We have made progress - Wenger

Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal have not just stood still in the six years they have not won a trophy.

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The
Gunners host Leeds in the third round of the FA Cup on Monday looking
to bring an end to a barren run which now stretches back to when Patrick
Vieira lifted the 2005 FA Cup after a penalty shoot-out win over
Manchester United in Cardiff.

Arsenal may not have delivered any
silverware since their 2006 move to the Emirates Stadium, but Wenger
believes people should look at the bigger picture, and said: "You want
your fans to be proud of trophies, but also to consider the
achievement."

He added: "Everybody is entitled to view it
differently, but you can't compare winning the Carling Cup to every year
coming out of the group stage and every year qualifying for the
Champions League.

"If we had been out of top European quality for
10 years and win one or two cups it would be different, but I do not try
to defend the fact that we did not win [trophies].

"It has always
looked like 'ah, you have not won a trophy so you have been nowhere for
five years' - but in the same five years we have been in the
semi-finals of the Champions League and final of the Champions League.

"One
day you will realise that it is not as easy as it looks - and this year
we are again one of the two [English] teams who qualified [for the last
16]."

Wenger revealed he has never been one to place much
sentimental value on silverware, adding: "I don't know where I have my
medals or where the 'Invincibles' medal is, because it is more important
what is in front of you..

"I look forward for the next game, for
the next win. That is the life of a top-level player. A top-level player
wants to play at the top. He wants to win medals, yes, but there is a
difference between playing in the Champions League and playing at a
lower level."

Wenger added: "It is very important for us to win
against Leeds on Monday night, but the basis of our life at the top
level is dictated by the championship. If we can add on top of that the
FA Cup, it is fantastic."