It’s win or bust for Gunners

LINGUISTICALLY and culturally, Arsene Wenger feels at home in Europe. If only his premiership leaders could acclimatise so effortlessly.

The Arsenal manager was teasing out the permutations of their Champions League denouement in English and Italian last night for the media at the San Siro Stadium. The under-employed translator might not have been impressed but the urbane Italians certainly were.

However, everyone in the Arsenal camp understands the Italian job this evening. It's win or bust for the Gunners whatever the language.

Wenger believes Arsenal will score in Milan tonight, something they failed to do from 20 shots on goal, 15 corners and a penalty in the reverse Group B fixture against Inter in September. The stunning 3-0 home loss dug a qualification hole for Arsenal from which they are still scrambling to escape.

Wenger's confidence also challenges another pertinent statistic Inter have not conceded a Serie A goal for over 400 minutes and seldom looked like doing so in their 6-0 weekend rout of Reggina. Since coach Alberto Zaccheroni took over from Hector Cuper, no Italian side has scored against the Nerazzurri, and crisis talk has moved elsewhere.

"Our attitude will not change for this match," Wenger pledged, "Because we always try to win wherever we play. We know we have to win but that won't force a change of mind set. We always play with a desire to succeed, even if we don't have to."

On this occasion there is no such luxury but again the Arsenal manager is accentuating the positive. "It is better that we are not going to Milan trying to calculate and speculate on other results," he explained in relation to Group B's other game today between Dynamo Kiev and Locomotiv Moscow at 5.00pm. "At least we know if we do not win we are out."

All of which presumes that tonight's game goes ahead. If the torrents of rain continue through today, the very least both sides will have to contend with is a veritable skating rink the worst is a 24-hour postponement.

The elements may have unhinged plans by Zaccheroni to pair his leading strikers Christian Vieiri and Uruguyuan Alvaro Recoba, as the latter pulled up sharply in training yesterday after skidding while trying to cross the ball.

Vieiri will start, and doubtless be confronted by the physical presence of Sol Campbell. However, Recoba's injury could force Wenger into a game of blind man's bluff does he start Paschal Cygan alongside Campbell and hope that Nigerian speedster Obafemi Martins (a goal scorer at Highbury) is not selected? The obvious alternative is to restore Kolo Toure to his preferred position in central defence, but Arsenal's injury problems means that Wenger is without any experienced right-back.

Vieiri's impassioned pleas for better service from the wings prompted the purchase by Cuper of Valencia old boy Kily Gonzalez the Argentinian was rested at the weekend and will return tonight.

"Will Kanu play?" asked one Italian journalist, mindful that the other ex-Inter player now donning red and white was back in London, grounded by flight demons.

"I don't know," laughed Wenger . "I have one more sleepless night to think about that."

One would presume the Nigerian, rejuvenated since the clock started ticking on his contract renewal, will start, but those same presumptions were off target when Wenger threw Jeremie Alliadiere into the fray at Anfield earlier this season. The young French man is straining at the leash.

Arsenal's Champions League record is so dismal their victory over Kiev was their first in nine games that even Wenger admits that to describe them as unlucky is "ridiculous". However, with that classic Alsace understatement he claims they have got the minimum for their efforts in the competition this season.

"You have to analyse things from a distance. We have given away cheap goals and made mistakes because we were in too much of a hurry to go forward. Sometimes you can win 3-0 and come out feeling that you were in a very tough game. Birmingham was like that last Saturday but if we defend better and keep up the number of chances created then I think we will score."

Brazilian Gilberto Silva will be restored to the Arsenal midfield alongside Ray Parlour, suspended for the visit to St. Andrews, but who provides a soothing Englishness for Gunners fans who yearn for a counterbalance to Gallic Flair.

Parlour believes that Arsenal's record start in the premiership of 13 games without defeat has provided a stability that was patently missing for the Inter drubbing nine weeks ago.

"Winning is a good habit and sometimes it helps to grind out a result for you. I'd agree with the manager I don't think we've had much luck. But we've kept on going and that got us three crucial points against Kiev. The group is still very open," he added.

That Arsenal's task is straight forward is an undoubted help and they did have the wherewith all to spank Lazio in Rome last season. Much will hinge on Milan's approach a draw would not put their lights out and that could assist Wenger. Either way he has run out of European excuses.

Arsenal (Probable): Lehmann, Toure, Campbell, Cygan, Ljungberg, Gilberto, Parlour, Pires, Kanu, Henry.

Inter Milan (probable): Toldo, J. Zanetti, Materazzi, Cannavaro, Cordoba, Van de Meyde, C. Zanetti, Emre, Pasquale, Vieiri, Recoba/Martins.

Referee: W. Stark (Germany)