Source: Team_Talk
Mannone now showing class - AW
The Italian has been handed an extended run in the Gunners side after Manuel Almunia was laid low with a virus and Poland international Lukasz Fabianski recovering from a knee injury.[LNB]Mannone, though, showed he was not out of place with a string of fine reaction saves to help secure a 1-0 Premier League victory at Fulham on Saturday evening which moved the Gunners up into fifth place, closing the gap on Chelsea who lost away to Wigan.[LNB]It has been a long wait for Mannone, who joined Arsenal from Atalanta as 16-year-old and had a difficult experience while on loan at Barnsley during 2006/2007, which lasted only four games.[LNB]Now, though, Wenger feels the Italian has all the ingredients to make it at the highest level.[LNB]"We had him in training and tested him, we found some qualities in him, which he has now shown," reflected the Arsenal boss.[LNB]"It has not been easy for him.[LNB]"But when a player goes abroad and resists so hard to go back, works without playing, that means there is no better education for his mental strength.[LNB]"He has been through that. He went through bad experiences and kept working. He has a belief in himself.[LNB]"You do not want to make a star of him with just one game, but you have to say he has quality."[LNB]Wenger added: "What is the most important is to show you have quality.[LNB]"He got a very good education. He has been every day in training with [Jens] Lehmann, with Almunia and Fabianski.[LNB]"Now he has shown he has quality.[LNB]"You always can see what happens when everyone is back."[LNB]Mannone is set to be in goal again for Tuesday night's Champions League Group H game against Olympiacos at the Emirates Stadium.[LNB]It is a challenge the rookie keeper is relishing, having made his European debut in the away trip to Standard Liege.[LNB]"When you come in the first team, you must show what you can do," he said, "I think I did it and I am really happy for that.[LNB]"The boss told me to stay relaxed, use my technique and play as in training. I tried to do that and it went well."[LNB]Mannone recalled: "I came here when I was very young. I was 15 when I had a trial and 16 when I actually started my season. I think I have grown a lot.[LNB]"I trained a lot and worked hard to be here. After five years, it makes me happy."[LNB]Arsenal may have ended the match, to which referee Martin Atkinson added some five minutes of stoppage time, with all three points, but it certainly was no easy ride.[LNB]Fulham - who have now lost four of their six Premier League matches - dominated for long spells and but for the brilliance of Mannone, could have a couple of goals to the good.[LNB]Andrew Johnson, Clint Dempsey and, in the second half, Bobby Zamora were all denied, while Robin van Persie's well-executed strike proved enough to take all three points back to north London.[LNB][LNB] Arsenal 1/4, Draw 4/1, Olympiacos 9/1
