Cesc: England need Wilshere for Euro 2012 success

Cesc Fabregas has taken a swipe at ­Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood – and claimed England desperately need his pal Jack Wilshere back for the Euros.

Hill-Wood claimed Fabregas would struggle to get into the Barcelona first team but he has proved him wrong by becoming a regular at the Nou Camp.

The former Arsenal captain was also damning about England’s negative tactics and said they will rely heavily on Wilshere returning to fitness to stand a chance next summer.

Fabregas, 24, also claimed he wants another ex-team-mate, Robin van Persie, to stay at Arsenal because he’s desperate to see his old club do well.

“Some people thought I wouldn’t get in the team [at Barca],” said Fabregas. “Maybe they didn’t believe in me too much. I speak to the boys at Arsenal.

“Arsenal gave me everything and I will never forget that. It will always be a special club. The fans have always been amazing to me. I only have amazing words to say about them.

“It was a shame they started so badly but now they are back to winning ways and doing well.”

Fabregas also believes next summer will bring the biggest decision of van Persie’s career and, while he says the Dutch striker is world class, he believes he could stay at the Emirates.

“He is having an amazing season. Hopefully he’ll be fit for the whole season. Unfortunately when I was there, he never enjoyed a whole season and it was one of the things I regret a little bit,” said Fabregas.

“He is a key player. I hope he can keep going like that. I don’t know if they will keep him. It is his decision.

“At his age, if he wants to move it will be his last chance and if he wants to stay he will stay and retire at Arsenal. We will see what he decides but he’s been very loyal to Arsenal for a few years.

“He is a key player, the fans love him. For me, he is the role model of Arsenal, the star player and they cannot afford to lose him. He would fit in anywhere but I’m an Arsenal fan and I want him to stay at Arsenal.”

Fabregas is a huge fan of Wilshere and believes the Arsenal youngster will make all the difference for England when he returns from injury.

He believes the absence of Wilshere and Wayne Rooney was the reason England sat so deep against Spain and ended up frustrating the world champions.

“Normally England don’t play like that when Wayne Rooney and Jack Wilshere are available,” said Fabregas. “But unfortunately they were without a few players and maybe it was an obligation to play like that.

“Overall, England are a very solid team and if they have Jack back it will make a massive difference. He has the talent to make things happen.

“We saw two very different styles of teams. One defensive and one trying to play football and trying to score goals.

“In the end the one trying to score goals didn’t and the one not trying did. So it was a very weird game.

“We are getting used to this kind of game but that’s not an excuse. We knew the only way they could score was from a set-piece and we conceded a bad free-kick and they scored.

“You cannot say it doesn’t matter. Spain are the world and European champions and we always want to win but we definitely prefer to lose this than in an important game.

“We lost friendly games to Argentina, Portugal and Italy and still won the World Cup.”

Fabregas praised Scott Parker’s performance but was disparaging about Fabio Capello’s approach to the friendly and added: “It’s difficult to say who played well for England. They were defending the whole game.

“Scott Parker runs a lot and has very good discipline. With the ball he was quite good when he was involved.

“But they had 10 men behind the ball and that makes it much more solid and compact. We will see more when they play offensive football.”

Laurent Koscielny glad to have Alex Song back in midfield

Laurent Koscielny has lauded team-mate Alex Song for his midfield display against Borussia Dortmund.


The Gunners drew 1-1 with the German champions, and Koscielny has heaped praise on the Cameroonian midfielder for a dominant display in Dortmund.

Koscielny told the club’s official website: “I think we defended very well - all the team defends together.

“It's very important to have Alex near the centre-backs because he stops the opportunities coming to the other team. It's good for us.

“It was a hard game, Dortmund played very well.

“We defended well, but to concede a goal two minutes before the end was difficult for us.

“We didn't lose, which was good. We have a game at home, and it is important to win that.”

Koscielny also spoke of the new confidence surrounding the London club, and a belief that they can capitalise on this good run of form in their next game in the Premier League against Blackburn Rovers.

He added: “We are in a good place now and we want to go and win at Blackburn.”

Song had been suspended for the last three league games after stamping on Joey Barton in Arsenal’s opening fixture against Newcastle United.

Nicklas Bendtner : I’ll never return to Arsenal

The Dane, who made a deadline-day loan move to Sunderland, once labelled himself one of the best strikers in Europe.

But he says he became a forgotten man under Arsene Wenger ever since he had a car crash two years ago.

