We’re improving with every game, says Senderos

PHILIPPE SENDEROS is an intelligent young man with the luxury of being able to hit back at his critics in five languages.

Yet the young Swiss centre-back, under fire for much of this season, will forego any variety of phrases at his disposal and employ actions instead against Villarreal at Highbury tonight when Arsenal seek to extend their Champions League record for clean sheets to nine games in the semi-final first leg.

At 21, Senderos is the youngest of an inexperienced Gunners back four that has most recently kept Real Madrid and Juventus scoreless, eclipsed the feats of AC Milan's Nesta, Costacurta, Maldini and Cafu and is being tipped by Arsene Wenger to match the talents of Highbury's legendary brick wall of the 1990s led by Tony Adams.