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Wenger - Fabianski is a 'classy' stand-in



Arsène Wenger feels Lukasz Fabianski’s performance on Tuesday confirmed his capability to stand-in for Manuel Almunia over the next two weeks.

The Spaniard was forced off at Villarreal after 27 minutes because of an ankle injury and, afterwards, his manager suggested he may be sidelined for two weeks. That is a very long time at this stage of the season.

If Fabianski did play throughout the next fortnight he’ll be in goal for the Champions League Quarter-Final second leg, the FA Cup Semi-Final and the trip to Liverpool. However Wenger saw enough in Tuesday’s display to suggest he will cope well.

“I am very pleased at the way Lukasz came on,” said Wenger. “Despite not even being warmed up he made two great saves.

“I was just thinking after the game how important it is to have two classy goalkeepers. Unfortunately one of those classy goalkeepers does not get a great number of games. But if you don’t have two good keepers you don’t have [a] chance at this level.”

Arsenal-Verteidiger Gallas für Rest der Saison out

Der englische Topclub Arsenal dürfte den Rest der Saison ohne Verteidiger William Gallas auskommen müssen. Der 31-jährige Franzose zog sich am Dienstag im Viertelfinal-Hinspiel der Champions League in Villarreal (1:1) eine Knieverletzung zu.

"Es sieht ziemlich ernst aus und könnte eine Bänderverletzung sein", erklärte Arsenal-Trainer Arsene Wenger, der auch Torhüter Manuel Almunia vorzeitig hatte auswechseln müssen. Der Spanier dürfte mit einer Knöchelverletzung ebenfalls einige Wochen ausfallen.

Freeman signs professional terms with Club


Arsenal Football Club is delighted to announce that Luke Freeman has signed professional terms with the Club.

Young striker Luke (17), who is an England Youth International, signed in the summer from Gillingham, then of League One, where he made his debut for the Gills’ first team at the age of just 15 years and 233 days, a record for the Kent club.

Luke has already made a big impression at the Club, scoring seven goals from his 15 appearances for Steve Bould’s Under-18s this season. The young forward has also made one substitute appearance for the Reserves this term.

Everyone at the Club is looking forward to Luke’s continued contribution and development with Arsenal in the forthcoming years.

Fabregas - My pass for Ade was ‘nothing’



Cesc Fabregas says his pass for Emmanuel Adebayor’s equaliser was “nothing”.

After setting up both the striker’s goals against Manchester City at the weekend, Fabregas was at it again at El Madrigal on Tuesday night.

In the 66th minute, Fabregas lofted a sumptuous pass into Adebayor who acrobatically finished after controlling the ball on his chest.

After the game, the captain was keen to deflect any praise for the assist, preferring to focus on the quality of Adebayor’s finish.

“He did everything, my ball was nothing,” said Fabregas. “His first touch was amazing and I never expected him to do something like that.

“That shows you all the quality he has got."

Fabregas - I need three more games



Despite setting up all three goals in his two comeback games, Cesc Fabregas feels he is some way short of top form.

The Spaniard ended three-and-a-half months on the sidelines last weekend when he returned against Manchester City.

The 21-year-old set up both goals for Emmanuel Adebayor that day and then supplied the ball for the Togolese striker’s exquisite equaliser at Villarreal on Tuesday.

Afterwards Fabregas suggested he was not at his best and added that his long lay-off may actually help him finish stronger than his peers at other clubs.

"I don't feel 100 per cent yet,” admitted the Arsenal captain. “This was only my second game. I played 90 minutes on Saturday I played 80 minutes on Tuesday.

“That is not easy after over three months out. I feel I need three more games to be at my best.

“But definitely when you are like that you can finish the season better than the players who have played the whole time."

Fabregas - We are a team of warriors



Cesc Fabregas feels like he is leading a tribe of “warriors” rather than a football team right now.

The Arsenal captain was the spearhead of his side’s comeback at Villarreal on Tuesday night. The visitors were second best for most of the first half but were revitalised after the break. They deservedly got on level terms when Emmanuel Adebayor produced a superb finish from Fabregas’ pass.

"I feel really proud,” said the 21-year-old. “We didn't play well in the first half but we realised that. And when you see your team-mates playing, how you say, like warriors, it is just really good to play next to them. They should be proud as well.

“It was not a great result because we did not win and I think we could have done a bit better.

"But we can't really complain because 1-1 is not bad considering we lost Manuel [Almunia] and William [Gallas] in the first half.

