Arsene Wenger has urged Arsenal to stay 'united' after admitting he understands the 'fear and discontent' among the club's supporters.

Speaking at the Gunners' AGM on Thursday, Wenger sent out a defiant message following the club's difficult start to the season.

Arsenal lost key midfield duo Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri in the summer and Wenger's side reached a nadir when suffering an 8-2 thrashing at the hands of Manchester United at the end of August.

However, following an uncharacteristic signings spree before the transfer deadline, Wenger was able to improve his squad and has seen results pick up in recent weeks.

The long-serving Frenchman, who saw his position questioned during the slump, has called on supporters not to lose their faith.

Courage

"I believe the values we defend are highly defendable," said Wenger.

"We want to do things with class and be very brave. Courage is a quality I admire, because it is highly needed in the modern world.

"I can see a lot of fear and discontent among you - and I can understand that because we live in a world where we fight with people who have extremely high resources.

"We can compete by trying to be intelligent and to be united, because football is very difficult to be consistent and we have been more consistent than anybody in the world in the last 15 years.

"To stay at the top, top level we have to stay united

"That does not mean I am not to be criticised, or the board - we accept that, but we have to show to the outside we are united. If you are not, then you have no chance."

Meanwhile, Arsenal's majority shareholder Stan Kroenke maintained the club had 'all the elements for success' at the Emirates Stadium.

The American billionaire first joined the Arsenal board in 2008, but living up to his nickname 'Silent Stan' had made few public statements over his vision for the club amid the stringent rules of the Takeover Panel.

Wonderful club

"What a wonderful club," said Kroenke, who took a controlling stake of more than 60 per cent in the Gunners' parent holding company earlier this year.

"We are involved extensively in sports in the United States and had lots of opportunities to involve ourselves in lots of clubs around Europe and in the [English] Premier League.

"We did not have an interest, but as we became involved with Arsenal in a commercial undertaking in Denver, I became more interested.

"Arsenal has all the elements that you need to have success in this kind of business.

"[The club] has tremendous management at the top, a wonderful manager on the pitch who makes great decisions in regard to personnel, and a tremendous following with the supporters.

"With all those things in place, it was an easy decision for us to get more involved."