- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is delighted with Aaron Ramsey's form this season.
The Wales captain only made his return from a double leg fracture last March and Wenger believes he deserves more credit for his development and maturity.
“I brought him in because of his quality,” the Frenchman said. “What we want is to have the best players.
“What I think people forget about Ramsey is it is his first full season really. For me, he is growing month to month and people are a bit impatient with him.
“I am very happy with what he is delivering and if Wilshere comes back they can play together.”
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is looking forward to facing Swansea City.
Wenger has been impressed with Brendan Rodgers' side, who have lost just once at Liberty Stadium.
"They are brave, but not too adventurous, they go through their wingers and they keep possession, but they do not throw all their bodies forward. You should give credit to the manager for doing that," Wenger said.
"I don't think they will change their style no matter what happens [over the second half of the season]."
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is happy Robin van Persie was able to recharge his batteries with a short break in Dubai.
While Van Persie sat out the FA Cup Third-Round tie on Monday, Thierry Henry grabbed the headlines with his match-winning strike.
“Robin was happy when Thierry joined us but what we expect of him now is to continue the goalscoring record he delivered in 2011 and hopefully be ready for another fight,” Wenger said.
“I gave Robin a breather [against Leeds] because he is under more pressure than anybody else because of his injury history and because he played more games than anybody else in 2011.
“It is good because [Van Persie and Henry] have a good understanding. It is like having two goalkeepers when they have a good understanding, which is not always the case because most of the time they are rivals.”
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has assured winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain he'll get more chances in 2012.
Oxlade-Chamberlain got another run-out in Monday's FA Cup win over Leeds United and Wenger intends to utilise him more as the season unfolds.
"He is very close now and he will be used in the next six months for sure," Wenger said. "He is working on [his defensive side], his urgency and his committed level as well.
"When you are a young, talented player you have to experience that talent is good, but that commitment at the top level is highly needed too. He is an intelligent boy, he understands that, and I am very happy with him. I am confident that in the next few weeks he will play."
- Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby is flying around the world to find a cure to his injury problems.
The 25-year-old French star has been plagued by injury problems since his £2.5million move from Auxerre six years ago.
He was seen as the natural successor to Patrick Vieira in midfield, but his progress has been cruelly interrupted several times.
In his latest attempt to regain fitness, Diaby has spent the last fortnight in Qatar where he has undergone rehabilitation after an ankle problem.
This week he will switch bases to Miami, Florida, where he will work with a fitness trainer.
The projected date for his first-team return is mid-March.
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is no fan of FIFA's transfer windows.
Wenger feels it unsettles players.
"I would leave it completely open all year, or you close it for a whole year. Now, it is in between," said Wenger.
"Everybody becomes nervous in November until January. Then players maybe think, 'If I don't play then I will leave in January'. They are already less committed to the cause, it gives them an opening.
"We have gone from a period where we knew if we didn't play we had to be committed to the club, had no other option but to fight for the place.
"Now there is not a position where the players have a quick and easy way out if it is difficult."
- Emmanuel Petit dined with former Arsenal teammate Thierry Henry last week.
The 34-year-old striker was still coming to terms with scoring the winning goal against Leeds in an FA Cup third-round tie.
“You know what I saw?” Petit said. “I saw so much passion in his face and heard pure love of football in his voice. Thierry is still a winner. I could see it in his eyes.
“He looked up at me and said: ‘Manu — I think I am dreaming all this.’ “He was as fired up as ever!”
- Arsenal are eyeing Blackburn Rovers defender Scott Dann.
Arsenal and Aston Villa are tracking Dann, who only moved to Rovers in the summer from Birmingham City.
Arsenal are also thought to be monitoring developments due to the injury crisis at Emirates Stadium and Arsene Wenger may decide to recruit reinforcements.
The Frenchman had doubts about Dann at the start of the season after a long lay-off but he has played regularly this season for Rovers.
- Arsenal defender Sebastien Squillaci has been lined up for a return to AS Monaco.
The 31-year-old France star has not started one Premier League game this season, and has made just five appearances in all competitions.
The centre-back spent six seasons with Monaco before moving to Lyon in 2006.
He joined the Gunners from Sevilla in 2010, and played 22 league games last season.
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is planning a raid on Manchester United for Ravel Morrison.
He's an admirer of the 18-year-old midfielder touted as the outstanding player of his generation.
News of Wenger’s interest has been welcomed by the England Under-19 star, who would consider a switch to the Emirates.
Morrison is frustrated that he has been unable to break into United’s senior squad, despite their midfield injury woes.
Newcastle United had a £1m bid rejected last week after United revealed contract talks between the two parties had broken down
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