"Conceding a goal in the first 10 minutes is not easy but we showed character and came back in the second half. We started playing the ball on the ground like we can do.”

The result certainly leaves Arsenal favourites for a place in the Semi-Final. But Fabregas was not prepared to look that far ahead and certainly not to a possible Final against his home town club, Barcelona.

“We don't think about that at all,” he said. “We think about our important game on Saturday at Wigan. Then Villarreal come to The Emirates and that will be tough because from the first game the football they are playing is really good."

Adebayor - The man who inspired THAT goal



If you thought Emmanuel Adebayor was good, just wait until you see Adamo Baba.

You probably won't have heard of him but Baba is a good friend of Arsenal's in-form striker and was the inspiration behind Adebayor's incredible goal at Villarreal on Tuesday night. The Togolese international executed a perfect bicycle kick into the bottom corner to earn Arsenal a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Champions League Quarter-Final.

Adebayor was left scratching his head after the game as he tried to remember a better goal during his career. But perhaps the 25-year-old's spectacular strike was not such a surprise - after all, Adebayor tries that all the time in training.

"Yes, I always do that," he said. "I've got a friend who is a good mate in Africa, Adamo Baba, he's one of the best in the situation and once he scored three goals like this in one game. Today when the ball came I said to myself 'try'.

"When the ball came I said to myself to chest the ball to go towards the keeper. But because I was already stopped and the way the ball was coming I didn't have any chance to chest it up and volley. When I chested the ball I saw where it was and I said to myself 'you just have to take it'. And it went in.

"When the ball comes you only have one or two seconds to make a decision and I think I made the right decision. I'm very pleased. I don't think [I have scored a better goal] but I hope to score a better one than that."

Adebayor's stunning equaliser was all the more impressive in the context of the tie. Arsenal trailed Villarreal for 56 minutes but emerged with a priceless away goal which makes them favourites to advance to the Semi-Finals. Not that the striker himself is expecting an easy time of it at Emirates Stadium next Wednesday.

"We should not sit and wait at home just because we got the away goal," warned Adebayor. "We must try and play like we do at home and go for the win."

Gallas expected to miss rest of the season



Arsène Wenger has revealed the true cost of Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Villarreal on Tuesday night.

The Frenchman was delighted with his team's gutsy comeback at El Madrigal but he lost three established players in the process. William Gallas is expected to miss the rest of the season after damaging medial knee ligaments, Manuel Almunia has been ruled out for three weeks with an ankle problem and Gael Clichy - who completed the game in Spain - is also out for two weeks after hurting his back.

With 60 per cent of his first-choice back five on the sidelines, Wenger will have to shuffle his pack ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Wigan. But the Arsenal manager could have Robin van Persie and Eduardo fit again after groin injuries.

"Gallas is a quick recoverer but we think he will be short to come back before the end of the season," said Wenger at his pre-match press conference. "It’s a big, big blow but that’s where the squad come in.

"I believe as well we have lost Manuel Almunia for three weeks and we lost Gael Clichy for two weeks with a back problem. We lost three players on Tuesday night so we have to once again rely on the depth in the squad - that is quite strong. As well we have to rely on our mental strength because until now we have dealt well with all our injury problems.

"Robin van Persie and Eduardo will have tests tomorrow morning. They might be available. And of course we have Andrey Arshavin available for Saturday."

One player who will have to wait a little longer for his comeback is Tomas Rosicky. The Czech star was rumoured to be returning for the Reserves against Tottenham this evening but he has yet to shrug off his groin injury.

"Tomas Rosicky, at the moment, is not close to coming back. We have to be very patient there as well," said Wenger.

Wenger - Team work is the key to our success


Emmanuel Adebayor and Cesc Fabregas have stolen the show since their long-awaited comebacks but Arsène Wenger believes the team - not individuals - are responsible for Arsenal's fine form.

Since the Togo striker and the Spanish midfielder returned for last weekend's Premier League game against Manchester City, Arsenal have scored three goals. Fabregas has set them all up and Adebayor has converted all three, two against Man City and that spectacular strike at Villarreal in midweek.

Their form bodes well for Arsenal as they chase silverware at home and abroad but Wenger won't be distracted by the headline makers.

"I think what is important is that the team has a good collective performance," said the manager.

"I am confident we can score goals, we did before anyway. What is important to us this time is that we’re a team who are relying on the quality of our passing and collective play."

Wenger - Early goals opened up Quarter-Finals



Arsène Wenger believes that offensive quality and early goals were the reasons for the attacking play which graced each of this week’s Champions League Quarter-Finals.

Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Villarreal was the lowest scoring game in a quartet of first legs which saw a total of 14 goals.

Last season only eight goals were scored at the same stage, 12 the season before that and only five in 2005/06.

In all four of this season’s matches there was a goal scored within the first 10 minutes and, speaking at Thursday’s pre-match press conference, Arsène Wenger suggested that the early strikes might have opened up the contests.

“In our game we were in a position where we were 1-0 down so we had to attack,” the Frenchman pointed out.

“Chelsea too were, very early, in a position where they had to try and open up, fight back and equalise. In the Man United game it was the same. In a way the history of the games decided more than the tactics.

“Also, all the teams who are in there have offensive quality.”

Wenger - Villarreal tie is still wide open



Arsène Wenger believes that Arsenal's half of the Champions League draw is still wide open.

Barcelona and Chelsea look to be on collision course in the Semi-Finals after emphatic victories in the first legs of their Quarter-Final ties against Bayern Munich and Liverpool respectively. But it's a very different story for Arsenal, who drew in Villarreal, and Manchester United, who were held by Porto.

Arsenal are favourites to advance after scoring a potentially priceless away goal at El Madrigal but Wenger is taking nothing for granted ahead of next week's second leg at Emirates Stadium.

"I don’t know [about the Semi-Finals]. I believe that these two ties, Arsenal Villarreal and Man United Porto, are still undecided," he said.

"On the other side it’s a bit different. Barcelona look to be through completely and Chelsea are in a strong position. But that one still isn’t decided because Liverpool can respond and be strong away from home."

Man United's surprise 2-2 draw with Porto at Old Trafford has dented their hopes of completing a clean sweep of trophies this season but Wenger believes the holders can prevail in Portugal.

"It's not an impossible task," he said.

"Man United have enough quality to go to Porto and win. Porto is a difficult place to go, we had them in the groups, and they have the culture of being in the Champions League regularly. They know how to deal with it. But it’s not impossible for Man United."

Wenger - I see Gallas being here next season



Arsène Wenger refuses to believe that William Gallas has played his last game for Arsenal.

The centre back picked up a problem to his medial knee ligament at Villarreal on Tuesday and, as a result, will be sidelined for 10 weeks.

That almost certainly ends his participation in the 2008-09 season and it has been suggested that he’ll be leaving in the summer after a tough campaign that saw him lose the captaincy.

But when questioned at Thursday’s press conference, Wenger’s response was defiant.

“That’s a big question,” he said. “He has a year left on his contract. I envisage him to be here next year.

“He had a challenging season but I believe he had to cope with a major disappointment. You have to give him a lot of credit because he came back with great performances so he dealt well with the situation.

“He turns up in the big games with goals – when it matters. And that was a good surprise.”

Wenger used the same word about his chances of being involved again this term.

“He has a grade two medial knee ligament injury,” said the manager. “If he comes back before the end of the season it will be a good surprise.

“I don’t really know how they measure the grades but I think it’s the degree of laxity and instability. Cesc Fabregas was a two as well, but William's is a bit less than Fabregas.”

Given that the Spaniard has just returned after three and a half months out of the side, Gallas’ chances of playing again this season must be rated as very slim.

Wenger has ‘full confidence’ in squad players


Arsène Wenger is confident that his squad players can plug the holes left by a fresh batch of injuries.

William Gallas and Manuel Almunia were both forced off against Villarreal in midweek and Gael Clichy has since been ruled out for two weeks with a back injury.

However, Wenger is not too dismayed by the loss of 60 per cent of his first-choice back five. Speaking at Thursday’s pre-match press conference the manager insisted he has “full confidence” in the men likely to fill the voids.

“I am completely confident,” the Frenchman declared.

“We have Mikael Silvestre and we have Johan Djourou [who can play at centre back]. But we have lost Gael as well for two to three weeks so at the back we are a bit short.

“At the moment yes Kieran Gibbs will play. I will see how well he does – he will play on Saturday. He is a player; I am confident that he will do well.

“And I have full confidence in Lukasz Fabianski. He has shown that when he came on the other night that he can deal with a situation very well.

“I am not worried for them; I’m confident they can cope with that.”

Wenger - Title is still Man United's to lose

Arsène Wenger thinks the title is still Manchester United's to lose.

The champions have wobbled in recent weeks, suffering a heavy home defeat against Liverpool and losing at Fulham before recovering with a last-gasp victory over Aston Villa last weekend. Their lead at the top of the Premier League has been trimmed to one point over Liverpool - although United have a precious game in hand.

