Gallas: First goal vital

William Gallas insists Arsenal will “rarely lose” if they can get themselves in front in matches this season.

The Gunners host Barclays Premiership strugglers Newcastle on Saturday, buoyed by their 3-0 win over Liverpool last weekend.

There had been a frustrating couple of weeks for Arsene Wenger’s men, who failed to turn dominance into victory against both Everton and CSKA Moscow - drawing both matches.

There were no such problems against Liverpool, however, with Gallas capping a comprehensive all-round effort when he headed in a corner late on.

The French defender, 29, believes his team-mates must “show a good tactical brain” to deal with whichever opponents they come up against.

Gallas reflected: “Over the past month we have shown people we have the quality to play good attacking football. When we play like we did against Reading and CSKA Moscow, we produced lots of opportunities.

“However, it is important that we try to score the first goal. Other teams know of our quality and when they play against us they defend quite a lot.

“So it is up to us to find a way of playing and scoring against these teams - if we score the first goal against a team we will rarely lose.”

Gallas declared: “We know what we can do and we know we have the capability of being champions.

“We have to get the balance between attacking and defending and have got to show a good tactical brain.”

Gallas’ integration into the Arsenal squad has proved seamless, with the experienced Frenchman now playing in his preferred central defensive role having been asked initially to fill in at left-back.

The former Chelsea man is still travelling each day from his west London base to Arsenal’s Hertfordshire training complex – but feels perfectly at home with his new team-mates.

“I feel settled completely, everybody is helping me and I am very happy to be here playing with Arsenal,” said Gallas.

“I am thinking about my football all the time and it helps because I am 100% focussed on what I have to do for Arsenal.

“Once you feel right in your mind, it shows on the football pitch. The spirit at the training ground is excellent. I get on well with all the players and we are always laughing together.”

Arsenal are third in the Premiership table, with games in hand on both Chelsea and leaders Manchester United.

Wenger believes the next month could prove a crucial period for the title race, with the top sides all set to play each other.

Arsenal have already won at United – who host the champions next weekend – and travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday December 10.

The spotlight then is bound to be on both Gallas and England defender Ashley Cole, who went in the opposite direction on transfer deadline day.

Gallas, however, maintains: “I am focused on one game at a time and for the moment we are working towards Newcastle.

“I am not thinking about December just yet. I will, but not now.”

Gallas was in the French squad for last night’s 1-0 friendly win over Greece in Paris, where Thierry Henry chalked up his 39th international goal to move to within two of Michel Platini’s record.

Several other Gunners were also in action for their countries – and midfielder Freddie Ljungberg could return to contention this weekend after being released to join up with Sweden despite his recent calf problem.

Tomas Rosicky, however, remains sidelined with a hamstring problem.

Forward Theo Walcott suffered a hand injury late on in the England Under-21 team’s victory over Holland on Tuesday, but is expected to feature.

Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann did not join up with the German squad for their Euro 2008 qualifier in Cyprus because of the heavy cold which ruled him out of the Liverpool game.

Dutchman Robin van Persie withdrew from the midweek international against England to be with his pregnant wife.

After receiving a fifth yellow card of the season last Sunday, the 23-year-old must now serve a one-match domestic suspension which rules him out of trip to Bolton on November 25.