Wenger’s reasons to be cheerful

ARSENE WENGER admits 2011 was his annus horriblis but there is growing reason for encouragement as the new year begins with Arsenal in the top four, Robin van Persie still fit and Thierry Henry on the way home.

Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over QPR on Saturday summed up so much of what is good and bad about a side that still plays wonderful football but still struggles to convert chances if Van Persie isn’t on target.

But things are very, very different to September when Arsenal were closer to the bottom of the table than the top, seemed incapable of defending and were struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel after losing Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona and losing 8-2 at Old Trafford.

“At that stage I didn’t know that we would be in top four by new year,” admitted Wenger. “I felt first of all to stop the crisis.

“By crisis I mean the confidence level drops too much and you play with fear. And you know with the experience I have that you have to win plenty and that’s what we did. I was confident because we had a good spirit. I always felt the players would try and inside the club we are quite solid and that’s why I say this club has been brave and united because we have gone through some rocky times together.”

It is credit to Wenger that Arsenal have recovered; because last season was equally tough as his team lost in the Carling Cup final and then saw their entire campaign crumble in the space of two weeks.

“When I look back it was not the easiest year of my career,” said the Frenchman, whose team go to Fulham today.

“The end of last season was I think more difficult than even the rocky time we had at the beginning of this season because it was all doom and gloom and only negatives. This year we had a hard, tough time, but we had something in front of us, we could still fight for something. The last two months of last season once you are in the position you will not win the Champions League, you will not win the Premier League, you will not win the FA Cup; you just have to get over the line as well as you can. That was difficult.”

The improvement in Arsenal’s play in recent weeks is impressive.

Per Mertesacker, despite the criticism aimed at him, has vastly improved their defensive record and Mikel Arteta, described as a panic buy, has slotted in seamlessly in midfield. But to go from fourth to first still remains a big task when only Van Persie is scoring goals.

“It will be tight until the end,” said Wenger. “We have all the teams to come here: Tottenham, Chelsea, Man United — and it could be down to how well we do at home.

‘If you look at the run of all of the teams from games five to 19 we are not behind anybody so, if we can continue to improve and, I don’t know, get our injured players back, we might have a strong enough squad.”

More important, of course, for Arsenal’s long-term future is keeping van Persie and persuading him to sign a new contract. He won the game on Sunday by collecting a pass from Arshavin and firing home left-footed on the hour mark — and it’s no exaggeration to say he could have scored five more with the number of chances he created for himself.

When the goal came it broke Thierry Henry’s record of 34 goals for Arsenal in a calendar year and the prospect of seeing the two legends together (Van Persie pointed to Henry in the crowd after finding the net) is mouth-watering. But what do Arsenal have to do to keep their latest hero on board?

“To continue to improve and be capable to fight for the top of the league,” said Wenger. “Robin is an ambitious player and when you have his quality of course as well you want him to do that. We will try very hard to do that, don’t worry.”

If Van Persie stays, who’s to say 2012 can’t be an annus mirablis?