Fabregas backs Gallas

Cesc Fabregas has backed William Gallas to retain the captain's armband at Arsenal next season.

The Frenchman's position is under threat following a bizarre tantrum during the 2-2 draw against Birmingham in February, a game which saw the Gunners' title dreams begin to fade.

Spain international Fabregas admits that Arsenal's dramatic collapse last season was sparked by the St Andrews debacle, but feels that Gallas is still the ideal candidate to lead the club next term.

However, the ambitious 21-year-old did admit that he would relish the responsibility of skippering the side in the future.

"Maybe that is where all our problems started," he told FourFourTwo magazine.

"We had a month-and-a-half after that game where our heads were not right.

"William is a great captain, I really respect him, and the longer he is giving us the benefit of his experience, the better."

Fabregas added: "I've shown I can take that responsibility and if I was made captain I would give even more - I don't know where I'd get that little extra from but I'd try to find it.

"But I'm only 21. Right now I just want to win something for Arsenal."

Fabregas also revealed that Euro 2008 glory with his country has given him a taste for silverware which he hopes will be satisfied during the 2008/09 campaign.

"Before the Euros I didn't know how it felt to win," he said.

"But now that I have experienced it I know what it takes. You need to have tasted it. Look at Chelsea, they hadn't won anything in many years.

"They got experienced players in, won the league and that gave them experience and confidence together and others followed.

"Sometimes that is the key. Everyone said before last season that we weren't even going to finish amongst the top four and we proved them wrong. But we were halted at the gates of success and that's hard. It has to serve as a lesson this season."

The young Spaniard also has complete faith in Arsene Wenger's transfer policy of buying potential, as opposed to the finished article.

"We sign what we need," he said.

"Sometimes teams pay a fortune for a player with experience, who knows how to win, who at key moments can win you a game - and that's important.

"But at Arsenal there's a different policy and we have to respect that.

"The day we win something with these players, with this policy, this atmosphere and style, there will be a big change - almost a revelation.

"People tell me that we are on course to do that, but we need that stepping stone of winning something, of knowing how to win."

Wenger is set to hand Gallas a second chance as Arsenal skipper

Arsene Wenger is set to hand William Gallas a second chance as Arsenal skipper – just to keep him at the club.

The Gunners boss has spent the summer contemplating whether to take the armband off his French defender and give it to either Cesc Fabregas or Kolo Toure.

But although he has yet to confirm his final decision it seems that Wenger will choose to ignore the demands from Arsenal fans and officials to replace Gallas.

And the Arsenal manager’s mind was made up last week amid news Paris St Germain want to add Gallas to their ranks.

The French club are waiting in the background and ready to pounce at the first sign of unrest from Gallas.

And Wenger can ill afford to upset the centre-half and risk losing him so close to the start of the Premier League season.

When asked about interest in Gallas at the unveiling of new signing Claude Makelele from Chelsea, PSG president Charles Villeneuve said: “We would be happy to be given a ring by William Gallas, very pleased. But for the moment there is no news.”

The issue of Gallas’ leadership has been under the spotlight ever since he lost his rag at Birmingham in February after a last-gasp penalty denied Arsenal victory and led to his bizarre one-man protest in the centre circle.

Despite Wenger publicly defending the former Chelsea star’s actions at the time, privately he gave him a severe dressing down and warned him his position as captain was under review.

A significant number of Arsenal fans have voiced their view that Gallas should be stripped of the captaincy in favour of Ivory Coast star Toure, while the matter has also been debated at recent board meetings.

But, while viewing Fabregas as the ideal long-term solution, Wenger is concerned the Spanish superstar, at just 22, is still too young.

And Toure facing a race against time to be fit for August 16 after falling ill with malaria, Wenger has no option but to stick with Gallas.

However, the temperamental ace, who turns 31 next month, has been told that if he steps out of line again he will lose the job with immediate effect.

Wenger - Don't make Gallas a scapegoat

Arsène Wenger has dismissed suggestions that William Gallas' captaincy contributed to Arsenal's downfall this season.

The French defender succeeded Thierry Henry as skipper last summer and guided his team to the top of the Premier League table. However, Gallas was criticised after his angry reaction to a last-minute penalty conceded at Birmingham in February as Arsenal dropped two crucial points in the title race.

Wenger admits that Gallas' behaviour was wrong. However, speaking at this week's shareholders Q&A, the Arsenal manager insisted that his compatriot was not to blame for Arsenal's failure to land a trophy.

