arsene Wenger
“A manager has to make the most of the potential of the team that he has,” he said. “[For example] I said openly that [Stoke City manager] Mark Hughes took the maximum out of his squad last year.
“They finished ninth in the league and they played well, but this year they want to do better. It might not necessarily be 100 per cent guaranteed to do it but the challenge is always to get the best out of your team.
“At the end of the day I know where my team can be and whether I’ve got the maximum out of them at the end of the season. That’s where experience helps.
“I know if we could have won the league or not. For example the year we lost it at Birmingham, I think we could have won the league. Last year no, because after six games we were 11 points behind Chelsea and to catch them up was nearly impossible with the run they had.”
After claiming more points than any other team in 2015, and having added Petr Cech to his squad, Wenger is sure Arsenal can take further strides forward this season.
“Our heaviest defeat last year was by two goals,” he said. “It was 2-0, from a whole season, and it was against Chelsea. That means we have reduced the gap and I believe we are ready to go further."
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