Wenger: Bemoans international schedule
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes the current international break will hamper his side's recovery from defeat to Aston Villa.
The Gunners were stunned 2-0 at Emirates Stadium at the weekend to add to a disappointing campaign, in which they have also lost to Fulham, Hull and Stoke.
And Wenger - who takes his team to Manchester City on Saturday - now admits that he would rather his players remained in North London than represent their countries.
Wenger is eager to boost his players' spirits, but the Frenchman is unable to do so because some members of his squad have reported for international duty.
"It is frustrating we can't pick them up because of the international week," he told Arsenal's official website.
"At some stage, we would have liked to focus on something different then come back and re-focus again."

Latest Sky Sports News Report
Wigan 1-1 Fulham - Martinez
Wigan 1-1 Fulham - Hodgson
Hull 2-1 Stoke - Horton
Hull 2-1 Stoke - Pulis
Hull 2-1 Stoke - Bullard
Tottenham v Sunderland - 2nd Half
Blackburn v Portsmouth - 1st Half
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Sunday 8th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Hull vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Everton |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Fulham |
| 16:00 | Chelsea vs Man Utd |
| Monday 9th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Liverpool vs Birmingham |
| Saturday 21st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Liverpool vs Man City |
| 15:00 | Birmingham vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Burnley vs Aston Villa |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 | Hull vs West Ham |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Arsenal |
| 17:30 | Man Utd vs Everton |
| Sunday 22nd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Bolton vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Tottenham vs Wigan |
| 16:00 | Stoke vs Portsmouth |
| Wednesday 25th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Hull vs Everton |
| 20:00 | Fulham vs Blackburn |
| Saturday 28th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Hull |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Saturday 7th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wolverhampton 1 - 4 Arsenal | |
| Man City 3 - 3 Burnley | |
| Tottenham 2 - 0 Sunderland | |
| Blackburn 3 - 1 Portsmouth | |
| Aston Villa 5 - 1 Bolton | |
| Wednesday 4th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Sunday 1st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Birmingham 0 - 0 Man City | |
| Saturday 31st October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 2 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Sunderland 2 - 2 West Ham | |
| Portsmouth 4 - 0 Wigan | |
| Bolton 0 - 4 Chelsea | |
| Stoke 2 - 2 Wolverhampton | |
| Fulham 3 - 1 Liverpool | |
| Burnley 2 - 0 Hull | |
| Everton 1 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Arsenal 3 - 0 Tottenham | |
| Sunday 25th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 2 Arsenal | |
| Man City 2 - 2 Fulham | |
| Liverpool 2 - 0 Man Utd | |
| Bolton 3 - 2 Everton | |
Join skysports.com football editor Mark Buckingham to debate Chelsea's 1-0 win over Man Utd.
Sunderland fan Lucinda Gittins was strutting her stuff in the Soccer AM studios this week.
Paul Merson fears for Phil Brown - and says Hull couldn't be facing a worse game than home to Stoke.
Hull came from behind to beat Stoke 2-1 at the KC Stadium to ease the pressure on Phil Brown.
Follow all of Sunday's action via skysports.com's Score Centre, including Chelsea versus Manchester United.
League One leaders Leeds United will travel to Kettering whilst Norwich will face Carlisle or Morecambe.
Fulham stayed strong and held firm at Wigan to keep the Latics at bay and come away with a hard-earned point.
Sir Alex Ferguson admits that he has had offers to manage abroad but is adamant that 'you don't leave Manchester United'.