Bendtner wrote off his Aston Martin and injured his legs and shoulder.

And he believes that was the beginning of the end of his Gunners career.

Bendtner, 23, said: "I will never go back to Arsenal. If I can have it my way, I will never play for them again.

"After my car accident I never really got the chance to earn a spot in the first team.

"That is over 1½ years with no real chance to prove myself.

"I am really looking forward to playing for Sunderland and then we will see next summer.

"I will find a new club — but I will not go back to Arsenal, that's for sure."

'Once a Gunner, always a Gunner'

Cesc Fabregas has thanked his former team-mates for their support during his time at Arsenal.


The World Cup-winning midfielder left the Gunners for Camp Nou on Monday in a deal understood to be worth an initial €29 million (£25.4m) on a five-year contract.

Arsene Wenger, has always insisted Fabregas was torn between the two clubs, and the Spain International has reiterated his passion for Arsenal on Twitter.

He wrote: “Once a gunner, always a gunner. Have a good day guys.”

Fabregas also paid tribute to his former Gunners team-mates and claimed he would be watching the first leg of their Champions League play-off against Udinese.

He wrote: “@Persie_Official @aaronjramsey @JackWilshere @13Szczesny13 @Nanas08 thank u [sic] all for ur kind messages my friends and for helping me enjoy...
“...what I love most in this world that is playing football. And the most important, best of luck tonight, ill [sic] be watching as usual. #Arsenal”

In Monday’s press conference, the player accepted he will have to work hard to force his way into Barcelona's first-team plans.

“I'm now ready for a more secondary role," he said. "Maybe two years ago I wasn't but now I am.

“This is the biggest challenge for me to get into this team. I know it is a big challenge but that forms part of the attraction. I am prepared for anything, to have a secondary role or to have a major role.”

PLAYER OF THE SEASON

 

It's time to announce the Arsenal.com Player of the Season - as voted for by the fans.

And the winner is... Jack Wilshere.

The 19-year-old enjoyed a meteoric rise in 2010/11, starting the campaign on the fringes of the Arsenal side and ending it as a regular for club and country. 

Jack received 41.4 per cent of the votes in our poll. Here, Arsenal.com reporter Chris Harris gives his verdict on the young midfielder.

“The thing that is different about Jack is that he is very consistent. You hardly ever see him have a bad game. We have got lots of players in the Reserves that are very good players, in my opinion even as good as Jack on their day. But they don’t have that day as often and that is where the difference is."

Of all the tributes paid to Jack Wilshere in recent months, perhaps the most telling was that one from Emmanuel Frimpong.

The midfielder is nine days younger than Wilshere, has grown up alongside him at Arsenal, won the Youth Cup with him two years ago and has designs on a first-team place of his own in the not-too-distant future.

But like all of the talent bubbling under at London Colney, Frimpong needs to produce the goods week-in week-out to emulate his friend. Because it's consistency, as much as quality, that has transformed Wilshere from a promising youngster into a mainstay for club and country.

Samir Nasri was Arsenal's stand-out performer before Christmas. Robin van Persie was a class above in the New Year. But Wilshere was exceptional from August to May, a midfield metronome for all seasons.

It's hard to believe how far Wilshere has come in such a short period. This time last year he was, in Arsène Wenger's words, "completing his footballing education" with a loan spell at Bolton. The Reebok was perhaps an unlikely finishing school but it hardened Wilshere and gave him valuable time in the centre of the pitch after starting his Arsenal career on the flank.

Even so, if there had been a betting market for Arsenal's Player of the Season in 2010/11 you could probably have named your price if you were backing Wilshere. He was still only 18, for heaven's sake, and Wenger had a battery of midfield talent at his disposal.

That all changed in pre-season. Wilshere was practically an ever-present and his stock climbed again when Fabio Capello handed him his international debut against Hungary in August - partly due to the teenager's promise, partly a reaction to England's World Cup woes and the demand for a 'new generation' to be given its head.

Wilshere did well in his brief Wembley cameo and his next opportunity was just around the corner: a starting place on the opening weekend of the Premier League season at Liverpool. 

Perhaps he would not have featured that day had Cesc Fabregas or Alex Song been fully fit, but Wilshere did not look out of place and gave Steven Gerrard and company a run for their money during the hour he spent on the Anfield pitch.

You might have expected the youngster to take a back seat after that. But Wenger picked him again. And again. And again. And as the weeks and months unfolded, it became increasingly obvious - Wilshere was a bonafide Premier League player and deserved his place in the team.

