Source: Daily_Mail
Arsene Wenger calls on young guns to start believing they can win trophies
Arsene Wenger has conceded that Cesc Fabregas was right to question the belief of his Arsenal team-mates after losing at Manchester United earlier this month, as the Gunners prepare for their vital clash at hometo Chelsea tomorrow.[LNB] Captain Fabregas claimed the difference between the teams was that Arsenal displayed fear in big matches and Wenger believes his captain was right to point to the mental flaw following a run of just three winsin 18 games against United and Chelsea. [LNB]Wenger even commended Fabregas for being so blunt, admitting that if Arsenal are unable to face their failures honestly then they have no hope of addressing them. [LNB] Fear factor: Cesc Fabregas says Arsenal play with fear during big games[LNB]'I'm not unhappy he has said that, because Cesc is a winner,' said the Arsenal manager.[LNB] 'It's quite a fair assessment. The most important thing for top-level teams and players is to have an honest assessment of what happened. With that, you can correct it. If you hide in front of the truth you can never correct it. [LNB]'United had a little more belief than us that they can do it [in the recent game]. It's good that the players are conscious of that because then you can do something about it.' [LNB]However, Wenger retains the faith that his side are on the verge of great things, despite their abysmal record against the major powers in English football and the lack of a trophy at the Emirates for almost six years. [LNB]No change: Arsene Wenger believes in his passing philosophy[LNB]He said: 'If we look at Chelsea and the number of points they have and the number of points we have , then we have nothing to envy. It is just we have to get over that hurdle, and while the team have not won, they will wonder: "Can we win?" It's a mental thing, because the quality of the squad is there. I think that winning the first trophy will be important. As long as you have not won, people can always say: "But what did you win?" [LNB]'I understand and accept that people will write that. But we still have built a new team and managed to stay at the top, where many teams would be happy. But now you want more and our purpose is to deliver and respond to the demands people have. We came out of both games at United and Chelsea this season believing that it was possible and that there was no a big difference between the teams.[LNB] 'We have an opportunity to show that. The way we respond to what happened to us at Chelsea and United will be the decider for our season.' [LNB]However, even though Chelsea are expected to sit deep, pack the midfield and hit Arsenal on the counterattack - tactics that Arsenal have been unable to curtail in the most recent encounters - Wenger insists that he will never change Arsenal's feted passing game in an attempt to penetrate the deep-lying rearguards they face against Chelsea and United. [LNB]'We stay faithful to our game, though what we need certainly to add is some defensive stability in these kinds of games,' said Wenger. [LNB]'I think we have to play our real game but with more belief, and more dynamism instead of completely changing our style of play. It's very hard, but we have to move the ball even quicker. It is the same when Barcelona play: when they win, everyone admires the way they play; if they don't win, they say: "Why don't you change your style?" [LNB]'We have Fabregas and Van Persie ready and fit to play and if you hit long balls they will not exist. It's very difficult to say tomorrow morning, we go from the back, straight to the box. I don't think we could do that.' [LNB] Back in business: Cesc Fabregas (right) and Robin Van Persie are both fit for the game against Chelsea[LNB]And though Didier Drogba has been subdued of late, suffering from malaria, Wenger says that curbing the Chelsea striker, who has scored 13 goals in 11 starts against Arsenal, will be his side's most important task.[LNB] 'If you look at the statistics [on Drogba] that's one of the big keys, if not the biggest one of the game. Drogba is always very efficient against us. But he is a big-game player and the other day when they were in trouble at Tottenham, who turned up? It was Drogba again.[LNB] 'You know when you are against Chelsea he is the guy you need to keep quiet. Frank Lampard and Drogba work in tandem well together, because Lampard always finds Drogba, so we have to stop the supply.' Chelsea in crisis with new £40 million pound loss as Abramovich continues funding freezeArsenal boss Wenger wary of winter Blues ahead of Emirates clashCHELSEA FC