"I don't share the view that Gallas is a bad captain," said Wenger. "I think he is a captain who is very committed and tries to work hard for the team.

"He had an outburst at Birmingham but I still believe today that, even if that was a mistake, that was not why we did not win the championship. That would be too easy as an excuse because there are other incidents. That would be a cheap excuse.

"At the time [of the Birmingham game] we were five points in front and everybody has been praising his captaincy. I believe we all make mistakes and we had to come back as a unit and try to win the championship."

Wenger refused to be drawn on whether Gallas will captain the Club next season. "It [the captaincy issue] has been raised by a lot of newspapers but I must say I have not looked at the situation yet," he said.

"My priority is to keep this team together and then we will see where we go for next season."

Fabregas - We will win trophies

Cesc Fabregas is adamant that Arsenal will get their hands on some silverware next season.

The Gunners appeared to be well on course for a successful campaign this time around, but have seen their season crumble over the last few months to leave them empty-handed and frustrated.

However, the experience has made the squad even more determined to emerge triumphant next year, and Fabregas is confident that the Gunners will be a force to be reckoned with during the 2008/09 campaign.

"What matters at the end of the day is a trophy," said the Spaniard.

"We didn't win one this season but we will be up for it next season.

"I think we will win something, of course."

Fabregas was speaking in the aftermath of being named PFA Young Player of the Year, an award that he is keen to dedicate to the hard work of manager Arsene Wenger, the man who has nurtured his development into a world-class talent.

"I've always said that I'm grateful for what he did for me and what he is still doing for me and this club," he said.

"He has great scouts around the world watching and he is intuitive about his players. He has the smell for who will become a very good player and a good person."

Fabregas' rise to prominence has seen him signalled out as a potential Arsenal captain of the future, a role which he could be handed sooner than expected if the rumours suggesting that William Gallas' reign as skipper may soon be over prove to be true.

The midfielder refused to comment on the speculation that he may be thrown the armband at the start of next season, and insists that Gallas' experience marks him out as the ideal man to continue leading the side.

"I don't know. This is not in my hands, it is the boss that decides that," he said.

"You have to respect William for what he has done in football and what he is doing now, for me he is doing a good job.

"For me, the most important thing is giving everything on the pitch, that is what really matters to me."

Gallas: Arsenal captaincy criticism unfair

Gallas was criticised for his behaviour during Arsenal's 2-2 draw at Birmingham in February, when he walked away from his team mates and stood in the other half of the pitch in a fit of pique after the home side were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.

It was in the same match that striker Eduardo suffered a broken leg following a tackle by Martin Taylor.

Gallas said: "They (the media) can say what they want...they will not bring me down, I'm stronger than that.

"It makes me mad because I don't think (what happened in Birmingham) was our problem.

"How can you summarise our season with that thing at Birmingham? That is not why we stopped winning matches."

Gallas has also been credited withcriticising the development of Theo Walcott, despite the teenager making some fine cameos from the bench this year.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said he will review the situation in the summer, and the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Kolo Toure have been linked with the role.

Toure said: "I would be really, really proud to be captain. I am now one of the oldest players in the squad so naturally I feel like a captain and it doesn't matter if I have the armband or not.

"It is a decision for the manager and he is the only one who can make it.

"Gallas was really good for us at the start of the season. But then after this Birmingham game he made a mistake, he knows that and we all tried to bring him back to the team and he came back well. But when you make a mistake it is difficult after that, it was a really important part of our season."

Gallas makes Gunners plea

Arsenal skipper William Gallas has pleaded with his team-mates to stay at Emirates Stadium.

The likes of Cesc Fabregas, Alexander Hleb and Mathieu Flamini have all been linked with moves away from North London after another season without silverware.

Gallas is keen to see the squad stick together after pushing for the title this season and is confident they can improve next season.

"For next season we want all the players to stay here," Gallas told The Sun.

"It would be good if we can keep this group together because we know each other very well and we know what we can do.

"We came very close to winning something this year, but you get nothing for being close.

"We want to get second place and to finish the season strongly, by winning every game."

Gallas has been criticised as Arsenal's bid for the Premier League and UEFA Champions League has fallen by the wayside in recent weeks, but the Frenchman says no individual is to blame for Arsenal's failure

"In the last few months we've not defended well as a team. It's not about individuals," concluded Gallas.

