• Premier League

Arsenal are back - Wenger

ESPNsoccernet staff
October 31, 2011
Arsene Wenger has guided Arsenal to eight wins in their past nine games © PA Photos
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Arsenal's stunning 5-3 victory over rivals Chelsea proves that Arsenal are back as a Premier League force, according to manager Arsene Wenger.

Chelsea led the London derby 2-1 at half time but an impressive attacking display after the interval saw Arsenal score four goals and record their first away win in the top flight this campaign.

Robin van Persie stole the headlines with a hat-trick to maintain his formidable scoring record in 2011 - 28 in 27 Premier League games - but notable showings from Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey and Gervinho, convinced Wenger that Arsenal are starting to gel as a unit.

After the high-profile departures of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal's tough start to the season culminated in an 8-2 thrashing at Old Trafford but since then the club have won eight games out of nine and now sit seventh in the table.

Wenger, whose side play Marseille on Tuesday, is glad that to see that his men have put their rotten start to bed. "If you have gone through what we have gone through since the start of the season, it's reassuring for me,'' he said.

"The players have suffered, but that shows the belief and spirit is back. T he spirit is great and all this together explains why the players reacted like that (after the final whistle). The spirit is strong and you feel that in the dressing room. The players are determined together and they want to play like we did against Chelsea. That encourages us to believe that we have the quality.''

The Gunners' upturn in form has been largely down to the form of captain Van Persie. The striker tapped home Gervinho's pass to score Arsenal's first on Saturday before he wrapped up the win with two goals towards the end after Chelsea had pulled the score back to 3-3 in a thrilling game in west London.

Van Persie has scored 12 goals for his club this season - a remarkable achievement which Wenger was quick to hail. "He has exceptional class. He has scored 28 goals in 27 games in 2011,'' the Frenchman said. "There are many factors why he is in such good form. He has experience, he is top quality and he's at the right age as well.

"When you get to 27 or 28 you start to analyse quickly the weaknesses of the defenders around you, and you know how to take advantage of them and you also know how to take advantage of your team-mates around you. His intelligence of movement is exceptional and his confidence at the moment is so high that he takes advantage of every situation. The captaincy has contributed to his form as well.''

Despite Van Persie's heroics, and a wonder strike from Juan Mata that levelled the scores at 3-3 with 10 minutes left, the goal of the game came from Walcott. With England manager Fabio Capello watching from the stands, the winger picked himself up after slipping in a challenge and burst past three more Chelsea players with exceptionally quick feet before slotting past Petr Cech.

Walcott has come under fire from some sections of the Arsenal support at times this season for his performances, but Wenger thinks the former Southampton winger is now back to his best.

"He has been struggling for us because we make him work very hard and I believe that he has become a more complete player,'' Wenger said. "He is not a liability any more defensively. He does his defensive job. At the start he got heavy legs when he went to win the ball back but now he is getting used to it. He does the job defensively and he is still dangerous going forward.''

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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