Wenger still as hungry as ever after landmark birthday

October 25, 2009

Arsene Wenger celebrated his 60th birthday this week but the Arsenal manager’s desire to end the club’s four-year wait for a trophy shows no sign of abating.

Wenger is increasingly confident his current side is maturing into genuine title contenders and his players will get the opportunity to justify their manager’s growing confidence by recording a fifth successive league victory at West Ham on Sunday.

Since suffering the shock of back to back away defeats at Manchester United and Manchester City, Wenger’s team have recovered well, although AZ Alkmaar’s stoppage time equaliser this week served as a reminder that Arsenal can be guilty of failing to finish teams off.

That is certainly an issue Wenger will have addressed in the wake of that Champions League group game and the manager admitted his hunger for success is as strong as it ever was.

“Am I happy with all that I have achieved? Certainly not,” he said. “I expect always more and you can never be completely happy with what you do. The only credit that I give to myself is that I have worked very hard my whole career and always try to improve.

“I am very lucky to still be in charge today. If I look at all my friends who started with me, I was very, very young when I started.

“I was in charge at 33 and to survive at that age is not easy. You could see with many young managers, it?s difficult when you start with such a big responsibility. Overall I was very lucky. But always think you could have achieved more and make better decisions.”

On paper West Ham should provide only limited opposition to an in-form Arsenal, with Gianfranco Zola?s side rooted second bottom with just one league victory to their name this season.

Yet the intensity of a London derby will undoubtedly lift the Hammers and defender Matthew Upson with be particularly keen to impress and provide Wenger with another reminder of why the manager was wrong to let him leave for Birmingham six years ago.

Wenger admits he reluctantly sanctioned the transfer and revealed he has contemplated re-signing the England international on a number of occasions.

“I didn’t stop him (going) because I knew he had qualities to play in the Premier League but he had players in front of him,” Wenger said.

“I knew he would make it. He had Premier League quality and had the potential to be international quality.

“He is there now because he is at the right age for a central defender and for a few years now he has not been stopped by injuries which was his problem for a while.”

Upson is likely to face an Arsenal attacked boosted by the return of Eduardo, although Tomas Rosicky will not feature after suffering a problem with his knee this week.

Zola acknowledges his side’s position is causing him concern.

The Hammers manager has maintained his team has deserved greater reward for its performances this season but putting points on the board is now the main priority.

“It’s very difficult at the moment because I care about the players and club. It hurts me,” said the Italian.

“But I am a warrior – I don’t look like it but I am one and I don’t like to let myself down in my work.

“I am someone who never gives up and my determination to succeed is stronger than anything. Of course this job gives me awake at night. You are always thinking about things and trying to find answers.

“Everyone has problems – that is what life is about. But one thing I want from the players is to look for the solutions, rather than worry.”

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: 60th birthday, arsene wenger, az alkmaar, Birmingham, champions league group, Eduardo, England, gianfranco zola, group game, hammers, hunger, intensity, league victory, london, Manchester, manchester city, manchester united, matthew upson, opposition, premier league, reminder, six years, tomas rosicky, west ham, Zola

Da Silva´s late show forces Arsenal to settle for a point

October 21, 2009

Arsenal were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against AZ Alkmaar in Tuesday’s Champions League clash as the Dutch champions snatched a last-gasp equaliser.

Arsene Wenger’s side were within seconds of securing their third successive Group H victory after Cesc Fabregas’s first half goal.

But David Mendes Da Silva punished the Gunners for a lacklustre second half display when he struck deep into stoppage time at the DSB Stadium.

Wenger had already claimed he wouldn’t pause to celebrate his 60th birthday on Thursday and the French coach has even less reason to break out the party hats now.

The north Londoners are still firmly on course for the knockout stages, but they have more work to do before they can be sure of finishing as group winners.

Wenger once again opted to keep faith with young Italian goalkeeper Vito Mannone ahead of Manuel Almunia, but the Gunners boss was without injured wingers Theo Walcott and Tomas Rosicky.

Although AZ boasted an impressive European home record of just one defeat in 34 home matches, Arsenal arrived in Holland on a high after seven successive wins in all competitions.

In stark contrast, Ronald Koeman’s Dutch champions, who had taken just one point from their first two group matches, were reeling from the news that the club’s owner Dirk Scheringa had been declared bankrupt on Monday.

Koeman could take heart from a famous Champions League win over Arsenal when he was in charge at PSV Eindhoven two years ago.

But it was Arsenal who made the early running. Robin van Persie had scored five goals in his previous six games and should have added to that tally in the ninth minute from Abou Diaby’s cross.

Van Persie’s finish didn’t match the quality of the incisive attack though and he shot straight at Argentine goalkeeper Sergio Romero.

AZ created their first threat when Moussa Dembele fed Mounir El Hamdaoui on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area, but his shot didn’t test Mannone.

After a period of stalemate as both sides struggled to find their rhythm, Arsenal were gifted the lead in the 36th minute.

Niklas Moisander’s careless control allowed Andrey Arshavin to play in van Persie down the left side of AZ’s penalty area. Van Persie picked out Fabregas and the Arsenal captain dispatched a cool strike past Romero for his fifth goal of the season.

Romero almost presented Arsenal with a second goal before half-time when he allowed van Persie’s long-range effort to skim off his gloves and just past a post.

There was little repeat of that flurry of goalmouth action in the second half as Arsenal settled for keeping possession without ever really promising a second goal.

Van Persie forced Romero to make a fine save from a low free-kick but AZ gradually began to realise there was little to fear from Arsenal in this mood and they poured forward in the closing stages.

Diaby almost deflected a cross into his own net as the Gunners began to creak, then Hector Moreno squandered a glorious chance to equalise.

Moreno had the goal at his mercy from no more than six yards, only to head wide via a team-mate’s leg.

Arsenal appealed in vain for a penalty when Kew Jaliens got in a tangle and appeared to foul substitute Carlos Vela.

But they were made to pay for their lethargic performance in the third minute of stoppage time.

Arsenal’s defence stood statuesque as Graziano Pelle flicked on a high ball towards Da Silva, who was perfectly placed to lash a volley past Mannone and end Arsenal’s winning run.

ALKMAAR, Netherlands (AFP)