Wenger aims to step it up a gear

FC Thun 0 Arsenal 1

The Gunners went into the clash in Berne safe in the knowledge they had already made sure of place in the last 16 following four straight wins.

And they eventually wrapped up another three points following an 87th-minute penalty from substitute Robert Pires after Robin van Persie had been pulled back by Selver Hodzic, the referee pointing to the spot following the intervention of his assistant.

The Barclays Premiership club had, though, been given a few things to think about by a battling Thun side which continued to try to take the game to the visitors even after defender Armand Deumi had been shown a straight red card for tripping Van Persie when the Dutchman raced clear on goal after 34 minutes.

Indeed, but for the intervention of the referee’s assistant on the far side, they could have taken the lead themselves, with two efforts from winger Nelson Ferreira flagged offside in the second half, the last one looking somewhat suspect.

But with the current task at hand completed, Wenger can now focus his attention on the step up in class his men will face when the knockout stages begin in the new year.

“For us it was important to finish the job and top of the group - we cannot do much more,” he said.

“It guarantees us the second game at home in the last 16 and to play against the second team of another group - but that sometimes is not the easiest one.”

Wenger added: “It gives us confidence, but we are not going overboard.

“The real competition starts now and it is different with a direct knockout.”

The Arsenal manager felt the game had gone a bit “flat” following the dismissal of Deumi in the first half.

“I felt it was a good quality game as long as it was 11 against 11,” said the Frenchman.

“I was not happy when their player was sent off, but I feel the referee had no choice.

“From then on, the level of game dropped and became slowly flat.”

Wenger added: “We lost a bit of concentration in our team play because we felt the game would be easier.

“They had less resources to put us under pressure, but they were still dangerous on the break.”

On the late spot-kick awarded to his side, Wenger said: “I felt it was a penalty, but the referee did not give it, the linesman did. But it looked to be a genuine one.”

It was an eventful night for Arsenal’s youngsters who had been handed starts, with midfielder Alexandre Song and Emmanuel Eboue, at right-back, performing well.

Song, though, was substituted during the second half with a knee problem, but Wenger did not seem to believe it was a serious injury.

Thierry Henry, meanwhile, endured an off night in front of goal on his club-record 70th European appearance.

His best chance came during the second half when he charged into the penalty area, but drew his shot wide of the far post.

The French striker stood to reflect for a moment, and had objects - believed to be screwed up paper or plastic - thrown at him, although none fell within close proximity to the Arsenal star.

Arsenal defender Sol Campbell was happy with his side’s display. “I think we did enough. We played good football, got in their half and they had a disallowed goal but I think we did enough to win the game,” he said.

“We set our stall out and were strong. They were playing at home and were going to come out and get us but when we started playing football we created a lot of opportunities and it was just the final touch [missing].

Thun coach Urs Schonenberger, meanwhile, was left once again to contemplate what might have been.

“This is another crazy game with a dumb sending off, when we had lost concentration - and it is not the first time we leave the pitch having played well, but lost,” he said.

FC THUN: Jakupovic, Orman, Hodzic, Deumi, Goncalves (Bernardi 90), Ferreira, Milicevic, Aegerter, Leandro, Adriano, Lustrinelli (Sen 84).

ARSENAL: Almunia, Eboue, Senderos, Campbell, Cygan (Lauren 67), Ljungberg, Song Billong (Fabregas 56), Flamini, Reyes, Henry (Pires 70), Van Persie.

Ref: Lucilio Cardoso Cortez Batista (Portugal).