Wenger uncertain who will lead Arsenal next season

At his press conference on Friday, Wenger was asked directly if Gallas would be leading the team out next season. He refused to commit either way but praised the 30-year-old for his efforts and said a decision would be made after reflection in the summer.

"I cannot answer that question at the moment," said the 58-year-old. "I want to analyse the season after it has finished. At the moment he will be my captain until the end of the season.

"I believe he has learned a lot this year and I can only say that his commitment and desire to do well was exceptional. For the rest, I wouldn't like to go into any individual assessment at the moment.

"I made that decision and I have to stand up for that decision, I have to protect the team and the individuals as well at the moment. They get criticised and maybe we deserve critics at the moment.

"But, overall, the team has made good progress this year and the most important thing is we finish well now."

William Gallas: Arsenal must learn to win ugly

"If winning isn't everything," Vince Lombardi, perhaps American football's greatest coach, once asked, "then why do they keep the score?"


It is the kind of question they should be asking this morning at Arsenal's training ground as a third season ends with applause but without trophies.

Gallas came to the Emirates from a very different football culture. The Chelsea of Jose Mourinho won two championships to muted applause.

Gallas argued there were two reasons why Arsenal fell short this season. They were unlucky. Their fate in the Champions League was decided by two penalty appeals and they had little fortune at Old Trafford, where Gallas conceded a penalty three minutes after Emmanuel Adebayor had secured what should have been a precious lead.

Gallas admitted it was handball; when he said it was unlucky he meant they were undone by an unfortunate bounce of a ball.

"People have to understand that it is not just about playing well, you have to have the luck," Gallas said. "If it is not there, you will not win anything. For us, the luck went months ago; we drew too many games at home and lost some important points away and Manchester United may have been a little bit lucky against us."

Perhaps. But those sportsmen who have devoted their lives to winning - the Vince Lombardis, the Alex Fergusons and the Alan Hansens - would call conceding goals at Liverpool and United so soon after taking a lead sloppy rather than unlucky.

Gallas also admitted that Arsenal lacked the ability to recover from setbacks - something Ferguson's teams have always prided themselves on. "After they equalised, we were a little bit down and they took confidence from that. In the last few months it has been difficult for us to react well after conceding a goal. Our heads go down very quickly.

"When the season started we were not like this. Recently, after we conceded a goal, we have been in trouble."

Meanwhile, Adebayor has no doubt Arsenal will end their trophy drought next season. He said: "Arsene is a great man and a great manager. He has a vision to bring a lot of good players to this club, like Alex Hleb, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue, Cesc Fabregas and William Gallas.

''They are his players. So, for sure, we will win something, no doubt about that."

Arsenal style earns scant reward

On 11 February, Arsenal sat at the top of the Premier League with a five-point lead over Manchester United, while Chelsea were a further three points adrift.

And the Gunners had got there in style.

But nine weeks later, only the sense of style remains. Arsenal's lead has turned into a nine-point deficit and their 2-1 loss at Manchester United on Sunday has taken Sir Alex Ferguson's side to the brink of the title.

And in the Champions League, the delight which followed Arsenal's superb victory over AC Milan has long since given way to the pain of their quarter-final defeat by Liverpool.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes a combination of bad luck, poor refereeing decisions and injuries are to blame.

But is Wenger's judgement beginning to look a little impaired after three seasons without a trophy? And what needs to be done to prevent the barren spell continuing?

HOW HAS A FIVE-POINT LEAD TURNED INTO A NINE-POINT DEFICIT?

When Thierry Henry, then Arsenal's talismanic captain, was sold to Barcelona in the summer of 2007, few gave Wenger's young charges any hope of challenging for major honours.

But the low expectations appeared to lift any pressure.

Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie filled the void left by Henry in attack, and a run of 15 wins and two draws in all competitions had the purists purring and Arsenal in control.

But a 5-1 drubbing by Tottenham in the Carling Cup semi-final second-leg in January hinted at problems - not least when Adebayor and 20-year-old Nicklas Bendtner were involved in an ugly on-field confrontation.

Admittedly, Arsenal had fielded a weakened side but a heavy defeat by such bitter rivals seemed to have a significant impact.

Wenger named another under-strength team to face Man Utd away in the FA Cup, and saw his side soundly thrashed 4-0. Although Wenger claimed that the domestic cups were not Arsenal's priority, serious damage was done.

