Wenger puts faith in youngsters
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has every confidence his young Gunners can rise to the challenge of Champions League football against FC Thun tonight.
Wenger heads into the tie in Berne, Switzerland, safe in the knowledge Arsenal have already secured a place in the last 16 following victories in each of their first four Group B matches.
Despite injuries depriving Wenger of options at left-back, with England defender Ashley Cole and his stand-in Gael Clichy both having suffered a fractured bone in the foot, and Belarus international midfielder Alexander Hleb still being out, the Arsenal boss could nevertheless afford the luxury of leaving out three of his senior men.
Kolo Toure, Gilberto and goalkeeper Jens Lehmann rested at home this week, along with non-flying Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp.
The Arsenal manager has every faith in the fringe players who have been brought into the travelling party, with Cameroon midfielder Alexandre Song expected to feature.
“[Mathieu] Flamini, I think will play, maybe Song and [Jose Antonio] Reyes will start the game – as he was away with Spain, I did not play him on Saturday. For the rest, we will be quite stable,” said Wenger.
“We want to do a job well and finish top of the group because we have not done that.
“If we get a bad draw by finishing second then you would say we did not do the job well and in some way it is right you are punished.
“We also want to respect the fight for the UEFA spot.”
The 17-year-old Song – nephew of former Liverpool and West Ham defender Rigobert – could well start in midfield alongside fellow teenager Cesc Fabregas.
And Wenger has been impressed by the youngster’s progress.
“I felt he needed some work, and is getting closer in training now,” said Wenger. “It is a good opportunity to see him.
“He has a good knowledge of how to use his body in a fight, he is a really strong and intelligent player.”
Wenger feels Arsenal are entering a “crucial” stage of their season, both at home and in Europe.
“I feel slowly the team is getting where we want the team to be now,” the Frenchman said.
“We are regenerating the team and I believe it is developing well, but the next three or four months will be vital and crucial for us.
“Certainly for me, the potential of the team is great.
“The spirit of the team is great inside, the belief is there and the next three or four months will tell us how far we can go.”
Wenger added: “I know we can be better in December than we did in November with our players on the way up, and in February even much better than today - that is just down to us, how hard we work and how focussed we are.
“That is a good sign, and then you can give a game to anybody.”
