Vermaelen unruffled by Gunners critics

The Gunners have seen their strength in depth questioned this season, with an untimely injury to Robin van Persie threatening to undermine their entire campaign.The Dutchman's absence has seriously blunted their goal threat, while a spate of other injury concerns has pushed Arsene Wenger's resources to the limit.A couple of lacklustre performances during defeats to Sunderland and Chelsea has seen the Frenchman come under fire, with some beginning to query his transfer policies and over-reliance on youth.Vermaelen, though, accepts that critics are part of modern football and claims the doom-mongers will not be allowed to have an adverse affect on morale around Emirates Stadium.The Belgian centre-half believes Wenger will also have turned a deaf ear to those questioning his ability and is adamant that Arsenal can still force their way back into the Premier League title race."If you're playing for a big club there will always be critics, it's always like that in football, there's no difference to when I played in Ajax," Vermaelen said in the Evening Standard."I don't think the manager cares what they say. We work every day with him and we don't see it. I don't know if he reads everything but I don't think it bothers him."We have to win every game to be at the top. There is a (eight-point) gap between us."

Source: Team_Talk