Wenger believes that Sir Alex Ferguson's men have the nap hand with just seven games to go but he expects third-place Chelsea to take advantage of an 'easier' run-in and keep the pressure on the front-runners.

"I still think that the game in hand puts Man United in the strongest position," said Wenger. "The game in hand is not away.

"This weekend will be important as well because Man United go to Sunderland but they have a big part of their squad back. I believe that when you have a game in hand, with seven games to go, if you can be four points ahead it’s still a big advantage.

"In wobbling, Manchester United still managed to beat Aston Villa in the last minute of the game. They will not eternally wobble, don’t worry.

"But it is unpredictable. The best schedule is Chelsea in terms of the games they have to play. But Chelsea are still four points behind, plus the game in hand could make it seven. That’s quite a good distance.

"It’s exactly what everyone wants; seven games to go and nobody knows what will happen."

Wigan Athletic v Arsenal

Barclays Premier League, The JJB Stadium

Saturday, April 11, 2009, 15:00

Five or six times a season, Arsenal go into a week that, so they say, “will decide the success of their campaign”.

This one, however, has the credentials to back it up.

Next Saturday Arsène Wenger’s side face Chelsea in the FA Cup Semi-Final, on Wednesday it is Villarreal in the Champions League Quarter-Final second leg and, before that, they go to Wigan in the Premier League this weekend.

Ask any fan for their priority and they will surely go for the trophies. The FA Cup is closer but the Champions League is more prestigious. While fourth place looks relatively assured, it is very much the consolation prize after a title bid that failed to materialise.

However Wenger sees it differently. For him the game at Wigan remains undoubtedly the biggest one of the week.

“Yes, the League remains the priority of the future,” said the manager at Thursday’s press conference.

“We want to be playing in the Champions League next year and you have always to take care of the future.

“But in life you have to look after both present and future. So the Champions League and FA Cup are the priority of the immediate aswell.”

The latter end of Arsenal’s 17-game unbeaten Premier League run has seen them steal a six-point advantage over fifth-place Villa. Wenger admits that fourth spot “is not done” as Martin O’Neill’s side have gone to Anfield and Old Trafford in their last two fixtures while Arsenal must play on both grounds in the final seven games of the season.

However at the same time the Frenchman is prepared to talk about third place as a realistic and worthwhile target.

“It is an open draw now [in the qualifiers if you finish fourth], you can get anybody,” said Wenger. “For us to finish third is a massive difference because the Champions League is guaranteed.

“At the moment our first target is to get away from Aston Villa as much as we can. And then we need to try and get closer to Chelsea and Liverpool because you never know.”

With a triple-pronged week ahead of him, Wenger could have done without the damage inflicted on his squad during the 1-1 draw at Villarreal on Tuesday. William Gallas is almost certainly out for the season after damaging his medial knee ligaments, Manuel Almunia (ankle) will miss the next three weeks and Gael Clichy (back) is sidelined for a fortnight.

Their respective replacements at the JJB Stadium are likely to be Johan Djourou, Lukasz Fabianski and Kieran Gibbs.

However Wenger has no such concerns going forward. Andrey Arshavin is back after being ineligible in midweek. So if Robin van Persie and Eduardo (both groin) pass fitness tests then Arsenal will have all their strikers and attacking midfielders fit with the exception of long-term absentee Tomas Rosicky.

At this stage of the season with so many big games in succession, it is crucial for a manager to be able to freshen his squad. Wenger feels he can do that because he has both fit-again players and developing young talent on his side.

“I rotate because sometimes the injury factor forces you to bring other players in,” he said.

“But as well the players have shown they can cope with it. So in the end you have a bigger squad than you did at the start of the season.

“For example what happened with the injuries to Fabregas, Adebayor and Rosicky is that some players came in and did very well. Theo Walcott was also injured for a long time so we can rotate. On top of all that we bought Arshavin so offensively we have solutions.”

Like the rest of the Premier League, Wenger rates Wigan as this season’s overachievers. They started the campaign brightly and even the sale of Emile Heskey and Wilson Palacios in January failed to dent their ambition. However three defeats in their last five games have now pretty much ended any hope of a Uefa Cup spot. But, without wishing to be condescending, that would have been a stupendous achievement. There are plenty of sides below them in the table with more money and bigger crowds. Wigan, however, have spent their campaign vying with Everton, West Ham and Manchester City. Not bad for a team who only entered the League 30 years ago.

