Wenger happy with strike force

Gunners boss unfazed by goal drought

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 27th February 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Wenger happy with strike force

Wenger: Refusing to panic

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Arsene Wenger insists he has 'no big problem' with his misfiring strikers and has backed them to come good.

Arsenal will be looking to stretch a 14-match unbeaten run when they host Fulham on Saturday, hoping to force their way back into the hunt for a top-four finish.

However, the Gunners have failed to find the target in each of their last three Premier League fixtures, while the last time they forced a breakthrough at home was back on 10th January against Bolton.

That inability to take chances has cost the club dear, forcing them into fifth spot in the table, six points off the UEFA Champions League places.

Wenger, though, maintains complete faith in his attacking unit and expects the current drought to come to an end sooner rather than later.

"We do not put any special pressure on a guy who misses a goal chance. The bigger you make a problem, the bigger it becomes. We remind them they have the quality," said the Frenchman.

"I remember teams who concede goals in the final five minutes and the more you say to them 'we don't want to concede goals in the last five minutes', the more it becomes a problem and the more you concede goals.

"So you just have to be natural, spontaneous and believe in what you do and your ability."

Wenger added: "Sometimes you have to take a distance from a problem and just think 'lets play well'.

"We have scored plenty of goals and it happens to any team to have a spell where you score a little bit less."

Consistency

Despite recent setbacks hindering the club's progress, Wenger is confident that Arsenal will be playing Champions League football next term.

"In football, nothing is unthinkable, but I am confident we will make the Champions League," he said.

"There are 12 games to go. If we keep our consistency, spirit and attitude, and our focus, we will make it.

"It is down to us to be consistent.

"We have 36 points to take, so let's not speculate too much on the weakness of any other team. If we win our games, we will be there."

Wenger added: "I never consider failure. With the potential of our players and everything at the club, I have more reasons to be an optimist than a pessimist."