Wenger Wants To Deliver Champions League To Arsenal

*

With Christmas almost upon us Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hoping he can deliver his own gift to the Gunners, with the Frenchman hoping he can deliver the Champions League to the Premiership club, come next May.

Wenger has won 3 Premier League titles and 4 FA Cups during his 12-years at Arsenal, but Europe’s biggest prize has eluded both the North London club and Wenger throughout their respective histories. The closest either has been to getting their hands on the trophy was in 2006, when Arsenal lost 2-1 to La Liga giants Barcelona in the final, with the Blaugrana coming from behind to beat the 10-man Gunners.

Now Arsenal must negotiate a passage through the last 16, where they meet Serie A side Roma, after the draw was made in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday. Wenger however, is determined to go one step further than 2006 and deliver Arsenal the perfect albeit late Christmas gift next May.

“I want to give that [the Champions League] to my club because not only have I not won it, but the Club have not won it,” said Wenger.

“We were very close in 2006 and lost one game in the whole season in the Champions League which was the Final. We were down to 10 men after 10 minutes [in that game], so we know we can do it.

“It is frustrating but you don’t just turn up and win it because if you see the names who are in the competition, they are all of the top level. They have top investment and it will always be difficult.

“But I believe we have achieved something – a remarkable consistency. In the last six years only four teams in Europe have been in the final 16 and we are one of the four. We have been remarkably consistent.”

Wenger: Gallas Is Not Right Mentally

*

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed that defender William Gallas has still to find the stability in his mind after being stripped of the Gunners captaincy following an outburst in the media.

31-year-old Gallas, who has been heavily linked with a move away from the Emirates stadium in January, has become a cause of concern for Wenger. The Frenchman believes that while the former Chelsea player has regained some form for the Premier League club of late, Gallas has still to get things right mentally.

Wenger said: “On the human level, what happened with William was the most difficult thing I have had to handle in my career because I have a lot of esteem for him.

“He was caught in a media storm, a witch-hunt that isolated him to the point where it became a handicap for the team. He has refound the stability in his game but I am not convinced that, in his mind, he has refound his stability and his joie de vivre.”

Wenger also went on to reveal his disappointment at summer signing Samir Nasri from Marseille, who Wenger feels has had far too many injuries since his £12.7million switch.

Wenger added: “I thought Nasri had the qualities to be, say, a mixture between (Robert) Pires and (Alexander) Hleb. The dribbling of Hleb and the passing, vision and finishing of, Pires.

“His contribution? He has had too many injuries, far too many. It’s perhaps down to the fact he played sooner than I would have liked without being sufficiently ready for the Premier League.”

Comoli: Recent Spurs Results Down To Me Not Redknapp

Former Tottenham Hotspur sporting director Damien Comoli, who was sacked by Spurs along with manager Juande Ramos and coach Gus Poyet last month has insisted that the revival at the North London club under new boss Harry Redknapp is down to the foundations the Frenchman had built at White Hart Lane and not former Portsmouth manager Redknapp.

Comoli was eventually sacked by Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy after a string of blunders in the transfer market since his appointment and has spoken out for the first time since his dismissal at Spurs.

Comoli said: “My time at Tottenham went exceptionally well.

“I had a lot of success. I did a lot of good for the team and left a club in great shape.

“The current results are showing what I did for Tottenham. The team is great and young."

Comoli has also claimed to be in the dark as to why he was shown the exit at Spurs along with Ramos and Poyet.

“I am still asking myself what happened in the end. I don't understand it,” Comoli added.

“I advised the club to take a coach (Ramos) and it went well at first. But when he had problems the club turned on me.

“I am leaving a club with a lot of assets, many, many good players.”

Almunia To Be Shown Emirates Exit As Arsenal Line Up Shock Move For Ligue 1 Keeper?

Arsenal are ready to make a shock January move for goalkeeper Mickael Landreau at Ligue 1 side Paris St Germain, with Gunners manager Arsene Wenger ready to replace current keeper Manuel Almunia, according to reports in France.

29-year-old Landreau has been at PSG since joining from Nantes in 2006 and is considered one of the best keepers in France, with Landreau a penalty-kick specialist, having saved over 30 during his career at Nantes and PSG.

Wenger has been keeping an eye on Landreau since last season, but decided to give Almunia his chance at the Emirates Stadium following the departure of German International Jens Lehmann to VfB Stuttgart in the summer.

However, Wenger is understood to have some concerns over his Spanish keeper after recent performances, with the Frenchman not convinced that Almunia is up to the task in the Premier League for the long-term and has drawn up a list of possible replacements, with the PSG stopper topping it.

Landreau has two-years left to run on his contract at the Parc des Princes and could be available for as little as £2million when the transfer window reopens in January, should Wenger decide to follow up his initial interest in the keeper.

Arsenal's Fabregas: "I'd Love To Be The Captain"

• 
  

Spanish International Cesc Fabregas has revealed that he would “love to be the captain” at Arsenal, with Frenchman William Gallas the man in possession of the armband at the Emirates Stadium at the moment.

21-year-old Fabregas has been at the Gunners since 2003 and is a pivotal figure in Arsene Wenger’s North London side, with the EURO 2008 Winner considered in some quarters to be a better candidate to lead Arsenal than the temperamental former Chelsea player Gallas, who has shown signs of petulance while playing for Arsenal in the past.

However, while Fabregas has designs on leading Arsenal the Spaniard insists his main aim is to help the Premier League club win more trophies and make history, with the former Barcelona youth player adamant that he will continue to give 100% for the Gunners, whether he is given the armband or not.

Fabregas said: “I really want to achieve things with Arsenal — to win trophies and make history. That’s why I’m here.

“I’d love to be the captain, but whether I wear the armband or not, I’ll always give 100 per cent for the Arsenal fans.”