Source: Team_Talk
Wenger refuses to give up dream
Arsenal were at their free-flowing best before the squad headed off with their countries three weeks ago, but Tomas Rosicky accepted the 1-0 defeat at Sunderland when domestic action resumed was a "collective burnout" as the players failed to regain focus.[LNB]The loss of Holland forward Robin van Persie, though, was the biggest blow of all. His ankle ligament damage suffered during a friendly against Italy turned out to be much worse than first diagnosed and he is now not expected to play again until April at the earliest.[LNB]Wenger feels the final round of World Cup qualifying matches came just at the wrong time.[LNB]"The international interruption made a break in our season which was not welcome, and we paid with a very heavy price," Wenger told Arsenal TV Online.[LNB]The Gunners boss, though, remains pragmatic in the wake of Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Chelsea.[LNB]He said: "We have to accept we have lost a game and the only way we can respond is to show solidarity, to show collective energy and belief in what we do.[LNB]"It [title race] is not over and I believe, on what I have seen of Chelsea, that they team can drop points.[LNB]"Of course, first of all it is down to us to respond quickly and in a positive way in the championship games.[LNB]"We lost two games without scoring a goal which is not our habit at all. That is where we want to come out in a more positive way."[LNB]Arsenal face Manchester City in the Carling Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday night and, whatever the result at Eastlands, Wenger believes his confidence in youth will eventually pay dividends.[LNB]"Let's keep the faith in our young players who keep waiting for this game and I want give them a chance to play," he said.[LNB]"I believe any result should not influence too much your policy.[LNB]"We know what we want to do in the Carling Cup, but we also want to win it.[LNB]"This is a cup game, and I believe in a cup game anything is possible."[LNB]A full-strength Arsenal side were somewhat unfortunate to lose 4-2 against City back in September, when former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor grabbed the headlines for all the wrong reasons - with his controversial goal celebration and then a stamp on Van Persie which saw the Togo striker handed a ban by the Football Association.[LNB]Wenger, though, insists Wednesday will not be about any kind of retribution when they return to Manchester.[LNB]"On the day we behaved how you want Arsenal to behave and so I do not see why we should worry about that," he said.[LNB]"What is important is that we focus on our game and do not worry about our opponent too much.[LNB]"Of course you want their strikers to be quiet, but that is more down to the quality of our defenders."[LNB][LNB]
