Dagens Arsenal - 25 Februari 2009
Wenger
Inför sommaren kommer Arsenals högsta prioritet att behålla de spelare man redan förfogar över berättar nu Wenger. Robin van Persie och Theo Walcott är två av de spelare klubben för närvarande för kontraktsförhandlingar med och Wenger tror att det är väldigt viktigt för laget att spelarna stannar: "You feel after four or five years they will be more of a team than players who have been bought on the market and put together. I believe that is why we have followed this policy. We want to have values in our side that are more than players being brought together on the market and just saying 'let's win trophies and parade them'.
Wenger talar också om den väldigt bisarra situation som uppstod i början av andra halvlek mot Roma där domaren blåste igång spelet utan att varken Kolo Touré eller William Gallas hunnit ut ur omklädningsrummet: "It is our fault. When the bell rings you have to be ready to go out. It's explainable by the fact Kolo is always going out last and he waited for William, who had treatment and was putting his boots on and strappings. They didn't know the game had started without them." Wenger avslutar också med några funderingar över matchen i sin helhet: "I am happy with the performance but there was room to score more. It's put us into a position where we know we don't have to just defend. We will want to attack and score goals over there. If we score in Rome, that should be enough. You never know what is a good result in the European Cup but one of the positives is that we didn't concede."
Spelarna
Samir Nasri tycker att Arsenal förtjänade en större ledning än den som det tillslut blev i gårdagens Champions League möte med AS Roma. Åttondelsfinalen är fortfarande en öppen historia men Nasri tyckte att Arsenal borde ha ”dödat” matchen redan i det första mötet: “We probably deserved a higher score. We created some good opportunities. Now we have to repeat the performance in the return match. I think this result is not too bad, even though we could have won it with a larger score. But fortunately we managed not to concede any goals. The positive ahead of the second leg is that tonight we’ve seen a conquering Arsenal side, with a good defensive display. This is very encouraging for the challenges to come. We are confident for the second leg as we start that game with a 1-0 lead. We are confident about our means and are convinced we can succeed." Om sin Fransmannens egna insats såhär långt i Arsenal talade Nasri om efteråt: "I'm content with my form but I know I can do better as well. Of course I am never completely happy - you have to keep working, progressing, continuing to make improvements. For a professional that is very important."
Kolo Touré är även han hyfsatt nöjd med resultatet från gårdagens match och talade optimistiskt om Arsenals chanser i returmötet: "We had the chances, but we didn't take them. That happens in the game where you create a lot and don't score. We kept a clean sheet, which is really, really good for the second leg. I think we played really, really well. We were outstanding. We just need to play with our quality passing and our pace and I think we can beat this team." Sedan försöker också Touré förklara den, minst sagt, röriga situation han och William Gallas satte sig i: "I was late because I'm always the last one to come out from the dressing room," he continued. "I was waiting for my team-mate to come. I did not know I wasn't allowed to come onto the pitch straight away, which I did, and I've learned another rule, which is good." Dags för några teorilektioner med spelarna Monsieur Wenger? Mais Qui!
Aaron “Rambo” Ramsey talar även han om läget i truppen och är optimistisk inför framtiden: “Cesc is back in the changing room now and hopefully he’s only a few weeks away from playing again. We’ve also got Theo and Tomas returning so it will look quite promising when we have them all back. You would want to play all the games if possible but I am realistic. I’m still only 18 and I know I still have quite a bit to learn. I am being patient now and I just want to take my chance whenever I get it.”
Skadeläget
Så slutligen tar vi oss en titt på hur det ser ut i sjukstugan. Abou Diaby drog som bekant på sig (ännu) en sträckning under matchen mot Roma. Det har inte kommit något officiellt uttalande från klubben men det såg inte allt för allvarligt ut så Diaby blir nog inte borta mer än en vecka eller två. Mikael Silvestre slog återigen upp sin sträckning och blir borta t o m nästa vecka. Även Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor och Eduardo da Silva räknas också vara tillbaka inom en vecka medan Tomas Rosicky har drygt tre veckor kvar. Tillsist talar Wenger om hur nära Cesc Fabregas är en comeback i A-laget: "Cesc is itching to get back. But after the second leg (emot Roma) he will not be far from fitness if it all goes well.”
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