Wenger: Forget Blues and focus

28 November 2009 10:42
The Premier League leaders travel to Emirates Stadium this weekend.[LNB]The Blues, eight points clear of the Gunners having played a game more, have been boosted by the return of England midfielder Frank Lampard following a thigh injury.[LNB]They can also call on the likes of England captain John Terry, midfield enforcer Michael Essien and strike pair Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, who was at Arsenal as a teenager.[LNB]But Wenger believes it will be all about how his own young squad step up to the challenge on Sunday.[LNB]"You know they are a good side and to beat them you have to deliver a good performance," the Arsenal manager said.[LNB]"It is more important we focus on what we do than any strength or weakness of Chelsea.[LNB]"They are a strong side and have a good manager in Carlo Ancelotti, but I believe despite all that, we can still beat them.[LNB]"Let us expect them to be strong on the day, and then let us be stronger."[LNB]Wenger fully expects his men to deliver, their confidence boosted by beating Standard Liege following last weekend's lacklustre defeat at Sunderland.[LNB]"Everyone will look at the game to rate our potential and I have no worries about that," he said. "We are ready for the game, are well focused, prepared and the confidence is good.[LNB]"We just want to focus on the game like we want to play it.[LNB]"It is a big test, yes, but that is what you want, to play these teams.[LNB]"There is a period for any team to come out and show its strengths. For my team, this moment has come.[LNB]"We are not a team that has to be considered to be young any more.[LNB]"I think we have the strengths and we can show on Sunday that we are strong enough to compete."[LNB]Wenger is already without the services of Holland forward Robin van Persie and left-back Kieran Gibbs, who is set for three months on the sidelines following surgery on a fractured metatarsal.[LNB]And centre-half William Gallas faces a race against time to be fit to face his old club following an eye injury sustained in a clash of heads with team-mate Andrey Arshavin during the win over Standard Liege.[LNB]Meanwhile, Arsenal are dedicating the Chelsea match to the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity.[LNB]Players and some staff will donate a day's wages as the club aim to hit their £500,000 target for the season.[LNB]Wenger said: "With football we are in our own passion. Sometimes you are tempted to be selfish and forget a bit about the rest of the world.[LNB]"Charity brings us down to earth and back to real life."[LNB][LNB]

Source: Team_Talk