His position helped his development. Wilshere emerged through the ranks as an advanced, goalscoring midfielder, but for the first team he was deployed in a deeper role alongside Alex Song. It gave Wilshere a chance to see the play in front of him, allowing him to pick his passes and choose his forward runs carefully.

That partly explains why the goals that littered his climb through the youth ranks have dried up. Wilshere did score against Shakhtar Donetsk and Aston Villa but he may need a positional tweak as well as the experience that brings calmness in the penalty area to get back among the goals.

It's hard to pick holes in any other area of Wilshere's game. He is a tenacious tackler, a wonderful passer - remember his assist for Nicklas Bendtner against Ipswich? - and can drift past opponents with a drop of the shoulder. What's more, he's got bottle and lots of it. When the chips are down Wilshere lifts his team - whether he's in the Nou Camp or the local park.

The 19-year-old admitted that he had exceeded his own expectations in 2010/11 and no wonder. He made 49 appearances for Arsenal - more than any team-mate - and was honoured by his peers in April when the PFA made him their Young Player of the Year.

Arsenal's fans have followed suit and you cannot blame them. They love to see a genuine local talent come good and Wilshere's attitude has also won him support. He shows his emotions, he clearly loves the Club and he connects with the supporters more than most players - Wilshere has more than half a million followers on Twitter.

Our Player of the Season was clearly tiring as the Premier League finish line homed into view but his omission from the England Under-21 squad this summer should afford him a long, deserved rest.

That's just as well - Wilshere has been billed as the future of England but, more importantly, he's the future of Arsenal too.

Jens Lehmann hints at extended stay with Arsenal

Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has hinted that he could yet stay on for another season at the club.

The 41-year-old came out of retirement after he was drafted into the team in March as an injury crisis left only Manuel Almunia available for Arsene Wenger with Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski sidelined.

Lehmann ended up playing one match in his second spell at the club but has hinted that it might not be the last time he appears.

"It was not really a comeback, but more of a last resort - actually more of a hobby," he told German newspaper Bild.

"I took three weeks to get really fit - and then I had to play against Blackpool.

"I thought: 'you can do it still. It is not forgotten'.

"From my performance I would be able to continue playing. My team-mates are always asking me if I'll still be here next season."

Even if the veteran does decide to hang up his gloves for a second time, he could still remain in England as he aims to continue his coaching career.

"I can very well imagine a job in football. First, I'll probably end my trainer course," he added.

"When you have such personalities as Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, this [England] is the ideal solution."

Szczesny - We've beaten the best at Emirates

Wojciech Szczesny believes Arsenal have proved their pedigree with the results attained against “the big boys” at Emirates Stadium this season.

Sunday’s victory completed a hat-trick of wins over both probable Champions League finalists, Manchester United and Barcelona, while Chelsea were put to the sword on a frenzied night in December.

Arsène Wenger’s side were heavily critisised earlier in the season for their record against direct title rivals but Szczesny feels the aforementioned trio of fixtures proves Arsenal can mix it with the best.

“When the big boys come to Emirates Stadium we can show that we are a good side,” he said. “I think we have shown in the big games at home that we can produce terrific performances.

“It was a great result, a terrific performance and was exactly what we needed after last week’s disappointment. We played with the handbrake off because there was less pressure on us and the fans were fantastic.

“Realistically, our title chances were over but we wanted to play for our pride and show that we are good enough to challenge Manchester United. We were the better side and deserved to win.”

In all probability, Aaron Ramsey’s second-half strike will not claw Arsenal back into the title race and Szczesny says inconsistency has proved to be the difference over the course of the season.

“[Manchester United] have been more consistent. They didn’t drop any silly points like we did in the last couple of weeks, which made a difference. I think they have been the most consistent side and that’s why they are top of the table.”

Szczesny - Wenger flak is 'ridiculous'

Wojciech Szczesny has described recent criticism of Arsène Wenger as “ridiculous”.

The Arsenal manager has been underfire in the past month or so after his side dropped out of the title race. However the team restored some pride with a 1-0 win over Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Afterwards, his keeper leapt to Wenger's defence.

“It’s ridiculous really,” he said. “If you ask any of the players they will stand by the manager. He built this team from nothing and I believe he is the best manager in the world.

“We are a young team, we still believe we have a lot of years ahead of us and a lot of trophies to win. Let’s be patient and show that we are good enough.