Arsenal only squeezed past them 1-0 at Emirates Stadium back in December. And with Wigan Warriors Rugby League side having entertained local rivals St Helens on the same pitch on Thursday evening, the scene is set for a battling start to a pivotal week.

“The quicker we get away from Aston Villa the better it is for us,” said Wenger, “and we have a got an opportunity to do that at Wigan.

“For us it’s super important to keep the run going,” he concluded.

“I always believe that consistency is the real sign that we’ve improved. At the moment we are quite consistent so let’s keep that going.”

That goes for the rest of the week as well.

Wigan Athletic 1-4 Arsenal

Barclays Premier League, The JJB Stadium

Saturday, April 11, 2009, 15:00

Mido 17 Walcott 60, Silvestre 71, Arshavin 90, Song 90

Mikael Silvestre grabbed the all-important goal in his first game for three months as Arsenal came from behind to record a crucial 4-1 win at Wigan on Saturday.

When the Frenchman came off the bench in the 35th minute for the injured Johan Djourou, the visitors were struggling.

They trailed to Mido’s early goal and had barely found their rhythm at all. Matters nearly got much worse on the stroke of half time but Kieran Gibbs escaped with a yellow card after hauling down Antonio Valencia when the midfielder seemed clear.

However Theo Walcott fired Arsenal level just past the hour and then Silvestre popped up to secure the points in the 71st minute.

Andrey Arshavin and Alex Song added goals in the final minutes to give the scoreline a gloss the visitors perhaps did not deserve.

Wigan had played well for an hour of this game but, one thing is for sure, when they gave Arsenal the merest glimmer of a way back into the game they were made to pay.

With an ongoing run of 18 Premier League games behind them and fourth place looking nearly assured, Wenger’s ruthless side now have silverware on the their mind.

Wenger’s rotation was understandable given their massive games this week. In all there were five changes. Three were enforced after Manuel Almunia (ankle), William Gallas (knee) and Gael Clichy (back) had collected injuries at Villarreal on Wednesday.

But the demotion to the bench of Samir Nasri and, especially after the quality of his midweek goal, Emmanuel Adebayor were surely down to the rigours of the fixtures to come.

The quintet coming in were Lukasz Fabianski, Johan Djourou, Gibbs, Arshavin and Nicklas Bendtner.

Almunia was missing his first Premier League game of the season and Gibbs was making his full debut in the competition.

Arsenal had been looking omnipotent in recent weeks. Their only defeat since December 10 had come at Roma when in fact Wenger’s men went through on penalties. A place in the Champions League Semi-Finals and the FA Cup Final were certainly on offer this week. Three points here would also make fourth spot in the Premier League even more likely.

However Arsenal would struggle in the first half. They would lose a goal and a player before the interval against a highly committed Wigan side.

Gibbs fired wide early on but, in the ninth minute, Valencia escaped from the left back near the byline and Arsenal were thankful that Denilson intercepted his low ball into the area.

Wigan were looking strong and determined.

Opportunities were at a premium in the opening quarter but the half-chances that were created went the way of the home side.

The opening goal would come in the 18th minute.

Denilson was adjudged to have handled the ball 30 yards out. Mido went for goal from the free kick but the wall deflected it wide for a corner.

Ben Watson floated that to the far post where he found Paul Scharner. His header down was not dealt with by the Arsenal defence and Mido hooked the ball home at the far post. A poor goal to concede.

Arsenal’s response was positive. Gibbs crossed for Bendtner to flick a header wide, Fabregas also went got a shot away after a slick move.

However Wigan are a tough, technical and organised unit this season. They started to earn their lead via a mixture of perspiration and pressure.

Arsenal’s cause suffered a further blow when Djourou went off in the 35th minute with what appeared to be a knee injury. Silvestre came on for his first appearance since the FA Cup tie Plymouth on January 3.

Arsenal were below par and Wigan were not allowing them to treat this game as the “extra fixture” surrounded by major matches in the Champions League and FA Cup.

The final incident of the half illustrated this perfectly. Valencia pressured Gibbs into a poor header as the pair chased a long ball forward. The Wigan midfielder nipped in front and the Arsenal youngster brought him down just outside the D.

The home support howled for a red card from referee Alan Wiley as Valencia had looked clear. Only the close proximity of Silvestre can have saved him.

Watson curled the free-kick against the inside of the post. The ball bounced out to Scharner, whose follow-up was blocked.

As at Villarreal in midweek, Arsenal went into the break thankful to be only 1-0 down.

