Emirates Cup: Wenger Pleased With Van Persie
Wenger used Arsenal's two Emirates Cup matches against Paris Saint Germain and Inter Milan to experiment with his team selection, and was rewarded with two 2-1 victories and a handsome piece of silverware.
The Gunners were inscintillating form against Italian champions Inter, but had to come from behind to clinch a deserved victory, with Robin van Persie scoring a brilliant late winner, dragging the ball back inside his marker with a dazzling sleight of foot before crashing the ball into the net.
"It was a great goal, but it was a great team performance," said Wenger.
"We played well and that's the most important thing.
"We know Robin can score special goals and he did that again, but we created lots of chances, developed good team play, and played in the way we like to play at a good pace.
"In a physical championship like in England, you have to be ready."
Dutch striker Van Persie broke a metatarsal while scoring against Manchester United in January, and had missed the rest of the season.
He still finished as the club's top scorer with 13 goals - one more than departed captain Thierry Henry, who had also been sidelined for much of last season.
Wenger said: "We missed him and Thierry together last season. On the score sheet it was a bit too much."
Talking of their involvement for Arsenal last season in the Premiership alone, Wenger stressed: "Robin played 17 games last year and Thierry 16, 33 games together. Robin scored 11 goals in 17, Thierry 10 in 16. You could multiply that by two."
Wenger is hoping that his summer signing from Dinamo Zagreb, Croatian striker Eduardo da Silva, will be available for the Amsterdam Tournament later this week after an appeal to the Home Office for a work permit.
But the French tactician believes that Van Persie is ready to take on the burden of expectation now that Henry has left.
"The media always pick one or two out [superstars]. Who will it be? " the Arsenal manager reflected.
"The players who are picked out mustn't forget the team-play, the teamwork and that we must play as a team.
"That's not easy to resist when you're picked out as a star. But Robin can handle [the pressure on him to score the goals]."
Wenger also revealed that Arsenal forward Jose Antonio Reyes would not be returning to the Emirates Stadium after his loan period at Real Madrid.
Atletico Madrid are said to be leading the chase for Reyes, and Wenger said: "We will make an announcement shortly, but he will not come back here. I cannot tell you more than that at the moment."
And Wenger also insisted there was "no truth" in a report that he had already lined up former Newcastle and West Ham manager Glenn Roeder for the position of director of football with Arsenal.
"I like Glenn Roeder, but I've not met with him," he said.
"At the moment I've not decided to appoint him. He would feature on a list of candidates, though."
Beaten Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini said he believed Arsenal have a bright future, although they may not yet be ready to challenge for the Premiership title.
"This team have so many young good players, but I am not sure if they will be able to compete with Chelsea and Manchester United [next season]," said Mancio.
"However, you never know in football because sometimes strange things can happen.
"I am sure, though, that this team has got a bright future."