Wenger confident Gunners can cope with ‘committed battle’ against Rovers

ARSENE WENGER feels his Arsenal side are ready to cope with whatever is thrown at them this season as he prepares for a “committed battle” at Blackburn tomorrow.

The Gunners came through a tough test in their midweek Champions League qualifier to record a 2-0 away victory against Sparta Prague.

It was a physical encounter at the AXA Stadium, which saw midfielder Cesc Fabregas involved in a clash with former West Ham defender Tomas Repka, who had talked up using rough-house tactics during the pre-match build-up.

Wenger praised the way his men coped with the conditions of a partisan atmosphere.

The Gunners boss believes such experiences can only stand them in good stead for the challenges ahead over the next nine months.

Their Premier League campaign opened with a late victory over Fulham, courtesy of a last-minute goal from Alexander Hleb, who also netted a similar well-timed effort in Prague.

The domestic schedule continues at Ewood Park on Sunday, the match put back because of Rovers’ own midweek European commitments in the UEFA Cup.

There is certainly no love lost between the two teams.

Brazilian midfielder Gilberto – not yet back in the squad after an extended rest – was sent off as 10-man Arsenal recorded a 2-0 away win during January, while there was a heated exchange between Fabregas and Rovers boss Mark Hughes following the goalless FA Cup tie at Emirates Stadium a month later.

Wenger, however, played down notions the former Manchester United and Wales striker would be sending his team out with a game plan of unsettling the Gunners.

“I have never been in a room when another manager has instructed their team, so I do not know what they say to their players,” Wenger reflected.

“I do not know how he (Hughes) approaches the game.

“We will go there and try to play our game. I do not worry about how they approach the game too much.”

The Arsenal boss, though, accepted: “It will be a committed battle at Blackburn, but you expect that.

“We have to be patient, resilient and do what we did until now. We have to believe in ourselves and allow our football to express itself. We have to play as we want to play.

“We have matured, we have a great togetherness, we fight for each other and you could see that the other night again.

“The team has grown together and matured together.

“You understand some qualities are more important when you get a bit older.

“When you are younger you are a little bit obsessed by your own performance. When you get more mature you understand that different ingredients are needed to focus on and that is what we have learned.”