Gunners call on old guard

Arsene Wenger hopes the influence of former Gunners Martin Keown and Steve Bould will rub off on his young squad as they prepare for the battles ahead.

Wenger will be forced – through a combination of injury worries and international duty – to take something of an understrength and inexperienced side to Bolton for the the FA Cup fourth-round tie.

And Wenger believes the younger squad members can only learn from the likes of Keown, 39, and Bould, 43, both Highbury legends renowned for their no-nonsense approach who are currently working on coaching badges.

“Martin is with me now for three or four months and I also have Steve Bould with the youngsters,” Wenger revealed.

“I have a very young squad and I felt at some stage that the balance of the team needed a little bit more experience in the dressing room, not to be uncertain or insecure because we lose a game or two.

“Martin has the experience and can help the young players. That is why I brought him in.

“He and Steve are people who know the culture of the club and have been winners.

“We want them to get that culture into the young players and push them through.

“That is not only down to the manager because these people have direct access every day to the players and have time to spend with them.”

Wenger had accused his team of “naive” defending after conceding a decisive late goal to Wigan in their Carling Cup semi-final on Tuesday, which was almost identical to the one in the costly 1-0 defeat at Everton last weekend.

The Gunners have already been out-muscled once before by Bolton, during their 2-0 Barclays Premiership defeat at the Reebok in December.

And Wenger feels his players must give as good as they get on Saturday or risk losing their grip on the FA Cup.

“Bolton is a tough game, but a game I want because we can show we have good strength,” the Frenchman added. “I feel the whole team is up for it.

“We have to win the challenges that is for sure, and not forget that when we win the ball to put it down and play our game and not play like they play.

“It is now clear that everywhere we go, we know what to expect.

“We would be wrong to expect our opponents to change the way they play. It is down to us to cope with that.

“Therefore, it is an interesting game for me tomorrow, to show that we can cope with that, be calm and play our game.

“Basically every game becomes a typical cup game for us.”

Wenger insists he has no specific issues with the way Bolton are likely to approach the game.

“There is no good or bad way to play football. It is just a way to be efficient,” said the Arsenal manager.

“We have a different view from other teams, but I do not see anything wrong with that.

“I feel it is down to the other teams that we have only scored seven goals away from home.

“That we have suffered a little bit at the back is okay – but we have not produced enough offensively away from home.”

However, Wenger is aggrieved at what he sees as a lack of protection from referees.

“Because we are a team who do not go as much for challenges, you feel sometimes during the game that slowly they get the referee used to their game and it becomes more and more permissive,” he added.

“Also I find it very frustrating when we win the ball back and go through, they make the foul, take the ball and run away with the ball.

“You never get in a situation where you expose them – instead of playing five against five or four against three, you play 10 against 10.”

Thierry Henry will not play against Bolton as he is one of several first-team regulars who are fitness worries.

The 28-year-old striker’s current contract is due to expire at the end of next season, but Henry maintains he wants to stay at the club.

Wenger hopes an agreement can soon be reached.

He added: “We want to first keep Thierry Henry, then to give him as much money as we can and as much money as he wants.

“Is there a difference between what we can give and what he wants? Certainly, but I do not think in Thierry’s decision money will be a major issue.

“Financially we will find an agreement.”