- Laurent Koscielny says confidence is surging through the Arsenal squad.
Koscielny is part of a much-improved defensive unit and he is happy with how the campaign is unfolding.
"When we started the season we lost a lot of games and we had to do something to change that," he said. "All the players changed their mentality and we have seen that we have a good team. All of the players defend and attack and for us that is very important.
"For two months we have been strong as a team, we have done the job well and defended very well. We have the quality to do something good in the Champions League and Premier League.
"The mentality of the team has changed and we are strong. Also we have the [attacking] players who can make the difference, players like Robin, Gervinho and Theo."
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger praised Thomas Vermaelen's character after their 1-1 draw with Fulham.
Vermaelen scored both the game's goals.
Wenger said: "I believe he scored unfortunately [at his own end] - left-footed players many times refuse to play with their right foot. But he has shown enough character to come back and score a great goal. On crosses he is very good, he reads the ball well. Overall he had a very good game.
"It's unfortunate to drop two points today because overall I thought we did enough to win it."
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger intends to play a strong team against Carling Cup opponents Manchester City this week.
The Gunners face City in the Cup quarterfinals.
Wenger said: “I will certainly play some players who have played less.
“But still we will try to have a good mixture between young players and experience so we have a good chance to win the game.”
- Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny felt they showed great determination for their draw with Fulham.
Szczesny says they playing with more steel this season.
"You can see from today that we are up for a fight," said Szczesny.
"Maybe it’s not as beautiful as before but it’s effective. I think we’ve got more experienced players this season.
"We’ve got players like Mikel Arteta and Per Mertesacker who like to fight. Mikel played for Everton who play different kind of football. I think the players that have come in are very creative as well, like Cesc and Nasri. They are creative but they are different.
"Maybe they are not as beautiful in the way they play but it doesn’t matter if you win the game."
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is excited by the combination of Robin van Persie and Gervinho.
The manager believes that their movement is causing plenty of problems for opposition defences.
"Yes, they love to interchange up front," said Wenger.
"You could see that the other night [against Borussia Dortmund]. Robin can play left, right, all three can play in all of the positions.
“That gives you more flexibility and more opportunities to be dangerous because they can make runs diagonally.”
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits Alex Song has surprised everyone at the club.
The Cameroon midfielder has been exceptional in recent weeks.
"I thought about that Fulham game [in 2006] as well today," said Wenger.
"It shows that players need to be given time and confidence. Unfortunately in the big clubs you cannot always do it. He is one of the players who surprised everybody. You wouldn’t expect what he delivers at the moment.
"He looks to me also to be a creative player. He was a centre back, but him and Andre Santos are players who look like they could play in creative midfield."
- Former Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva has seen an agent's dispute threaten his financial security.
Eduardo faces having his house and car seized in Croatia over a legal dispute with his former agent.
The Brazil-born forward has until the end of the month to prevent a court order in Zagreb from also freezing his bank account.
Zdravko Mamic, who is also the executive vice-president of Eduardo’s former club Dinamo Zagreb, is suing the 28-year-old for £630,000 - which could rise to more than £900,000 with interest - over an agreement signed in 2001.
Mamic claims he is entitled to 20 per cent of the player’s earnings but has not received payment since Eduardo moved from Dinamo to Arsenal in 2007.
Eduardo claims the agreement is not valid, in part because he did not understand Croatian when he signed the contract with Mamic on his 18th birthday.
- Borussia Dortmund star Mario Gotze is keen to hear from Arsenal.
The Emirates boss Arsene Wenger has been tracking the Borussia Dortmund midfielder, 19 (below) and is said to be weighing up a huge bid for his services.
And Gotze told pals he was massively impressed with the Gunners set-up when the two sides met in the Champions League clash in London on Wednesday night.
Mario was extremely taken by the stadium and the manner in which Arsenal are doing things on the pitch, a source said:
“He likes the way Arsenal play the game and for him there are only two clubs where he’d like to play once he moves from Dortmund - Arsenal or Barcelona."
- The agent of Gabriel Torje has confirmed the interest of Arsenal in the Romanian.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is having chief scout Steve Rowley watch Torje this season.
"Yes, it is true, Arsenal like him," his agent said.
"Nothing official, I'll say that there have been no talks, because when the player does not want to move ...
"In January, there are no chances that he'll move. For June we will see ... However it is clear that the player is fine in Udine.
- Nottingham Forest defender Jamal Lascelles is on Arsenal’s radar.
Arsenal want to sign Forest defender Lascelles.
The 18-year-old will not be sold cheaply.
No comments:
Post a Comment