- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger feels goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny can become one of the best in the world.
The Pole has been a revelation for Arsenal this season.
"He is one of the best already in his first season [in the starting line-up]," the manager said. "He has, like the team I must say, a promising future. We are confident that if he keeps his attitude and determination to do well he can be one of the best.
"I wouldn't like to put too much pressure on him. My secret belief is that he shouldn't set any limitations on his progress and personally I am confident that he can let other people judge how good he is.
"I have shown with my decisions that I am a great believer in Wojciech. The rest, how far he can go, I wouldn't like to predict. That is what a career is all about.
"He is brave and that's an important quality. You can make the goal small and yourself big. That's another important quality for a goalkeeper. He is just at the start of his career though and you do not want to say too early that he is the finished article.
"I believe that as soon as you lose that sharpness to improve you are in trouble, no matter how young you are. That's why I would just say, 'keep your attitude and you will have a bright future'."
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger hasn't ruled out buying big in January.
Borussia Dortmund's Mario Gotze and Lukasz Podolski of Cologne are both onArsenal's radar as they look to strengthen in the next window.
And a move to bring back former Emirates hero Thierry Henry on loan from New York Red Bulls has not been ruled out.
Gotze and Podolski would certainly fit the bill and Arsenal have big money to spend.
A major arrival in January would allow them to sanction the exit of Andrey Arshavin and perhaps misfit striker Marouane Chamakh, who is a target for Paris Saint-Germain, his former club Bordeaux andQueens Park Rangers.
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits he may enter the January market for a new left-back.
Kieran Gibbs has suffered a new injury setback this week.
"He (Gibbs) will see a specialist again and if something happens there that he has had a real setback then we could (go in to the loan market), possibly, yes," Wenger said.
"That's what we are doing. We are starting to look at players if Gibbs is not back."
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has received positive injury reports on Ryo Miyaichi and Lukas Fabianski.
The pair have been nursing knee and ankle injuries respectively, but both are closing on a comeback.
"Ryo is joining in normal training on Friday, so he is completely back from injury," said Wenger.
"Fabianski has practised today (Tuesday) and should be available for next week."
- Arsenal skipper Robin van Persie wants them to turn ugly to win trophies.
The Gunners have not won a trophy since 2005 while often being accused of putting style above substance.
And, ahead of their visit to Aston Villa tonight, striker Van Persie said: "Nobody can play beautiful football all the time.
"When that happens I tell our lads 'If it's not happening for you, just try to kill off the game so we can move on'.
"I am still a lover of the beautiful game and always will be but I have become more realistic.
"It is too romantic to think that you can win matches by playing beautiful football alone.
"Barcelona are the exception — and I have to admit they and Arsenal are the only teams that I often watch on TV."
- Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny says he's learned from his Carling Cup final shocker last season.
The centre back earned his first France cap last month and believes his Cup Final experience eventually put him on the right path.
“I do think about it sometimes,” Koscielny said. “Mistakes can happen in life.
“It was hard for the fans and for the Club but life goes on. There are things more important than losing a Final. There will be plenty more finals to play and win.
“It was tough to swallow but it made me a better player and a better person.
“Afterwards I had a week where I was feeling really bad. It was my first Final and the Club and the fans had been waiting for a trophy for a while.
“It was so hard to take. I needed time to digest it but I had to bounce back to come back stronger than I did.”
- Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain admits he's champing at the bit for a new first team chance.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is happy to bide his time but he will be raring to go if he gets his chance during a run of four games in 12 days.
“I can't say [when I will play], I don't know, that's for the boss to say really,” he said. “I'm just available if ever needed.
“There are a lot of games and maybe it is a time where players are going to be rested. It's a lot of work for the body physically so if I am required then I'm ready. I'm looking forward to getting an opportunity and I will try and take my chance.
“Everyone that comes into the team knows what's expected of them. At the end of the day we all train together at the same tempo and the same intensity so I think whoever steps into the team knows what's expected of them from the fans, from the boss and from each other.
“You're playing for Arsenal, you have to be on top of your game at all times if possible.”
- Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong says there's more to his game than his tackling and defensive work.
The 19-year-old has quickly acquired cult status among the Club’s supporters for his tough tackling, enthusiastic on-pitch approach and his infectious personality.
"Sometimes I'll go on Twitter the day before a game to see what the fans are saying and people are suggesting I'll deal with any players they don't like - 'Frimpong will get him' and that kind of thing,” he said.
“They seem to have created a 'wanted' list of people for me to go for - I don't know what they think of me!
“I think I'm going to have to make a YouTube video to show the fans the other things that I am good at. But then again, I'm not exactly Lionel Messi!"
- AC Milan might have been the toughest possible draw for Arsenal in the Champions League butMikel Arteta cannot wait to face them.
Arsène Wenger's side were paired with the seven-times winners at Friday's draw for the last 16 and the manager immediately described the two-legged encounter in February and March as a "50:50" tie.
Arteta knows Arsenal could have had an easier task - on paper at least - but he is relishing the chance to take on one of European football's most famous clubs.
"I smiled when the draw was made because I think it's a really good game to play," Arteta told Arsenal Player.
"It makes it more exciting to play a team like Milan. Any team at this stage of the Champions League is going to be tough, even if people think you are favourites. I like playing against teams like this and we've got a good chance, so let's play. All the boys feel the same. If we have to play them, so be it, and let's try to win.
"This is exactly why I came to Arsenal. In your career you want to have moments like this. You don't face them every day so we have to take this special opportunity."
- Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong admits moving to England from Ghana as an eight-year old was the making of his football career.
Frimpong played for a local team in Ghana before his move to England, but admitted that his progress accelerated once in London.
“After arriving in England I played for Welbourne Primary School in Tottenham,” he said.
“We didn’t have a very strong team, but we were OK. After that I went to Broadwater Farm - who Daniel Boateng also played for - and
their manager, Clasford Stirling, had links to Arsenal. I went on trial for a couple of weeks and didn’t look back.
“I already knew about Arsenal’s Academy teams because we used to play in friendly tournaments and beat them! Our players were all big and strong – Arsenal had the technique and we had the physique.”
- New York Red Bulls star Thierry Henry could be an Arsenal player again in January.
The 34-year old Frenchman has been training with his former club during the MLS off-season with initial reports stating he was simply there to keep fit but it has emerged that Arsene Wenger may strike a deal with New York for a month-long loan.
The Gunners are set to lose strikers Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho to the Morocco and Ivory Coast teams respectively for the African Cup of Nations and it is believed that Henry will be brought in as a replacement for them and back-up to skipper Robin van Persie.
Henry scored 174 goals in 254 appearances for Arsenal who he left for Barcelona in June 2007.
- Arsenal are chasing Manchester City fullback Wayne Bridge.
Bridge has emerged as Arsene Wenger's top target to cover the problematic left-back position following the news of Kieran Gibbs' fresh injury.
Arsenal have been forced into fielding a makeshift back line in recent games with Gibbs joining Andre Santos, Carl Jenkinson and Bacary Sagna on the Gunners' defensive injury list.
Former England international Bridge has been told he can leave Manchester City whenever he wants and could make a loan return to London, seven months after completing six-month spell with West Ham.
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