If that setback was mainly psychological, there was, sadly, physical damage to come when in-form striker Eduardo da Silva suffered a broken leg at Birmingham.

The Gunners were clearly shaken by the horrific injury and squandered a number of glorious opportunities before conceding an equaliser at the death to draw 2-2 at St Andrews.

It was a turning point in the season. Arsenal have won just two of their last 13 games in all competitions since.

They have seen leads turn into draws or defeats on five of those occasions and struggled against teams they had were expected to beat such as Aston Villa, Wigan and Middlesbrough.

IS THE SQUAD STRONG ENOUGH?

There is no doubt Arsenal have suffered injury problems.

Van Persie and Tomas Rosicky have been out for most of the season, and when Eduardo also got injured there was little back-up for Arsenal's forward line.

The previously excellent Adebayor began to tire, Bendtner has failed to really convince he has enough quality, while Theo Walcott has been preferred as an impact substitute.

So should Arsenal have been in the market for Nicolas Anelka, who joined Chelsea for £15m from Bolton in January?

At the back, Arsenal developed a deep vulnerability. Losing the excellent Bacary Sagna to injury was a blow, but did Wenger make the right decision in moving Kolo Toure from centre-back to right-back?

Philippe Senderos came in to the centre, and he has suffered a torrid time.

Then Arsenal lost Mathieu Flamini, arguably Arsenal's most consistent performer, when he picked up an injury during the Champions League quarter-final second-leg at Anfield.

He was replaced by Gilberto Silva, but the Brazilian looks a shadow of the player he was last season, and is almost certain to leave in the summer.

Cesc Fabregas has appeared burdened by expectation and workload, and in need of a rest. But again, it seemed there was no suitable replacement, so the youngster was forced to play on.

Rather than enhancing his squad in January, Wenger actually reduced the numbers by agreeing to let highly rated midfielder Lassana Diarra, signed from Chelsea the previous summer, leave for Portsmouth.

Wenger insisted his squad was strong enough to maintain its challenge for silverware but results have proved him wrong.

The Frenchman is adamant he will sign only one experienced player before next season gets underway, despite pressure from supporters and the media to bring in new faces.

Can that really be enough?

MIGHT ARSENAL LOSE KEY PLAYERS THIS SUMMER?

The 38-year-old Jens Lehmann is no longer the first-choice keeper and has repeatedly criticised rival Manuel Almunia in public. Having almost rejoined Borussia Dortmund in January and recently spoken out against Wenger, he is widely expected to leave.

Senderos is error-prone and his performance against Liverpool in the Champions League is reported to have left him in tears and unable to take his place in the squad for Old Trafford.

The all-important Fabregas, still just 20, is set to be keenly pursued by both Real Madrid and Barcelona this summer but he is tied to a long-term contract. Arsenal are sure to refuse all approaches.

Having allegedly met Inter Milan officials the day before Arsenal's win against AC Milan, midfielder Alexander Hleb is said to be a serious target for the Italian giants, while Flamini's contract expires in the summer.

The aging Lehmann and Gilberto aside, the loss of any of these players would pose a massive problem for Wenger.

And who is to say they may not be tempted to ply their trade at another club, even if it might mean playing a slightly less beautiful game?

Van Persie has gone on record as saying "we are like 11 actors, we have to give enjoyment to people buying a ticket".

But some of his team-mates may rate silverware more highly.

HAS WENGER GOT KEY DECISIONS WRONG?

Wenger has conceded he probably should have made signings in January, and it is fair to say that no-one could have foreseen Arsenal's injury crisis.

But, along with the Wenger's questionable deployment of Toure at full-back, some may feel he has erred in his selection of Gallas as captain.

The French international has sometimes fallen short of being a leader, most notably when he abandoned his team-mates to sit in the Birmingham half when his side faced a penalty. After the same match, he refused to leave the pitch.

Gallas also claimed he has no friends at the club and he certainly won few among the fans for his display on a day when Arsenal's youngsters were desperate for guidance.

Wenger says a team is modelled in its manager's image. And there is much to admire - the flair, ability and their commendable commitment to attacking football.

But are they - and ultimately Wenger - sometimes psychologically fragile and prone to being overwhelmed by a sense of injustice?

Yes, there have been dubious penalty decisions which went against Arsenal in the Champions League, plus a lengthy injury list.