“We all take individual responsibilities for our mistakes. Everyone has played their part in this season’s disappointment and I think we have to take it as a team. You can’t blame the boss because he stood by the team the whole season and supported us.

“Next season, we need to prove that we can step up. I believe we are good enough to step up and win the league. Let’s show everyone that we are capable of doing it.”

Andrey Arshavin denies any rift with manager Arsene Wenger

 

Andrey Arshavin has denied rumours of a rift between himself and Arsene Wenger after speculation about his future at the club.

Arshavin has struggled to find his best form this season for Arsenal and was left out of the starting-line up against Tottenham in midweek, leading to speculation that he could be set to leave The Emirates this summer.
Despite admitting he has not been at the top of his game this season Arshavin has denied rumours of any rift with Arsene Wenger.

“It is not true. We have absolutely fine relations,” Arshavin said, according to the Daily Mirror.
Arsenal look destined for a sixth successive season without a trophy and Wenger is reportedly set for a summer clear-out which has cast doubts over the long-term future of Arshavin, who cost £15 million from Zenit St. Petersburg in 2009.

Arshavin has been criticised for his form this season, though he has provided 11 assists in Premier League matches, second to Cesc Fabregas with 13, and has also chipped in with 10 goals in all competitions.

Szczesny hoping Wenger doesn’t need to buy

 

Wojciech Szczesny hopes he has done enough to convince Arsène Wenger that the Arsenal manager doesn’t need to buy a goalkeeper in the summer.

Wenger has already hinted that he may not require a new acquisition following Szczesny’s remarkable, and somewhat unexpected, rise to prominence this season.

The confident Pole turned 21 on Monday and, after starting the campaign as the third-choice keeper at the Club, admits he is relishing his opportunity to impress on the big stage.

“I'm doing my best,” he said. “Whatever decision the manager makes at the start of next season is completely down to him, but I will do my best to cement my position in goal.

“I will always look at this as my ‘breakthrough’ season and I want to cement my place in the team for a long time.

“Whatever happens this year, next year will be very important for me personally and for Arsenal as well.”

Szczesny returned from the finger injury he sustained in Barcelona to make his first appearance in over a month against Liverpool on Sunday. A smart save from Luis Suarez in the second half coupled with a relatively unflustered afternoon saw him fit seamlessly back into the Arsenal side.

“I still felt a little uncomfortable,” he said. “I wear a special protection but it didn't cause me any trouble against Liverpool.

“I had my finger strapped for four weeks and I couldn't do anything with it. I just prayed for it to be fine after four weeks.”

Abou Diaby & Robin van Persie involved in dressing room row during Arsenal's victory over Blackpool

Abou Diaby and Robin van Persie were reportedly involved in a dressing room row during Arsenal's victory over Blackpool.

The Gunners had taken a two-goal lead at the end of the first half, when Diaby - who had scored the opener - was booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle had been blown.

And The Mirror reports that Van Persie was angry with his team-mate, and the pair had to be pulled apart by other players during half-time.

Earlier in the season, the Londoners were cruising with a 4-0 lead at half-time against Newcastle United, but Diaby's red card proved to change the match as the opposition managed to pull off a shock to draw 4-4.

Against Blackpool, however, Arsene Wenger's men conceded a goal a little after the break, but managed to win the game 3-1.

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny reveals he is still training despite injured hand

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has revealed the injury he sustained against Barcelona in the Champions League has not stopped him putting in the hours on the training pitch.

The Polish 'keeper has been sidelined for two weeks and faces a minimum of two more weeks in a splint after rupturing tendons in his left hand.

Manager Arsene Wenger last week stated that he expected the 20-year-old to miss six weeks of action.

The injury prevents him from taking part in a normal goalkeeping routine, but Szczesny is using the time to work on other areas of his game that will improve him in the long-term.

"I work in the gym everyday, working on my lower body and my distribution as well which will be very good for me," he told the club's website. "I'm not getting bored, I can still do a lot of stuff.

"There's nothing you can do when it happens - you have to move on, work hard on your fitness and make sure you come back stronger than ever.

"There's not a lot of joint damage, the tendon is ruptured. So basically I have to keep my finger in a splint for four weeks and let the tendon heal. From then it will be a couple of weeks before I can be back in the squad.

"It's very hard, especially at a time when it was going well for me. We have got some big games coming up."

Ramsey - Our character earned us a point

Aaron Ramsey says Arsenal's never-say-die attitude spared them a first Premier League defeat of the year on Saturday.