There was little change after the re-start. Eight minutes in, confusion between Silvestre and Fabianski saw Mido lift his header over the keeper and towards the unguarded net. Gibbs raced back to shepherd the ball off the line.

Mido hurt himself in that move and hobbled off a couple of minutes later. The Egyptian had been a thorn in Arsenal’s side all afternoon. His departure was a help.

Just before the hour Emmerson Boyce blocked from Bendtner at the near post after Sagna had stolen the ball by the corner flag.

Then, in the 61st minute, came the equaliser. Arshavin wriggled through on the edge of the area and, grounded, he steered the ball to Walcott who fired home his fourth goal of the season. The entire Wigan defence looked at the assistant referee for an offside flag. But he indicated that a defender on the far side was playing the England winger onside.

The game had changed in an instant. Wenger brought on Van Persie and Adebayor for Denilson and Walcott in order to push for a goal.

It arrived 19 minutes from time when Fabregas received the ball on the left and slid a simple ball into the area. Silvestre arrived on cue to turn the ball home from six yards out.

Arsenal were now a different team. So were Wigan.

The visitors nearly got a third in the 76th minute when Arshavin’s low drive was deflected onto the inside of the post. The ball came out to Van Persie who planted the ball home adroitly however the Dutchman had strayed offside.

Arshavin profited from slack Wigan defending to add a third on the whistle then Alex Song gleefully added a fourth.

Tough on Wigan but great for Arsenal. Wenger’s side are a steamroller at the moment and Steve Bruce’s team had simply got stuck in their way this afternoon.

'Once again we have shown great character'

“Yes, I was. I felt that Wigan had a very strong and especially committed first half where they were well organised and the 50:50s were all for them. They played very strongly and I think that slowly our technique took over and we looked dangerous every time we had the ball. The fatigue crept in a little bit for Wigan and it became logical for us to come back and make the difference.

On Kieran Gibbs’ possible red card at the end of the first half…
“I was like everybody else from Arsenal; scared it could be a red card. I hoped it would be a yellow. At that moment I thought that Mikael Silvestre was behind Gibbs and I hoped it would be a yellow. I still think our goalkeeper would have got the ball – it was not a goal chance, he had pushed the ball too far.

“Like the rest of our defence in the first half we were a bit on the back foot. We became stronger and stronger and in the second half he was much better.”

On the chances of coming back if Gibbs had been dismissed…
“I don’t know, we would have tried – that’s the only guarantee I can give you. We have shown great character and mental strength again for such a young team. We have shown some quality and mental quality that are very interesting for the future.”

On the performance of Theo Walcott…
“The whole team, Theo Walcott as well, were not on the ball enough. We had problems getting rid of the man-to-man marking from the Wigan players. once we took over they couldn’t maintain the pace and we became dangerous.”

On another defensive injury problem…
“Johan Djourou has a knee problem and that’s the bad news of the day. It looks as though he’ll be out for Wednesday. We lost two central defenders in two games, we have a few more games to go and we haven’t got enough of them to lose one every game.”

Wenger - Fabregas may move further back

The future midfield role of Cesc Fabregas may be more defensive than offensive, according to Arsène Wenger.

The 21-year-old played a key part in Arsenal’s second-half comeback at Wigan on Saturday but only after he had been pushed into a deeper position by his manager.

The visitors played their now familiar 4-2-3-1 in the opening 45 minutes with Fabregas helping to support front man Nicklas Bendtner. It did not work on this occasion, partly because the Spaniard was closely marked.

Arsenal struggled, conceded early and might have gone in to the break 2-0 down had Ben Watson’s free-kick not rebounded out off the inside of the post on the stroke of half time.

However Wenger switched after the break and gradually his side took over. They deserved to win but two goals in the final minute made the score a lop-sided 4-1. Afterwards Wenger explained his thinking.

“We dropped Cesc deeper into midfield and pushed Theo Walcott upfront,” he said. “I felt that we needed a bit more creativity.

“At some stage when a guy is man-to-man marked you either push him completely upfront to create space for other players or you push him completely deep. When he’s in the mid-zone and the ball comes out it becomes very difficult.

“It is a very difficult question to answer about whether that is Cesc’s best position or not.

“He certainly likes to be at the start of things but then he can also give the final ball.

“I would still say the deeper role suits him more because he likes to get the ball from the centre back and he has a good long pass. That’s more him than a guy who plays behind the strikers who might have more pace to penetrate.

“He is very good in the hole too but I believe that is because of the quality of his passing and less for his individual game.”

