Wenger claims Arshavin getting back to his best
Wenger yesterday fended off questions about the Russian playmaker’s future following a difficult spell for the 29-year-old. Arshavin started the season with five goals in nine games but he has scored just twice since September and was omitted for the recent Premier League clashes with Chelsea and Manchester City.
However the Russian did start at Leeds in the FA Cup on Wednesday and Wenger saw enough at Elland Road to suggest that Arshavin is on the up.
“Arshavin has played many games since the start of the season but I think physically he was quite sharp at Leeds, the sharpest I have seen him for a while,” said the manager.
“He looks to me that he is coming back to a normal level. Maybe he lacks a bit of confidence because he plays less but overall I think his numbers since the start of the season are good.
“He has gone through a difficult but now he looks to me that he is on the way up.”
Wenger has also claimed Manchester United have been “a bit lucky until now’’ to remain undefeated in the Premier League.
“Do you ask me can they still do it?’’ Wenger said. “Certainly, because they have not been beaten yet. Have they been a bit lucky until now? Certainly, but we’ll see. You really think about winning the championship but with five games to go, you think about: ‘Oh, we can add something to that.’ That’s what happened with us. But you don’t think about that with 16 games to go.’’
The Arsenal boss has warned that his Arsenal players fully intend to “go for it” as they target an unprecedented quadruple.
The Gunners host Wigan today looking to maintain the momentum from the win at Leeds, which followed the 3-0 drubbing at bottom club West Ham. Next week Arsenal take on Championship strugglers Ipswich in the second leg of their Carling Cup semi-final looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit, while a place in the last 16 of the FA Cup is there for the taking against League One Huddersfield.
The small matter of a Champions League showdown with Barcelona is also fast approaching.
“We are motivated to give our best in all the competitions,” Wenger said.
“What can we win? We are not in a position to say that, we are in a position where we want to give our best and afterwards we will see where we end up.’’
Arsenal are short of cover at the centre of defence, but Wenger refused to be drawn on whether he was set for a £10 million (€11.7m) swoop for Bolton’s Gary Cahill.
“At the moment, I cannot come out with any name,” he said. “I think Gary Cahill is a very good player, but I cannot tell you more.”
The Gunners have also been linked with an audacious move for Tottenham defender Jonathan Woodgate.
Thomas Vermaelen has been sidelined since August with a troublesome achilles, but could be back within six weeks after undergoing a medical procedure in Sweden.
However, Wenger maintains even without new additions, the squad can cope.
“It is a worry as long as (Sebastien) Squillaci is out as we are short, but we have other resources,” he said.
Meanwhile Aaron Ramsey has returned to Cardiff on a one-month deal.
The Wales international, 20, has just returned to fitness following a broken leg suffered at Stoke in February, and had a spell at Nottingham Forest to get match practice. Ramsey joined the Gunners from Cardiff during June 2008 and last night it was confirmed the midfielder is heading back to Wales.
Norwich have extended the loan of Arsenal midfielder Henri Lansbury until the end of the season, while Mexico striker Carlos Vela is another of Wenger’s young Gunners whom he wants to get some first-team experience elsewhere, with Bolton one possible destination for the 21-year-old.
Having watched Arsenal against Leeds, Wigan manager Roberto Martinez fears the Gunners are “reaching their peak”.
“It (Wednesday) was a great game of football, a real cup game,” he said.
“We’ve played them three times in seven weeks and you feel like they’re growing and getting better, stronger and reaching their peak.”
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