Arsenal manager calls for calm after being a step closer to their first silverware since 2005
The legendary manager of Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, claims that his team still has to work hard in order to earn their first trophy after five years. Arsenal defeated Wigan Athletic last night by two goals and booked a place in the semi-finals of the Carling
Cup. Arsenal have reached the semi-final of a League Cup after 3 years. Last time, Arsenal played against their arch rivals Tottenham Hotspurs and lost the match by three goals.
Arsenal had several good chances in the starting minutes of the match but failed to conceptualize them. The skipper of Wigan Athletic, Antolin Alcaraz, who gifted the Gunners a lead by scoring an own goal on the stroke of half-time.
Moreover, Wigan Athletic lost their talismanic player, Victor Moses, after he sustained a shoulder injury in the first half. But Nicklas Bendtner’s close range effort in the second half sealed Arsenal’s place in the semi-final of the League Cup.
While on the other side, the Carling Cup holders, Manchester United also lost to West Ham United by four goals which now leaves Arsene Wenger and his men as hot favourites for winning the Carling Cup.
However, Wenger insisted "You have seen it in the Premier League, and tonight with West Ham, it can happen to Manchester United, to Chelsea and to us this season. We have to accept there are no guarantees, even if we are in the semi-finals, that we will
win the trophy - you have to fight in every single game to win."
Furthermore, Arsenal manager made several changes for last night’s Carling Cup quarter-final against Wigan Athletic. Arsene Wenger made nine changes in his squad which includes the likes of Theo Walcott, Robin Van Persie, Carlos Vela, Nicklas Bendtner, Djourou,
Eboue, Sczenzy.
The gaffe of Arsenal felt his team performed extremely well and completed the job efficiently. Arsene Wenger said: "We are in the semi-final, and did the job on a cold night when we did not give chances away."
The Gunners manager added that he wanted his team to qualify in order to give some playing time to his young players.
Moreover, it was Robin Van Persie’s first start since the ankle injury which he suffered in August against Blackburn Rovers. While commenting on Robin Van Persie’s return, Arsene Wenger said that Robin played outstandingly but the Dutch forward was still
in need of more playing time. Robin Van Persie did get to play seventy minutes and in that span of time he was an outstanding performer. The Dutch forward assisted Carlos Vela twice with his exceptional ‘back heel’ but Vela failed to convert Robin Van Persie’s
trickery into a goal.
Arsenal’s talismanic skippers, Cesc Fabregas is still out of action because of his hamstring injury which Cesc suffered during a defeat against Sporting Braga last week. Arsenal has a very important next month as their title fate is likely to be decided
in December. Arsenal will visit Old Trafford on December 13th for the Premier League fixture and Cesc Fabregas is unlikely to play against Manchester United. While talking about Fabregas’ injury, Arsene Wenger said that he is unsure about Fabregas’
injury and it would take three more days in order to decide whether he would play against Manchester United or not.
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