'My team has very surprising mental strength'

Q: What do you take away from your draw at Villarreal in the Champions League?
A: That my team has a really surprising mental strength for such a young group. We told ourselves: Let's carry on playing the way we know best, without panicking and all will be fine. Then we came back in the game.

Q: Would you say that qualifying for the next round is nearly done?
A: Let's be cautious here, the second leg on Wednesday will be a difficult one. They (Villarreal) really impressed me during the first leg. I hope that their game is different when they play away.

Q: Does your team still surprise you?
A: Yes it is an astonishing team. When you think about it, the average age is only 21. When I think of our game in Rome where we won on penalties after missing the first one, I have to say that my team is mentally very strong.

Q: Was this the turning point of the season?
A: Yes it was. Before this game in Rome, we wouldn't lose but our football wasn't very convincing. Since Rome, we are once again scoring goals and our game has come back to us.

Q: You have now been unbeaten for 17 league games. Doesn't this fill you with regrets?
A: It certainly does. We have been unbeaten for 17 games which means we lost 5 during our first 14 games of the season. No one can have any hopes of winning the league with such a poor start.

Q: How do you explain this poor start?
A: I think I got it wrong as I probably underestimated the negative effects of last season on the team's productivity when we lost the title in the last few games. Hleb and Flamini have left the club. The Adebayor incident, who was leaving the club one minute and staying the next. This has also played a major part in our poor start. But, we also had defensive problems. Our defeats were not due to the players' lack of spirit or their lack of quality but rather to an attack-defence imbalance.

Q: Was it an error to put your belief into such young players?
A: I am not invulnerable but I know what my plan is. People have criticised me for not buying new players. I admit that at some point in time, you become a prisoner of your own policy. I cannot say I believe in Song, Diaby and Denilson and buy three players to replace them.

Q: Can you understand that some people have doubts with regards to this policy?
A: The problem people have is that they want you to play youngsters and then ask you why you did not buy Gareth Barry or Xavi Alonso. For me, buying these players is killing altogether Song, Diaby and Denilson. At some point, playing youngsters will cost you some points. That's the way it is and you have to accept it. When you play a 20 year old, you take risks. I can say that Arsenal's future is very promising.

Q: Have you been disappointed by the way your team has sometimes played this season?
A: I was very frustrated. Not only because we couldn't score but because our game was nonexistent. You have to wonder why our game started to crumble despite using the same players. The influence of psychological factors in football is much more important than you can imagine. We have now recovered our game.

Wenger - Break has kept Fabregas fresh


Arsène Wenger believes the long, enforced rest of Cesc Fabregas will help him finish the season strongly.

The Spaniard was key to Arsenal’s comeback at Wigan on Saturday. After a tough first half he began pulling the strings for his side and set up the crucial second goal for Mikael Silvestre.

That makes four assists in three games following his comeback from three-and-a-half months out with a knee problem. Wenger feels he is not only fresh but getting back to full strength as well.

“He was fantastic,” said Wenger at Wigan on Saturday. “He looks to get stronger and stronger from game to game. Today I found him physically much strong from Wednesday at Villarreal.

“I did think he needed a breather [earlier in the campaign]. Maybe it was too long for my taste but it will help him to finish the season strongly.”

Wenger - Why I love these massive weeks


Arsène Wenger is relishing his side’s “biggest week of the season”.

Arsenal began it by consolidating their position in the top four. They won 4-1 at Wigan on Saturday then saw Everton draw with Aston Villa the following day to leave Wenger’s men with an eight-point cushion to fifth place.

On Wednesday they can secure a place the Champions League Semi-Final if they get past Villarreal at Emirates Stadium. Then on Saturday Arsenal face Chelsea at Wembley in the last four of the FA Cup. It is going to be a cracking, pressure-filled few days – and that is just how Wenger wants it.

“Yes,” he replied at Wigan when asked if it was the most important week of the campaign so far, “but I love that personally.

“There is always big tension in there at these times and we want to deal well with it. If you don’t have the tension then you go for nothing. I feel this is a big chance to have that in front of us now.”

Wenger - We won’t be tentative in second leg



Arsène Wenger insists his side will not be “tentative” in the second leg of their Champions League tie with Villarreal.

Emmanuel Adebayor’s crucial away goal at El Madrigal last week put the Gunners firmly in the Quarter-Final driving seat. They now know that any win, or a goalless draw, at Emirates Stadium will see them progress to the last four.

However, Wenger is adamant that his side must be “decisive” against a Villarreal side who will surely come to attack. And, speaking ahead of the clash, the Frenchman reiterated his determination to avoid a nerve-jangling second leg.