The line between success and failure can be very fine indeed. But perhaps cracks have appeared at Arsenal that need more than papering over.

And maybe - in contrast to Wenger's opinion, and despite the side's many moments of brilliance - this current crop at Arsenal are actually just not quite good enough.

Source:BBC

Dixon attacks Gallas leadership

Lee Dixon has hit out at William Gallas and accused the Arsenal captain of lacking leadership qualities.

The Gunners have suffered a dramatic end-of-season collapse winning only one of their last eight Premier League games and crashing out of Europe.

“I know for a fact that morale in the dressing-room went down after the Birmingham game,” Dixon said in The Times.

“Players were looking at the captain and asking 'What is he doing?' He wasn't acting like a leader and hasn't done for much of the season.

“Real captains cannot let their emotions take over, never ever, as they should always be thinking of their team-mates and leading by example.

“Gallas doesn't appear capable of doing that.”

Morale is low for Gallas

Arsenal captain William Gallas has revealed his devastation about The Gunners’ dire run of form.

The Gunners have slipped off the pace in the league and were sent crashing out of the Champions League by Liverpool on Wednesday.

The French centre back claims Arsenal have overachieved in making strong challenges in Europe and on the domestic scene, but admits that having led the way for such a long spell their poor run feels like a failure.

“The morale is very low,” he told The Times. “Now it will be hard to bounce back.

“Nobody expected much from us at the start of the season and we have overachieved, but when you get this far, it still hurts.”

Gallas: We Must Wait For Our Anfield Chance

Arsenal skipper William Gallas anticipates an uphill struggle against defensive Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday evening, but he believes that his side are capable of grabbing that vital away goal.

The French ace told UEFA.com, "We can do it but we know it will be really, really difficult for us because their supporters will be behind them. We know Anfield and it will be difficult to play there so we have to be strong."

Arsenal and the Reds have fought out consecutive 1-1 draws both in Europe and the Premier League over the last week, giving Gallas plenty of food for thought.

"They are a different proposition in the Champions League," he warned.

"They are more compact, they open up less and they keep their shape well as they showed [in the first leg]. We will have to be patient but as soon as we get a chance, give everything. We mustn't drop our heads even if we have let in a goal."

Away games shouldn't hold much fear for the side that defeated AC Milan 2-0 at the mighty San Siro, but Gallas feels that Liverpool have an ace up their sleeve.

He mused, "Against Milan we pressed them very high and played very quick but against Liverpool that will be difficult because [in England] we play this way every weekend so they will be ready. It's like playing a league game.

"Against Milan it was different, we were able to impose our style of play and I think the Milanese were a bit surprised.

"It will be very, very difficult because they will want to stay in place, it will be up to us to take the game to them. I think all the boys are ready for the big fight because it is a big fight. We have to enjoy it, play our football and try to beat them."

The captain doesn't fit

Shaun Custis feels Arsene Wenger's decision to appoint William Gallas as captain is one of the reasons why Arsenal's title bid has faltered.

He told The Supplement: "One of the problems Arsenal have had in this part of the season is that there seems to have been a bit of disunity in the ranks.

"William Gallas went and sat at the other end of the pitch against Birmingham and a few players didn't like the way he behaved.

"There was also the Adebayor bust-up with Bendtner and, again, Wenger said he didn't see it and it was no big deal.

"Actually, I think we've seen some real disunity in the ranks at Arsenal for the first time, which is so unlike them.

"Usually Wenger's got a handle on this and I wonder if it's because not all the players are respecting Gallas as a captain.

Full Article can be read here.

There's no more second chances as Gunners skipper Gallas orders six wins from the last six

For most of this season Arsenal were playing their cards right in the Premier League but captain William Gallas admits the club have no more jokers to play in the title race.

The victory over Bolton last week gave the Gunners renewed hope after going five games without a win. Manchester United's triumph over Aston Villa later the same day, though, meant Arsenal are still six points behind with just six games to go.

He said: "What is clear is that we have to win every game — we don't have any more 'jokers' in our pack. We had a lead at the top of the League, so we were allowed maybe one joker, but we have used that now so we can't slip up again.

"We played well against Chelsea, but we were not strong enough in defence and conceded two goals. In the last three or four games the squad has not been feeling the same as it was and in those games we couldn't find the answers. We have been trying for the answers but nothing came so at Bolton it was fantastic to win again. "We wanted to get the victory to stay behind Manchester United and Chelsea. We knew it was important to win at Bolton and you could see how motivated all the players were. How important the result will be we don't know yet. We will only see at the end of the season."

