Source: Team_Talk
Experience vital for run-in - Wenger
The Gunners kept up the pressure on their rivals for the Premier League title with Saturday's 2-0 home win over struggling West Ham, having played the second half with only 10 men after the sending-off of Thomas Vermaelen.[LNB]The Belgian defender will now miss next week's trip to Birmingham after being shown a straight red by referee Martin Atkinson for what the West Yorkshire official deemed denying a goalscoring opportunity when tussling with Guillermo Franco as they chased a long ball into the Arsenal box.[LNB]Goalkeeper Almunia, 32, produced a stunning save from Alessandro Diamanti's resulting penalty to prevent what would have been an equaliser, and that changed the balance of the match.[LNB]With William Gallas still hampered by a calf problem which has sidelined him for the past seven matches, Wenger admits he has little option but to call on both Campbell, the 35-year-old former skipper who rejoined Arsenal in January, and fellow veteran Mikael Silvestre, 32, to once again step into the breach.[LNB]The Arsenal manager, though, has every faith the senior men in what is a young squad can deliver.[LNB]"I hope missing Vermaelen at Birmingham won't be a problem - but we cannot continue to lose centre-backs, that is for sure," Wenger said.[LNB]"You also cannot have six centre-backs at a football club because that doesn't make sense.[LNB]"Sol Campbell was outstanding, but to repeat the games could become a problem for him so I think I have to give him a big holiday next week to recover.[LNB]"He is very important to us and I think it was a very good signing.[LNB]"Everybody said I didn't sign anybody and now you can see that I signed somebody.[LNB]"His experience is vital in the dressing room, and you need it especially when we get to the period we are in.[LNB]"It is important you have players like Silvestre, Sol Campbell and Almunia, who are very influential. They have done it before so players listen to them."[LNB]Arsenal had taken an early lead through Denilson, and regrouped for the second half when midfielder Alex Song dropped back into the centre of defence alongside Campbell.[LNB]"Song was absolutely outstanding. It looked so easy for him to play in this position," Wenger declared.[LNB]"I know he can play there, but he was outstanding in midfield earlier in the game. I have no fear to continue with him at centre-back if needed."[LNB]There is now little to chose between the top three. Arsenal would appear to have the easier run-in, as United and Chelsea meet at Old Trafford over Easter, but Wenger maintains there is no margin for error in their remaining seven matches.[LNB]"It will be exciting now until the end, we have three teams in the fight, so let's see," he said.[LNB]"There is no room for error - the only target is to win the next game and give absolutely everything. That is what we will go for."[LNB][LNB] Barclays Premier League. Click here to bet.
