Source: Team_Talk
Wenger challenge for Almunia
Arsene Wenger has challenged Manuel Almunia to prove he is still Arsenal's number one when he returns to full training next week.[LNB] Almunia has been sidelined since the end of September with an elbow injury and his understudy Lukasz Fabianski has impressed in his absence.[LNB]Arsenal then handed a new long-term deal to 20-year-old Wojciech Szczesny on Thursday has offered no guarantees of first-team football to any player.[LNB]"Of course Almunia has a future at the club," he said. "He has been out for a long time, but he must come back and shows the performances in training and his quality.[LNB]"You can never stop a player from playing."[LNB]Wenger rejected suggestions he would allow Almunia to leave during January.[LNB]"At the moment what we are focused on is to win together with the squad we chose at the start of the season," he said.[LNB]"We are on a train which wants to go to the terminal station - and that means nobody moves out when the train is moving."[LNB]Wenger believes Szczesny, who impressed in the 4-0 Carling Cup win at Newcastle, has all the ability to one day take over as Arsenal's first choice keeper - but again challenged the young Pole to continue to produce consistent performances.[LNB]"I don't give assurance to anybody for game time," the Frenchman insisted.[LNB]"I just told Wojciech he has the quality to be an Arsenal goalkeeper, and that is down to him to show that.[LNB]"We cannot say on one side that we are in top-level competition and also give the players guarantees. The only guarantees are their performances."[LNB]Arsenal head to Everton with confidence renewed following their battling win at Molineux.[LNB]However, while the Gunners remain five points off leaders Chelsea, Sunday's opponents Everton are currently 12th, but only two points from fifth-placed Newcastle.[LNB]"This season is by far the most open I have experienced," Wenger observed.[LNB]"If you look at some teams who are in the middle of the table, the quality of the teams they have, it is quite frightening.[LNB]"It will be very interesting until the end and as I said many times the team who can get together all the difference ingredients needed in every single game for the longest will win it.[LNB]"At the moment, Chelsea has a good advantage but apart from Chelsea everybody looks to have a chance, but also looks certain not to be in the top four."[LNB]Wenger continued: "I am convinced we have the potential and have the right spirit, we have shown that again against Wolves on Wednesday night.[LNB]"We go to Everton where we will want to show a similar commitment that we have at Wolves."[LNB]Arsenal have England left-back Kieran Gibbs available again following a knee injury, while Wenger also reported signs for midfielder Abou Diaby were "quite encouraging".[LNB]However, centre-half Thomas Vermaelen is still struggling with an Achilles problem and Laurent Koscielny serves the second of his two-game ban for a red card against Newcastle.[LNB]Wenger admitted Vermaelen's injury, picked up during the September international break, was puzzling.[LNB]"We know a lot medically nowadays, but there are some mysteries that we do not know about," he said.[LNB]"At the moment we have no rational explanation for his pain.[LNB]"There is no reason to have surgery and there is no logical explanation for his pain.[LNB]"We have to be patient and just hope it will go. That means rest at the moment."[LNB]Arsenal will have a large number of players involved in next week's friendly between England and France at Wembley.[LNB]Teenage midfielder Jack Wilshere look set for another senior call-up by Fabio Capello and could be handed a first start.[LNB]"Of course it is good for Jack to feel he is part of the national team, and he has a chance because in friendlies you can look at players," Wenger said.[LNB]"Jack is a player who had an exceptional start to the season, has given a lot and has full commitment, a good combination of talent, intelligence and is still very young."