Gallas has also welcomed the support of Wenger after coming under fire for his form and style of captaincy, but insists it will count for nothing if the club end the season without a trophy.

He said: "I try to do my best for the team and the club and I'm happy the manager is supporting me. I will give everything until the end because the season is not finished yet. I will be happy at the end of the season, but only if we have won something."

Meanwhile, Cesc Fabregas has vowed he won't change his style of play despite being one booking away from a two-game suspension that could damage Arsenal's hopes in the title race.

Fabregas picked up his ninth yellow card of the season at Bolton last week and will trigger a ban if he reaches double figures. The Spanish international only has to stay out of trouble in the next two League games because the 10-yellow card rule no longer applies after 13 April.

But those matches are against Liverpool and Manchester United and Fabregas says he can't let it affect him.

He said: "I know one more booking will get me a two match ban, but football is football and I can't change the way I play. Whatever has to happen will happen.

"I know I have to be more intelligent about tackles but that's it, you can't think too much about it."

Gallas - Gunners can do it

William Gallas feels Arsenal have the perfect opportunity to show their quality in their UEFA Champions League second leg against Liverpool.


The first leg of the quarter-final at Emirates Stadium finished 1-1 after Emmanuel Adebayor's goal was cancelled out by Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt.


"We know that it will be difficult, we know that they will be strong and we know the supporters will be behind them, so that will be the opportunity to show everybody how good we can be," Gallas told Sky Sports News.


Cesc Fabregas also acknowledged the difficulty facing Arsenal, but the Spanish midfielder insists the pressure is still on both clubs.

"There are still 90 minutes to play," said Fabregas. "We know what we can do and we know what it is to play at Anfield.

"It will be tough, it will be difficult, but the pressure is still there for both of us."

Arsenal pressed for a second goal after half-time and were unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty when Kuyt pulled back Alexander Hleb.

Kolo Toure, playing at right-back in the absence of the injured Bacary Sagna, admits the Gunners were wary about pushing too hard for a winner.

The Ivorian said: "It is always difficult because you don't know if you have to push or to wait because you don't want to concede a goal as it would be really difficult for the second game.

"We didn't know if we have to go for one or don't concede a goal."

Gunners duo ready for Reds tests

William Gallas and Cesc Fabregas are looking forward to their upcoming three-game saga with Liverpool as Arsenal’s season heads for a make-or-break weak.

Arsene Wenger’s men kept their Premier League title hopes alive with a superb comeback to beat Bolton Wanderers 3-2 on Saturday having trailed 2-0 at half-time and Gallas feels that game will stand them in great stead as they embark on their treble against The Reds.

"I think the confidence has been restored after a victory like this,” The Gunners’ skipper told Arsenal TV. “Maybe something has come back to us and we have to keep it.

"The next game is against Liverpool in another competition, but we know we can do what the boss will ask. We know it will be difficult, but we have to keep it going. We are back on track.

"I think we need to relax with our families and will think about the next game on Wednesday.

"We played with ten men and we need to relax. I go back to see my family and play with my son. I will eat the good food and everyone will be ready."

Gallas hailed the influence of manager Arsene Wenger in Saturday’s comeback, saying his fellow Frenchman was inspirational at half-time. He added: “The boss said we can do it and not to give up. Congratulations to everyone because it was not easy.

"When you feel down you need someone who can bring you up. The boss is always positive and said we can do it. We have nothing to lose and go back on the pitch and fight. Have no regrets.

"We just have to think about ourselves and try to win every game. We know we are still in the race. It will not be easy to do it, but we will see what happens."


Gallas’ team-mate Fabregas knows that the French defender and his back line colleagues will have a job on their hands trying to curtail Liverpool’s in-form hit-man and Fabregas' international colleague Fernando Torres.

Fabregas met up with Torres on international duty last week and said: “He said that he will score a goal, but I preferred to remain quiet, wait and speak later on the pitch.”

The 20-year-old added in The Times: “When a player comes to England, one can doubt whether he will settle, but Torres is doing fantastically well.

“In these three games we will know the outcome of our season. The Champions League is of great importance. Liverpool have made it to the final twice in the last three years and know very well how to play these type of matches.”

