Cole insists Seaman is still number one

ASHLEY COLE has again rushed to the defence of his Arsenal and England team-mate David Seaman by insisting he is as good as ever.

Young Cole's dramatic goal-line interventions prevented the veteran goalkeeper suffering even more critical flak in the north London derby at White Hart Lane after he was even blamed in some quarters for conceding the howitzer free kick which Christian Ziege brilliantly swept home for Spurs.

And in the end, 39-year-old Seaman much maligned for his so-called World Cup howler against Brazil and subsequent alleged blunders for Arsenal as well as in the European Championship qualifier against Macedonia emerged as one of the heroes of Arsenal's hard-earned 1-1 draw with their revenge-seeking neighbours.

After Robert Pires levelled from a fortunate penalty, Seaman made a couple of brave saves to deny Spurs' Irish striker Robbie Keane in the second half.

But it had been England left-back Cole, 21, who came to Seaman's rescue by heading off the line from both Dean Richards and Keane when Tottenham were pressing frantically in the first half.

Yet Cole, back in outstanding form after a self-confessed lean spell earlier in the season, insisted: "David is still a great goalkeeper and I think he's proving a lot of people wrong.

"I don't understand some people saying David should have saved the goals that have gone in.

"He's had plenty of criticism but he's shown against Tottenham and in other games that he is just as sharp as he was.

"He made some unbelievable saves and it wasn't only my clearances, there were some great blocks by Martin (Keown). It was a good defensive performance, getting bodies in the way. It had to be because we knew it would be tough going to Tottenham after we beat them 3-0 just a month ago at Highbury.

"People are saying this team can't defend and I've heard that said about me personally all the time. They will probably still say it even now.

"But of course we work hard on defence as a unit in training and we knew we had to toughen up at the back and keep it tight against Tottenham."

Cole is not the only footballer to be featured in some Sunday newspapers enjoying a typical rich young man's social life, but his performances against Manchester United last Saturday, Valencia in midweek and at Spurs on Sunday, suggest he is learning the maturity which comes with 100 first-team appearances.

"Sometimes it is hard to believe I've played 100 games already for Arsenal, because not so long ago it was just a dream of mine to play for them."

"You know it won't always go well and I wasn't happy with my form earlier this season but in the last few games, after coming back from an ankle injury which made me miss the Aston Villa game, I've felt sharper, stronger, good in myself and wanting to play even more."

Arsenal were lucky to come away with a point and manager Arsene Wenger considered it a point earned rather than two lost.

And he is confident it will put his champions back on a more consistent track after winning just four of their last 11 Premiership games, compared to seven out of 11 by a resurgent Manchester United.

Wenger, whose insistence that United are "not necessarily" the main challengers for Arsenal's title, has been interpreted in some quarters as "writing off" Sir Alex Ferguson's team, maintained: "There's not just United. There are three main contenders to us Chelsea and Liverpool as well."