- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is delighted with the contribution of midfielder Mikel Arteta.
Arteta has contributed goals and assists to the Arsenal cause and Wenger believes his all-round game has helped lay the foundations for an unbeaten run that now stretches to nine games in all competitions.
"Mikel is an extremely important player in our team because he has both sides that make a team good," Wenger said.
"He is consistent going forward, technically fantastic and he works very hard for the team. He is an organiser too and does the job defensively in vital parts. We look solid at the moment and he has to take a big part of the credit because he does both jobs offensively and defensively - with quality.
"I am very happy with his defensive job and he is rewarded for it because he plays. If I play him it is because I am happy with the job he does and if he had not done such a consistent job defensively he would not be in the team.
"I believe that Mikel Arteta is a winner and on the pitch he does what is needed to help the team win. That's what I rate."
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is delighted with news that goal line technology is set to be introduced next season.
FA General Secretary Alex Horne confirmed the possibility of implementing the system in the Premier League for next season when he spoke on Thursday.
Wenger reiterated his desire for officials to act on the technology - and -as quickly as possible.
“The sooner, the better for me,” he said. “The sooner they go further, the better. I have always been a big fan of it and given it every support.
“There are no [doubts for me]. The concern of course is that the technology can make mistakes but still statistically we will improve a lot.
“Overall we all have memories of when this technology would stop an injustice, so let's go for it - as quickly as possible.”
- Arsenal midfielder Alex Song feels they're still missing the influence of young Jack Wilshere.
The England international is on course for a January return and, no matter how well Arsenal are playing, Song believes he will add something to the team.
"Jack is a very good player. We need everyone," he said. "When we have everyone in the team we are stronger and more confident.
We need every player because we have a lot of games.
"We don’t just think about if Jack is coming back. Everybody has their job to do in the team. I hope Jack will come back soon and Bacary as well and when everybody comes, we will see Arsenal playing.
"Jack is a good player, we have good players in the team and everybody is just trying to do their job. We never know who starts the game – the boss makes the choice.
"Today I am very happy and I am very lucky to have good players around me and when Jack comes back he will be welcome in the team. It will be really good for us.
- Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta says no-one at the club is getting carried away with their form.
The Gunners may still be somewhat off the pace in the Premier League despite a fifth straight win last weekend, but Arteta feels
Wenger's squad are now very much moving in the right direction as they prepare for the visit of Fulham.
"We are trying to improve the team and have been in a really good run over the past two months," the 29-year-old Spaniard said.
"However, we are still catching up on other teams in the Premier League because we had a really bad start, so there is still a lot to do."
- Arsenal have draw up a schedules plan for Robin van Persie to keep their star player fresh.
Van Persie has been in irresistible form, scoring 17 goals this season - he has netted 38 times in 41 matches in 2011 - as Arsenal have revived their season domestically and in Europe.
However, he has struggled in previous campaigns because of injury and the Gunners are desperate to make sure it does not happen again.
They have been looking at the forthcoming fixtures to see where they can rest him and also persuaded the Dutch FA to rest him for one of their two friendlies earlier this month.
Van Persie is set to play against Fulham on Saturday, but is likely to be rested against Manchester City in the Carling Cup and also be left at home for the final Champions’ League group match at Olympiacos next month.
Arsene Wenger and his staff have mapped out scenarios that would see him potentially sitting out Carling Cup and FA Cup ties, as well as rotating games over the busy festive period.
- Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny believes they can go all the way in this season’s Champions League.
The Gunners are already qualified for the next round.
Szczesny said: "If we can keep going and winning like we have been, we can win the competition. We believe we can do it.
"Robin has been fantastic. Everywhere the ball goes he seems to be on the end of it and keeps scoring great goals.
"I keep thinking surely he'll stop next week and the next week and the next week. But he keeps going! He has made a massive difference to the club this season."
- Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen is happy to rotate through the first team.
Since his comeback, Vermaelen has featured with both Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker at the back - and he says hunger for places is healthy for boss Arsène Wenger.
“The boss has a lot of choices at the moment, and all of the centre-backs are fit which helps too,” he said.
“There’s a lot of competition and that can only be good for the team.
“It’s good to be able to rest players when they need it, so I don’t think it’s a problem if we have to rotate because we train together all the time.
“We know each other’s qualities, so it doesn’t matter who plays on the day.”
- Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky feels he's returning to his best form.
Rosicky is feeling good - especially after his country qualified for Euro 2012 earlier this month - and now he wants to improving his goal scoring record.
“Performance-wise I’d say things are going fairly well,” Rosicky said.
“I’d definitely like to be more productive - it’s been a while since I scored a goal, for example, so I have to look at that and hopefully I’ll be back on target soon.
"I think everybody [gets a lift if they do well at international level]," he added.
“Every positive experience you have in your private life, your international football, or anything else for that matter, has benefits in your game. If you’re happy then it’ll be obvious.
"From my point of view I have two good games for the Czech Republic behind me and hopefully that can continue in my form here at Arsenal.”
- Arsenal hero Robert Pires is convinced Arsene Wenger will never leave the club.
Wenger cast doubt on his future at Emirates following a cryptic interview with a French magazine last week.
“I think he will die with Arsenal,” Pires said. “He is the same as Ferguson at Manchester United or Guy Roux at Auxerre. He will stay with Arsenal, in my opinion, because Arsenal needs him and he needs Arsenal. C’est l’amour.”
- Tennis ace Roger Federer took in Arsenal's Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund this week.
Federer, the tennis legend who has won a record 16 Grand Slam titles, was in north London to get his first taste of Arsenal alongside another very familiar face - Thierry Henry.
The Club's record goalscorer was spotted at The O2 earlier this week where Federer is competing in the end-of-season ATP World Tour Finals and the Swiss star returned the compliment by accompanying Henry to his old home.
- Arsenal striker Gervinho is proud to be nominated for African Player of the Year.
Gervinho is on the shortlist for the CAF award alongside Manchester City’s Yaya Toure, AC Milanmidfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng and Chelsea man Didier Drogba among others.
“It would mean a lot. Every African player dreams of winning this award,” Gervinho said. “I was choked to learn I got shortlisted for that award.
“There are so many good players in Africa that it’s a pleasure just to know I am among the 10 best players.
“If I am fortunate enough to win it I will be very happy, even more so at my young age. If I don’t win this trophy I will still be happy to be one of the ten best players of the year.”
- Arsenal have made a concrete move for Fiorentina fullback Juan Manuel Vargas.
Arsenal is poised to send an offer to Fiorentina for the Peru international.
Arsenal are willing to pay £6 million for Vargas, 28, in January. His contract expires in June 2013.
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