- Arsenal winger Theo Walcott feels the team has united more since the summer departures of two star players.
Former captain Cesc Fabregas departed for boyhood club Barcelona whilst Samir Nasri joined Manchester City and although the loss of the duo caused some problems early in the campaign, Walcott feels that the Gunners squad has begun to work harder for each other in their absence.
"I'm not saying that Cesc and Samir were individual players, they were great team players, but when you lose two top players everyone needs to come together,” Walcott said.
"The manager has brought in some good additions and we are a bit more of a team, we work harder when we haven't got the ball.
"We have a lot more clean sheets as well, and having [Thomas] Vermaelen back is very important as he is a massive player for us.
"The next thing the whole team needs to share the goals more.
"Samir and Cesc used to get quite a lot of them and Robin van Persie has been getting most of them so that's our next step."
- Theo Walcott is looking for a New Year boost at Arsenal when Jack Wilshere returns from injury.
Wilshere could be back this month from an ankle injury.
"Seeing Jack in and around the dressing room and treatment room, he is as happy as ever," Walcott said.
"He's had a new step in his life with a new-born baby, which is great, and he is also a very important player for us. Obviously he won the Young Player of the Year award last year which was deserved. He's also played for England and now he just needs to get back out on that pitch.
"You have to ease him back into it because he's had a long time out and he's only just turned 20. He has a long career ahead of him so we don't want to be overplaying him. But we'll use him the right way, I'm sure of it."
- Theo Walcott believes Arsenal have grown since the sales of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri.
Walcott says the departures led to the team adopting a new style.
The 22-year-old said: "Cesc and Samir were great team players but when you lose two top players everyone needs to come together.
"The manager has brought in some good additions and we are a bit more of a team, we work harder when we haven't got the ball.
"We have a lot more clean sheets as well, and having [Thomas] Vermaelen back is very important as he is a massive player for us."
- Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen insists they have the quality to win things.
The Gunners have made an impressive surge up the table since September and the Belgian defender believes the best is yet to come.
“If you can stick together for a long time as a group, then you can grow and get better and better, which you have seen over the past few weeks and months. If you can do that for the next few years, that would only be good,” Vermaelen said.
“Nowadays in football it is not easy to keep a group together and be with the same players for the next few years, but I hope we can manage that.”
- AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta rates Arsenal ahead of Tottenham.
Nesta's AC Milan will square up to the Gunners in the Champions League when the knockout stage gets underway on February 15.
Looking ahead to the big European showdown, the legendary Italian defender said: "The match against Arsenal will be a tough one.
"They're a better team than Tottenham, who knocked us out last year.
"But they're a team within our reach and if we put ourselves in the right situation, we can go far.
"I think Milan can do better in the Champions League than we've done in recent years.
"But Barcelona are playing on another planet. Real Madrid have done everything to beat them without success."
- Arsenal full-back Bacary Sagna feels the two-month loan of club great Thierry Henry is a great move.
The French striker, who holds the Gunners all-time scoring record, will soon return to the club on a short-term deal and Sagna expects it to be a success.
"It will have an impact on the team and our adversaries,” Sagna said.
"He is always looking for perfection and he knows what to do to win trophies. When he talks, everyone will listen to him. His comeback is the event of 2012!"
- Arsenal are on the trail of Swansea defender Neil Taylor.
Two years ago the left-back was earning £750 a week at Wrexham.
But Taylor, 22, has been a vital part of Swansea's impressive Premier League bow.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has had problems at left-back this season with Kieran Gibbs and Andre Santos both crocked.
- Arsenal’s reported interest in Sunderland’s versatile winger Kieran Richardson is not just speculation.
Sources close to the club have said that the 27-year old has indeed emerged as a transfer target for the Gunners.
The Black Cats have reportedly rebuffed a loan offer from Arsenal who are looking to bring in a speedy wingback who can also be used in a more advanced position.
- Arsenal are tracking Toulouse defender Aymen Abdennour.
The 22 year-old was scouted by both Premier League clubs in action for Tunisia against Catalonia last week.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been monitoring Abdennour's progress since his time atWerder Bremen,
- The agent of AC Milan fullback Taye Taiwo says they're yet to hear from Arsenal.
Arsenal have been linked with the Nigeria international in recent days.
But the player's agent Fabio Parisi said: "At the moment there is no huge news about Nigerian players, with Arsenal there was only a rumour.
"I certainly don't know that Arsene Wenger is looking for a left-back but at this time there has not been any official offer at AC Milan."
- Chelsea and Arsenal are watching Espanyol youngster Rubén Herraiz Alcáraz.
Known as 'Rufo', the teen plays as a No10 and is this season's top scorer in Spain's Juvenil A competition.
Chelsea and Arsenal scouts have been active in the Juvenil A league in recent weeks and both have been impressed by Rufo's qualities.
- Arsenal youngster Hector Bellerin admits he had the pick of Europe's biggest clubs before signing in the summer.
Bellerin was snapped up by Arsenal from Barcelona juniors last season.
He revealed that he chose Arsenal ahead of interest from Manchester United, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Real Madrid.
- Hector Bellerin admits he agreed to join Arsenal in the summer only after fellow Barcelona junior Jon Toral had also accepted terms.
The pair are now part of the Gunners' U18 team after coming through at the La Masia.
“That was important,” Bellerin said. “The fact that Jon had agreed to join Arsenal was a convincing factor. Leaving friends and family would be difficult, but I knew that we could support each other and that is the way it has been. We both live in digs with Sean McDermott and Donna, our landlady, makes us feel at home.
"I have to be honest and say that I obviously miss my friends and family, but I would not say I have felt homesick or sad and that is very much because I have no time alone and we are always doing things. If I were alone here that may have been different. Apart from Jon and Sean being good friends, the rest of the squad are fantastic and there are also plenty of Spanish speakers here, including Emi Martinez and Ignasi Miquel who are good friends.
- Phil Roberts has no regrets swapping Norwich City for Arsenal.
The teenage striker joined Arsenal from Norwich at the beginning of last season and is not surprised that the Canaries are now in the top flight.
“I could see that Paul Lambert was going to turn the club around as soon as he joined Norwich and they are very much there on merit.
“I still keep in contact with some of the lads I was in their Academy with and they are feeling very positive about things and I do hope that they do well in the Premier League this season,” he said.
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