History will be kind to me because I intend to write it

ARSENAL MUST CHILL OUT IN FRONT OF GOAL

Arsenal may have not scored at the Emirates in the Premier League since January 10 – but Arsene Wenger has told his players to chill out and be natural in front of goal.

The French manager is hoping his team hit to onion bag on Saturday February 28 against Fulham but believes that the more pressure they feel to score the longer the drought will continue.

Arsenal, who have played out goalless draws in their last two league games at home, sit in fifth in the table, six points behind Aston Villa – but Wenger believes that magical Champions League spot is possible if his team relax.

“The bigger you make a problem, the bigger it becomes,” he said. “So you just have to be natural, spontaneous and believe in what you do and your ability.

“If you want it to be a problem, you can say 'yes, OK, it is a problem'. But sometimes you have to take a distance from a problem and just think let’s play well.

“We do not put any special pressure on the guy who misses a golden chance. We always try to encourage them and be positive and remind them that they have the quality.

“We have scored plenty of goals and it happens to any team to have a spell where you score a little bit less.

“I am confident we will make the Champions League. There are 12 games to go, if we keep our consistency, spirit and attitude, and our focus, we will make it.”

Arsenal will welcome back Andrey Arshavin who missed out on the 1-0 Champions League win over Roma on Tuesday and also Abu Diaby returns from injury.

Wenger also backed Nikolas Bendtner to prove his worth to the club – despite the young Danish striker saying he expected to play more often.

“I feel he is doing well,” Wenger said of Bendtner. “He is 20-years old, playing at the top level and creating chances. The problem at that level is if you don’t create chances.

“He wants to work, he is becoming very professional. Before he was a little bit easy going. He realises now what it takes to me a top class player. He work very well and for me he has a bright future.”

Labels: Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Premier League

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 5:08 pm | Permalink | Comments

ALMUNIA: GALLAS IS STILL ARSENAL LEADER

Manuel Almunia believes that William Gallas is in the form of his life having been freed of the pressures of being Arsenal captain.

The French defender, who was stripped of the skipper’s armband in November after publically criticising his team-mates, scored the Gunners’ winner against Portsmouth on Sunday.

And Spanish goalkeeper Almunia, who captained the side in the 1-0 victory over Pompey, believes that Gallas is still the leader on the field.

He said: “I think that William lost his form when he was captain because he lost some energy. He took responsibility for the pressure felt by all the players, by the group. He took, I think, too much responsibility.

“And now he is enjoying playing football, on the pitch, without so much pressure. William took too many responsibilities and tried to be the main player on the pitch.

“I think he is playing better than before. I spoke to him last week and he told me that now he is playing better because he is not losing too much energy because he is not worried about other things and other players or other circumstances off the pitch.

“He is an unbelievable professional and when he was captain he would fight for the team, in every aspect. He is a real winner and has a strong character. But we are on William’s side – everyone supports him.

“He is a player with more trophies than anyone else in the team, including a World Cup winner’s medal – everyone has to respect that. He knows very well how to get success. Even though he is not the captain we follow him.”

Almunia continued: “I have a very good relationship with him and I was very happy for him to score against Portsmouth. He has been playing very well and he deserved the goal.

“I play with so much confidence when William is playing in front of me – he is a special guy. I hope he stays at the club because I am very pleased with William on the pitch and in the dressing room.”

On Arsenal’s chances of catching Premier League leaders Liverpool, who are 10 points ahead, the 31-year-old added: “For whatever reason we lost our way, our character and the way we play on the pitch. We need to re-find our spirit and our desire to win games.

“We have shown good character. But we still have a little more to go to find the real Arsenal. We are coming back slowly and we are showing better faith and character. But there is still a long way to go.

“We are not in a very good position now and the main thing is to look for our identity, our way, our character that gave this club all their titles and trophies.

“Once we have found this way [again] we can talk about bigger things. But the main thing now is to get three points in every single game.”

Labels: Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Manuel Almunia, William Gallas

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:16 pm | Permalink | Comments

GALLAS RUINS ADAMS'S RETURN

William Gallas's late header spoiled Arsenal legend Tony Adams's return to his former club as the north Londoners were made to sweat for their 1-0 victory at the Emirates against Portsmouth. The French defender rose to nod home Denilson's free-kick with only nine minutes remaining, and keep alive his side's Premier League challenge.

Portsmouth set out to destroy the home side's creativity by playing five in midfield, and with Peter Crouch acting as Adams's team's solitary attacker, Portsmouth's plan worked well, as they harried and pressured Arsenal giving them little time to conjure in the final third.

Indeed the first effort on goal from the frustrated north Londoners came after 23 minutes, but centre-back Gallas's 30-yard speculative shot was blocked. A minute later Pompey came within inches of taking a surprise lead when Marc Wilson floated an appetising cross towards Crouch, lurking at the far post. The tall forward out-jumped Gallas, but could only direct his header on to foot of Manuel Almunia's left-hand post.

Emmanuel Adebayor should have put Arsenal ahead after 32 minutes with a gilt-edged opportunity. The Togo forward, returning after suspension, was played though by a cleaver first-time pass by Abou Diaby that bisected the Portsmouth defence, but, having rounded goalkeeper David James, was tackled excellently by a sliding Sylvain Distin.

Before the interval Arsene Wenger, clearly unsettled by Adams's tactics, moved forward Nicklas Bendtner to the right flank and Samir Nasri, who had been there, in to central midfield in order that the diminutive Frenchman could wield more of a creative influence.

Despite matching the away side's number in the middle Arsenal still found it hard to test James's goal, though Adebayor wasted another superb opportunity on the hour mark. Denilson's cross from the right fell to the 24-year-old with the goal gaping six-yards away, but his snap-shot found the side-netting.

With Arsenal supporters becoming more restless as a fourth consecutive draw loomed, Brazilian Denilson clipped over a free-kick from the left, which Papa Bouba Diop needlessly conceded, and Gallas managed to steal in front of James and head the winner after 81 minutes.

The result moved Wenger's team to fourth in the table, though they are still 10 points behind leaders Liverpool. For Arsenal old boy Adams, who played over 500 games for the club, the pressure will increase. Since taking over from Harry Redknapp his team have managed only nine points from a possible 33 and a relegation battle looks a certainty.

Labels: Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Portsmouth, Premier League, Tony Adams, William Gallas

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:12 pm | Permalink | Comments