Sagna looks on the bright side

WHILE the football world looks at Arsenal awaiting Arsene Wenger’s next move, his players appear remarkably removed and relaxed about it — if you believe them.

Like most footballers, Bacary Sagna, Arsenal’s French full-back, says he and his team-mates don’t read the newspapers and are not interested in the annual ‘will-he-or-won’t-he-leave’ transfer tales that beset the club.

“Everyone’s just focused on the games. We don’t look at what newspapers are speculating,” he said.

But Cesc Fabregas is not your average player, and that is why there is so much scrutiny on Wenger and his side now that the Barcelona boy has finally returned home.

Not only was Fabregas Arsenal’s captain, he was their longest-serving player and the hub around which Wenger built this latest incarnation of his purist vision of football.

Jack Wilshere has enormous potential, without doubt, but to expect him to step straight into the shoes of Fabregas at the tender age of 19 is a big ask.

Wilshere is certainly absent with injury at the moment, and with Samir Nasri looking set for an imminent move to Manchester City, Wenger is having to start the season without the two players who can do most to soften the blow of Fabregas’s departure.

Arsenal were certainly missing the sort of creativity and cohesion Fabregas usually brought to the midfield as they were outplayed by Udinese for most of Tuesday night’s Champions League qualifier first leg.

Theo Walcott’s early goal, a rare attacking moment for the misfiring Gunners, means they take a slim lead to Italy for next week’s return leg, with the very real threat of missing out on Europe’s premier competition unless they get their act together.

The good news is that Robin van Persie will be back from suspension, but there is also a danger that UEFA may punish Wenger further for the way he flouted the touchline ban he was given after his behaviour towards officials when Arsenal lost to Barcelona controversially last season.

Banished from the dressing room and dugout to the stands on Tuesday, Wenger was not supposed to communicate with his players or assistant Pat Rice, on the bench, but was caught passing messages via coach Boro Primorac and told to stop by UEFA officials. Whether they will take any further action has yet to be seen, but Wenger is likely to be fined for snubbing the mandatory post-match press conference.

It was a shame, because we would all have loved to hear what he planned to do with the £35m or so burning a hole in his pocket after the sale of Fabregas. Arsenal need cover at full-back and attack, where Marouane Chamakh was a pale imitation of Van Persie, and they desperately need inspiration in midfield.

Sagna, meanwhile, wished Fabregas farewell and expressed the hope Aaron Ramsey can fill the void, even if the former Cardiff midfielder is only 20.

“Every season we start knowing that certain players may go,” Sagna said. “Now Cesc has gone. He was one of our best players many times, and I will miss him for sure. But Aaron Ramsey did very well and he will show he is a great player as well.’’

Sagna’s optimism may be misplaced, but his pragmatism is not. He knows that the basis of any successful side is a tight defence, something Wenger inherited when he took over in 1996 but has proved more elusive in recent years.

Having got a goalless draw at Newcastle on Saturday and kept another clean sheet on Tuesday, Arsenal have done well in that department so far, with the return from injury of Thomas Vermaelen a significant factor.

“We didn’t concede against Newcastle, and also against Udinese,” added Sagna “We know that if we want to be successful we have to defend as a team, like we did tonight.

“It was not easy to score one goal and not concede. We can play better, but we showed we can win even when we are not playing at our best.”

In other words, they can win by ‘playing ugly’, something Wenger would never admit to. Yet his players seem to have no problem grinding out results, the way George Graham’s sides used to do.

“We have a great team spirit and we are all united with the same goal,’’ added Sagna.

Whatever happens off the pitch, they now face two big tests in the coming days. Liverpool visit the Emirates on Saturday to see how far they have come under Kenny Dalgish, and another clean sheet for Arsenal would be something to cherish.

Then comes the return in Italy, with a place in next week’s Champions League draw at stake.

It is a huge week for Arsenal — and could make or break their season.