Bolton V Arsenal

Bolton 2- 3 Arsenal

Bolton

Taylor 14' 43'

Arsenal

Diaby sent off 30'
Gallas 62'
van Persie(pen) 68'
Samuel(og) 90+1'

Extras

Van persie miss

Full time celebrations

Highlights

MOTD highlights

MOTD interview and analysis




Remarkable come back from the Gunners. Trailing by 2 goals to nil, having a man sent off after just 30 min, against our all time bogey team is just superb.

I do think we have turned the corner and are back on the climb in the title race. Truely remarkable performance from the in the 2nd half, after showing no conviction in the first half!
I think we deserved the 3 points for the 2nd half performance alone.


Match report here

Match stats and ratings here

Wengers post match comments here

Matt Le Tissier thoughts here

Wenger backs Gallas to bounce back

Gallas remains the right leader, according to his countryman, and is backed to lead the club out of their worst form for nine years.

"William has my full support and my full backing and I am completely behind him, and behind the team as well," Wenger said.

"We are going through a bad patch, I agree with you, but we want to come back and win the games again that we can win.

"I believe at the moment when you don't go well, everybody is analysed a little bit more, with scrutiny.

"But what we want to do is perform well as a team again and we know we can do that.

"On Sunday, for example, we played okay, but we have to improve. Recently what punished us a lot is that defensively we have made big mistakes."

Gallas also created headline with comments he made about Walcott in the press recently, but Wenger insists that his remarks were flattering if anything until spun out of context.

"He said Walcott could be the next Wayne Rooney, but he has to work," Gallas added. "What is wrong with that? You want at 18 years of age to not work? It's unbelievable.

"I read it really carefully, it didn't say anything wrong on that. After the way it has been turned, yes.

"If you want to win the World Cup you have to accept that your players are highly exposed, you have to accept that you have to work.

"Is it an insult to say somebody has to work? I don't know, I don't think so."

Gallas issues rallying call

William Gallas accepts that Arsenal face an uphill battle to win the Premier League but insists the Gunners are still capable of winning the title.

"We can still win it. It is not finished yet, so we have to believe," Gallas told Arsenal TV Online.

"It will be difficult for us to come back because Manchester United now have six points (on Arsenal) - but we have to. We must play until the end of the season and then see.

"Maybe they can drop some points because of the Champions League - they can be tired, Chelsea too. We have to give everything until the end."

Sunday's defeat was only Arsenal's second in the league this season and Gallas insists the Gunners should not be disheartened having been on top at Stamford Bridge before Didier Drogba struck twice late on.

"Why do we have to be down?" asked Gallas. "Football is like this. You never know. You can be back. They can lose some points.

"We have to be ready for the next game and do not give up.

"We made some mistakes (against Chelsea), and sometimes it is difficult to understand. Normally we do not do things like this," he added.

"But if you do not have the luck, it is not easy.

"Maybe we deserved to win because before they scored we controlled the game. After their goal, we went down."

Gallas spells it out to faltering Gunners

Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough saw United remain top on goal difference but with a game in hand, and Gallas believes The Gunners must show their inner resolve if they are to win their first title since 2004.

“I’ll tell you why there was a difference between the win in Milan and our next game,” said Gallas in The Sun. “It was in the head.

"It is human nature that after a huge game in Europe it is difficult to find the same level motivation for the following game.

“In fact what we needed was an even higher level than we had in Milan. We all have to understand that, and we have to understand it quickly because time is running out for us this season.

“We need to understand what it takes to become champions if we want that trophy.

“If you look at the table now, I’m not saying we’re in trouble but we have lost our lead. So from now on we just have to think about ourselves, not look at the table any more. And we have to win every game.

“We need to have a high level of motivation from now until the end of the season. We have to give 200 percent.”

Arsenal still have to visit Chelsea and Manchester United in the league so in a sense, their destiny is still in their hands as eight victories would no doubt see them lift the Premier League trophy come May.

Manager Arsene Wenger has a real job on his hands to lift his players though after admitting that the atmosphere in the dressing room following the Boro draw was funereal.

“There was a big disappointment in the dressing-room,” Wenger said. “It was like a defeat.

“It is the flattest I have seen them after a game. We need to win the games now. We can do it, but first we want to turn our form around again, lift the spirits and focus on the next one.

“It will be very interesting on Sunday because we go to Chelsea and Manchester United play Liverpool as well, so we will have a better idea next Sunday night as to what will happen until the end of the season.”

Source:setanta