West Bromwich Albion capitalised on uncertain defending to take a two-goal lead at the Hawthorns but Andrey Arshavin and Robin van Persie struck within seven minutes of each other to set up a grandstand finish.

Arsenal could not find a winner and find themselves five points adrift of Manchester United going into the international break. That was a source of frustration to Ramsey after the match but he admits it could have been worse.

"Obviously we didn’t get the result we wanted but I thought we showed character to get a point of out it," said the Welshman. "It could have been a lot worse, absolutely, but we never give up. At least we got something out of the game.

"We have a game in hand and we play Man United at home so we are definitely not out of it [the title race]. Definitely not. There is a lot to play for and hopefully we can do that and become champions at the end."

Saturday represented Ramsey's first start in an Arsenal shirt since he suffered a double leg fracture at Stoke in February 2010. The 20-year-old almost marked the milestone with a first-half equaliser but was denied at point-blank range by Albion keeper Scott Carson.

"I think I should have scored," reflected Ramsey. "But it was awkward. The ball was around my hip and I had to take a touch, the right-back was getting close to me so I had to get a shot away pretty quickly.

"But it was great to have that opportunity to start again for Arsenal and I thought I did alright. Obviously, it is a difficult atmosphere and the fans get right behind their players - they showed that with their first half performance. But they got tired in the end and we took advantage of that."

Szczesny – We’ll win the League to shut up the moaners!

The young Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is refusing to listen to the moaners who are saying that the Gunners are not good enough to win a trophy, and, although the Pole will be watching from the sidelines for most of the run-in, he believes his Arsenal team-mates can shut everyone up simply by winning the Premiership title.

Arsenal were tamely knocked out of the FA Cup by Man Utd at Old Trafford yesterday, and many pundits believe that Alex Ferguson’s side are the most likely to go on and do the Double after that result, but Szczesny refuses to agree.

Szczesny said : “I don’t care what people say. The only way we can respond is by going out on the pitch and showing people what we are made of.

“We are confident we are a very good team and we believe we can win the league this season – that is the only way to shut them up really.

“Yes, we’re heartened by United losing their last two league games. We’re going to try to take advantage of it.

“They’ve dropped points and we’re going to do our best to win all of our games coming up – then we’ve still got to play them at the Emirates.”

Wilshere - We must show our spirit now

Jack Wilshere has called for Arsenal to dig deep and show their spirit to ensure they don't finish the season empty-handed.

The 19-year-old was arguably his team's stand-out performer at the Nou Camp on Tuesday night as the Gunners went down 3-1 to Barcelona, losing 4-3 on aggregate.

Their Champions League exit comes just nine days after they lost the Carling Cup Final but two trophies are still within Arsenal's grasp - they are just three points behind Premier League leaders Manchester United and travel to Old Trafford this Saturday for an FA Cup Quarter-Final against their title rivals.


Wilshere was as disappointed as anybody as he left the Nou Camp but he won't let his head drop.

"We have got to pick ourselves up," said the 19-year-old. "We have still got the championship, we are just three points behind and with a game in hand. We go to Manchester United in the FA Cup on Saturday and we have to pick ourselves up to get the win there.

"We never give up, that is the spirit of Arsenal. We are still in two competitions and need to get a trophy this year, that will be the aim."

The Champions League was always an outside bet once Arsène Wenger's side were paired with Barcelona in the last 16. However Wilshere was left ruing two key moments in the second half of the second leg - Robin van Persie's second yellow card for perceived time-wasting and Nicklas Bendtner's late chance to snatch a decisive away goal.

"Robin was furious, and even I could not hear the whistle," said Wilshere. "We all know it was a bad decision, but we have to deal with it and move on. It was the wrong decision but that is part and parcel of football.

"I thought we dealt with it quite well, but if there is any team you don't want to go down to ten men against, it is Barcelona. We got a goal back, which was the aim, and we were pushing them, then Robin went off so we had to defend and maybe we just ran out of legs in the end.

"It was a big moment for us, and we were a bit unlucky. [As for the late chance] Nicklas has been brilliant for us and maybe if he had taken a better touch, he would have put it in, but it was not meant to be."

Wilshere will take home some regrets from the Nou Camp but his reputation has been enhanced by two outstanding displays against Barcelona. The 19-year-old held his own against the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta and admits he relished every minute of their battles.

"To be playing against people like Xavi and Iniesta is brilliant," he said. "It was a great experience.

