all about arsenal http://highlight-football.adultforumhost.com/ Sun, 22 Feb 2009 09:30:01 +0000 AdultForumHost http://highlight-football.adultforumhost.com/54964.html Despite a bright debut from Russian playmaker Andrey Arshavin, Arsenal failed to break Sunderland down and missed the chance to make up ground on Aston Villa, who lost earlier in the day at Chelsea. It was a third consecutive goalless draw for Arsenal in the Premier League, and although it stretched their unbeaten run to 13 matches (12 in the League), draws are no longer much good to the Gunners, who need to get back into the top four to clinch another Champions League qualification.After their latest frustrating afternoon, in which Arshavin and Robin van Persie went close, Kolo Toure had a header cleared off the line and substitute Carlos Vela twice fired wide when well-placed, manager Arsene Wenger reflected, "They tried to frustrate us and did that. We missed chances early and late in the game and we became nervous in front of goal."The attitude is very good among the players but in the final third we are not as efficient as we could be. Our passing is sometimes not incisive enough. Maybe the strikers are not alerted quickly enough. We were not quick or relaxed enough and, overall, it's difficult."Teams come here and play just one colossus up front and we have got to learn to cope with that."Nevertheless Wenger is still maintaining that Arsenal can qualify for a 13th consecutive campaign in the Champions League."We are six points behind Villa, but there is still a long way to go. We are not sitting here with just three games left," said the Frenchman, who now turns his attention to the European assignment with Roma on Tuesday night."Villa have difficult fixtures and we can come back. We also want to go as far as we can in the Champions League."Arshavin was withdrawn just after the hour mark as he continues to work on his match fitness after a few months on inactivity between the end of the Russian season and his transfer deadline day arrival in north London from Zenit St Petersburg.He nearly made the perfect start with a low drive from distance that flew narrowly wide, and later forced a good save from Sunderland keeper Marton Fulop with another impressive drive.Wenger is sure Arshavin will prove a good addition to his squad, saying, "Arshavin showed in glimpses that he has talent and he will be a player."He has shown as well he is not ready physically, but that will come. You could see if he was more on the ball, he can affect the game."You feel something will happen in the final third when he has the ball and he could have scored two goals in the first half."I see him playing everywhere around the strikers." Sun, 22 Feb 2009 09:06:07 +0000