Arsenal not taking Partizan for granted

2010-12-07 1


Arsenal will have defender Laurent Koscielny available for their crucial Champions League game against Partizan Belgrade on Wednesday.


The Frenchman has been given the all-clear following a nasty clash of heads with Sebastien Squillaci in the build-up to Fulham's goal on Saturday.


Holland forward Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott, who both came off the bench against the Cottagers, are in contention to start a match which Arsenal must win to make sure they secure qualification through to the last 16.


The Gunners looked to be cruising after a 100 per cent record from their opening Group H games, scoring 14 goals, only to then lose successive away games at Shakhtar Donetsk and Braga.


Partizan Belgrade have failed to live up to their 'Steamroller' nickname on a first appearance in Europe's top competition losing all five matches so far, and scoring just once, at home in the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal.


Wenger, though, is taking nothing for granted.


"We have put ourselves a little bit in a tricky position with our last two games, but it is still all in our hands and that's what we want to do - qualify," he said.


"The Arsenal fans are entitled to think that [it will be easy], but what is important is that the team focuses to have a good game and that we produce the expected result."


Arsenal have been criticised for an apparent soft centre this season, and will be without injured Thomas Vermaelen until the New Year.


Wenger said: "At the moment people focus on our defensive problems, but I believe they forget as well that we have the best away record in the Premier League, that means we are defensively quite solid.


"Certainly we want to be a bit more focused on our defensive duties at home, I think it is more down to that than any defensive deficiencies.


"That is what we want to show in our home games because nobody has a better away record than us."