Source: Daily_Mail
I'm the man, Arsene! Djourou tells Wenger he's ready to replace Toure
Johan Djourou has insisted that he is the man to hold Arsenal's new look defence together following Kolo Toure's move to Manchester City.
The young centre-back has told Arsene Wenger he is ready for first-team action alongside either William Gallas or summer signing Thomas Vermaelen after Toure secured a £16m move to Eastlands.
Djourou, who made 29 appearances last season, highlighted his Champions League experience as he makes a bid to gain a regular spot in the side after enduring restricted chances since he made his Arsenal debut in October 2004.
Djourou, 22, said: 'I hope this will be my breakthrough and this is what I am here for. I really want to play and I am trying to show everyone I am ready to play at this level.
'I want to step up now and I feel this is my time. I have learned from people like Kolo, William Gallas and Sol Campbell. I feel like I have the experience that I need to play in those big games and to play every week.
'It has been a long time but I signed for the club when I was just 16. It is a good learning process and I have gained a lot of experience.
'It was a very good time for me and you can see I have learned. For me it has been fantastic. It is now up to me to show what I have taken from these players and step up.'
Djourou feels the time spent on loan at Birmingham City in 2007 shows he is good enough to play at the top level of English football. The defender also talked up his club's chances of winning a trophy this season after a barren spell of four years without a title.
He said: 'The boss let me go on loan to Birmingham to learn the process of playing in the Premier League and when I came back last season I played quite a lot of games in the Champions League.
'The boss is someone who has shown a lot of confidence in me since I arrived here. He is always telling me the right and wrong things and has been a good master.
'There is a lot of hunger and we really want it. I know everyone including the fans have been disappointed and this is not what we want to achieve.
'We try our best and don't want to finish fourth every season. We want to be first and want to win something. You can feel the hunger in the team.'
Djourou and his teammates did not warm up for the new season in the best manner as Arsenal lost2-0 to Valencia on Saturday.
Micheland David Villa struck in the second half to expose Arsenal's defensive frailties.