“We know we are in a situation where we don’t want to be tentative at all,” the manager said. “We want to be decisive but you can only do that if you decide to play in a very positive way.

“We have scored that away goal so it could have an importance at the end of the day. I don’t believe that we are a team who can play for 0-0, that’s not our natural way. If there are five minutes to go and it’s 0-0 even goal kicks make you nervous.

“I personally don’t expect any weaknesses from them, I expect some strength from us to say, ‘listen, we have the opportunity to get to the Semi Final at home, let’s take it’.

“I am confident we will and we have the needed quality to do that. But you know from their game that they can be dangerous as well.”

Wenger - The moment when my team grew up



Arsène Wenger has pinpointed the moment when his young squad 'grew up' this season.

The Frenchman put his faith in youth for the current campaign but his policy was criticised after five defeats in Arsenal's first 14 Premier League fixtures. However, Wenger's team have rallied since their slow start, are unbeaten in 18 top-flight games and have a chance of glory in the Champions League and FA Cup.

Another precocious performance will be required when Arsenal host Villarreal in the second leg of their Champions League Quarter-Final at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening. Fortunately, Wenger has seen plenty of evidence that his 'boys' can do the job of men.

"When did they grow up? There are different moments," said the manager.

"After our defeat at Manchester City we went to Chelsea and won. We played 2-2, 0-0 at home and still got a lot of negative publicity but still kept going.

"There was another decisive factor in Rome; when you miss your first penalty and come up against Totti, Baptista, Montella and Vucinic still to take a penalty with Pizarro. You know, you are away from home against penalty specialists.

"You have only kids really to take your penalties but you still manage to win. You need some mental strength and I believe it was a turning point in the belief of the team."

Wenger - This could be my proudest season


This may turn out to be Arsène Wenger’s proudest campaign as Arsenal manager.

The Frenchman has won seven major trophies and two ‘doubles’ in his 12 years in North London. He has also led his side to the first unbeaten top-flight campaign for more than a century.

However, given the flak thrown at his side earlier this season, Wenger believes the current campaign could be more satisfying than any of those.

“It was a year when I probably went against the flow of things,” he said. “But I think this could be the year I am the proudest of because everyone doubted this team, everyone criticised it.

“I was strong, I was very supportive, I always had this belief in them and I knew that it was a difficult period to go through. When you want to produce young talents, you have to stick your neck out at some point and take a few knocks as well.

“One should remember what everyone seems to forget - we play against people who have unlimited funds, they can buy the best players in the world. You produce young talent with your limited funds, but still everyone is asking you to always beat these teams.

Speaking to Tuesday’s L’Equipe, the 59-year-old went on: “I remember winning at Chelsea this year. When I left the stadium, this bloke came to me at the end and said ‘I am an Arsenal fan, good game, but I don’t think we are going to win the league with such a team!’

“I told him: ‘You are not an Arsenal fan. You have just seen some 20-21-year-old kids in midfield beating the likes of Ballack, Lampard, Drogba and Anelka! Haven’t you got anything less negative to say?’

“It is unbelievable that, nowadays, you can’t cheat people on the quality of football but you can manipulate their opinion.

“Despite this, the critics I received did not hurt me. The thing which worried me and which was my greatest worry was the influence these critics had on the team.

“No matter what is said, the environment you are in will always influence you. The players open the newspapers to read ‘Disastrous Arsenal’, ‘Arsenal Useless’.

“Keep in mind that my team was very young and that the atmosphere was very negative. Therefore I asked myself the question: how do I reduce this negative impact on the team?

“You cannot play well if you think you are not good enough. I have had my share of criticism and I know that if we lose tomorrow, the critics are going to start all over again.

“But the most important thing is that the team is now on the right path and it has hope.”

Euro Watch: Senna out of Wednesday's clash



Villarreal 0-2 Malaga
Saturday, April 11.
Marcos Senna suffered a hamstring injury in Villarreal’s defeat against Malaga and will miss Wednesday’s trip to Emirates Stadium.

The influential midfielder, who opened the scoring against the Gunners last week, picked up the problem 10 minutes from time against seventh-placed Malaga.

Sergio Duda slid the visitors ahead after 38 minutes and, as Villarreal pushed for an equaliser, Pereira Elisue finished a sweeping counter-attack with a crisp finish in the 86th minute.

Senna joins Santi Cazorla on the sidelines while Cani and Mati Fernandez are also doubtful for Wednesday’s clash.