Wenger: we have the hunger

ARSENE WENGER maintains his young Arsenal side have both the required hunger and mental strength to continue their march towards the top of the Barclays Premier League table, with victory against Bolton tonight crucial.

The Gunners can move within a point of leaders Chelsea with a win at the Emirates.

It is a remarkable turnaround in fortunes since the Gunners were outmuscled 3-0 at home by Chelsea at the end of November.

In that period, Arsenal have recorded five wins from six Premier League games, while both Chelsea and second-placed Manchester United have struggled for consistency.

Wenger, though, never lost faith in his young Gunners to deliver.

“We have a good opportunity to come back very close to Chelsea, and we want to take it, to make it more interesting for everybody,” he said.

“One month ago we were far from the top teams, and since have created momentum.

“We refused to give up and continued to fight and believe in our strengths.

“The biggest test in our camp was the mental strengths of the players and the solidarity of the players. That has been tested.

“What we have realised in one month gives us a good springboard to go even further. Why should we stop here?

“The next two months will determine how ambitious and how hungry we are.”

Wenger added: “It does not mean Chelsea or Manchester United do not have hunger – but what I know is that within our team, we have a great hunger for success. We have great solidarity and team spirit.

“We are a team who has grown up together and wants to achieve things.

“We have not won anything yet together and that makes us hungry for success.”

Wenger believes his faith in the promise of youth is finally about to bear fruit this year.

“There are many ways to be successful,” said the Arsenal manager, whose last trophy was the FA Cup in 2005.

“I want to show that our way can be successful as well. In the modern game, there is a lack of patience and one response when you lose a game – people say to you ‘buy, buy, buy’.

“I believe sometimes when you have players who are 21, 22, that they can only become better.

“When they are 33, they can only be worse at 34 and that is why we are in a position where we need to have the strengths to be patient because we have the quality.

“Hopefully we can show until the end of the season that we can be successful.”

Wales international Aaron Ramsey impressed again in the FA Cup third-round victory at West Ham with a second goal in as many games when standing in for injured captain Cesc Fabregas – who will need another two weeks to recover from a hamstring injury.

Arsenal will also be without combative midfielder Alex Song this month while he is away with Cameroon at the African Nations Cup. Denilson is fit following a back problem, and Wenger has no doubts the young Brazilian is up to the challenge.

“Denilson is an all-rounder, but he can play in this position and will come in for Song,” said the Arsenal boss.

“Denilson has 150 games in the Premier League. People do not notice how important he is for us and he can play in every single position in midfield.”

Wenger is on the market for some fresh talent to strengthen the squad, particularly with Holland international Robin van Persie a long-term absentee after suffering a knee injury.

However, the Arsenal manager maintains as yet, there are no fresh developments.

“At the moment it is very quiet,” he said.

“You hear here and there a player is going, but there is always more talk in the media than movement and more speculation than acting.”

For their part, Bolton look set to appoint Burnley boss Owen Coyle as replacement for the sacked Gary Megson.

The Clarets have opened talks with the Trotters over a possible compensation deal and are thought to want around £3million (€3.3m) for the former Irish international who guided them to the Premier League.

Caretaker manager Chris Evans, aided by head coach Steve Wigley, is set to be in charge of Bolton tonight but defender Andy O’Brien claims it is in everyone’s interests to have Megson’s successor in place as soon as possible.

He said: “The manager has been sacked, an interim management put in, and there will be someone new coming in. As a player you would like than to happen quickly.

“It’s a really big month for us and some difficult games but we are looking forward to the challenge.

“We were unlucky last year not to get a draw against Arsenal at the Emirates. They are a very good side and we have got them twice this month, so hopefully we can gather some points.”

Goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen is expected to return to the side after being rested at the weekend.