It’s all very well beating Dynamo Kiev in front of your own fans, although the Ukrainian team arrived at the Emirates on a mission to defend in numbers and they very nearly held the Gunners to a goalless draw. Nevertheless, the Arsenal manager has hailed his players and claims that his team are on the road to recovery.
The Guardian reports that Arsene Wenger admits this was a solid performance, rather than some of the spectacular displays we have become accustomed to witnessing from his side over the years. The Frenchman is clearly relieved to have stopped the rot after successive defeats in the Premier League, although a stern test awaits them at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
“This is the first step for us,” said Wenger. “It was what the team needs. We needed some reassurance, and this will give us that.
“We left it late, and it was more a steady than spectacular performance, but it was important to win a game again. Kiev defended well. Up to now, they had not conceded a goal away from home, and you could see why. They kept it tight, and Manuel Almunia’s save [from Artem Milevskiy] was the turning point. He made it at the right moment.”
Mr Almunia might be called upon to make more than one great save if Arsenal are going to get anything from their match against Chelsea on Sunday, do you think that the Gunners can land a win at the Bridge against all the odds? It appears as though William Gallas is willing to get stuck in for the Gunners, despite being shorn of the captaincy, but are his team really on the comeback trail?
Discuss the latest transfer gossip at the Brand New COS forum!