"At my age, I am still learning and there are no better players to learn from. Barcelona will probably win the Champions League now because they are the best team in Europe."

Sagna - We have to bring back a trophy

Bacary Sagna will not even consider the possibility that Arsenal may end the season empty-handed.

On Wednesday night, Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona. Ten days earlier they had lost to Birmingham in the last minute of Carling Cup Final.

They were bitter blows to a season that had promised so much but Arsène Wenger’s side are still very much in the hunt for the Premier League and FA Cup. Saturday’s Sixth Round tie at Manchester United is now seen as key to the campaign but, for Sagna, the season is half-full not half-empty.

“We have to be strong now because we want to be successful,” said the Frenchman. “We have to fight for the team, for the fans and everyone.

“I am not thinking about [the possibility of winning nothing]. I am confident and looking forward to winning something. We have to bring something back because we have the quality to do it and we need to do it.

“We are ready to fight because we are even more frustrated after what happened against Barcelona and we want to give more. Everyone is disappointed but we want to bounce back. We are playing again on Saturday and it will be another big game. We just want to go there and play our football.”

The statistics say that Barcelona dominated Tuesday’s tie against Arsenal. But the most important number – the aggregate scoreline – see-sawed throughout the night and the visitors might still have stolen the tie if Nicklas Bendtner had converted an injury-time opportunity.

But, like most Arsenal observers, Sagna thought the dismissal of Robin van Persie made the difference.

“We defended well as a team,” said the full back. “At 11 v 11 it was already difficult but after [the red card] it was impossible.

“There is not a big gap between us. They played at home so they had the ball most of the time but we needed to defend as a team like Inter Milan did last year. Conceding the goal just before half-time was bad for us – we had to come back – we did but that was not enough.

“Still we can learn a lot from them, they kept passing the ball well. We have to think about the way they played and it must be an inspiration for us.”

Arsenal ‘need’ to win silverware this season following Champions League loss to Barcelona - Jack Wilshere

Jack Wilshere has admitted Arsenal "need" to win silverware this season as fears grow their trophy drought could be extended to a seventh year.

The Gunners were eliminated from the Champions League by Barcelona on Tuesday night only nine days after losing the League Cup final to Birmingham in the last minute.

But they trail Manchester United in the Premier League by only three points with a game in hand and travel to Old Trafford on Saturday for an FA Cup quarter-final clash.

“We are still in two competitions and need to get a trophy this year, that will be the aim,” said Wilshere. “We have still got the championship, we are just three points behind and with a game in hand.

“We go to Manchester United in the FA Cup on Saturday and we have to pick ourselves up to get the win there. We never give up, that is the spirit of Arsenal.”

Wilshere explained that the Arsenal players were staggered by the decision to penalise Robin van Persie for the offence of kicking the ball away only a second after the referee halted play, which resulted in a second booking and a red card for the Dutchman.

“Robin was furious, and even I could not hear the whistle,” said Wilshere. “We all know it was a bad decision, but we have to deal with it and move on. That is part and parcel of football.

“I thought we dealt with it quite well, but if there is any team you don't want to go down to 10 men against, it is Barcelona.

“We got a goal back, which was the aim and we were pushing them, then Robin went off, we had to defend and maybe we just ran out of legs in the end. It was a big moment for us, and we were a bit unlucky.

“Nicklas [Bendtner] had been brilliant for us and maybe if he had taken a better touch [in the final minutes], he would have put it in, but it was not meant to be.”

Following his magnificent performance in Arsenal’s 2-1 first leg victory over the three-times European Cup winners, Wilshere was once again one of his club’s most influential players in a one-sided return leg.

Nevertheless, the teenager recognises the importance the last three weeks have been in developing his own game.

“To be playing against people like Xavi and Iniesta is brilliant,” Wilshere said. “It was a great experience. At my age, I am still learning and there are no better players to learn from.

“They will probably win it now because they are the best team in Europe.”

Bacary Sagna: Arsenal are now playing without fear

Bacary Sagna insists Arsenal no longer play with fear or the burden of expectation and maintains the club are now ready to win their first trophy in six years.

Arsenal last tasted success in 2005 after winning the FA Cup but since then, Arsene Wenger’s side have failed to add build on that.

Despite the expectancy, Sagna feels Arsenal are ready to triumph over Birmingham City after having learned from their previous mistakes.

"We were scared, but we are not any more," Sagna told the club’s official website.

"We have been close to winning something but we got scared, we stopped playing and were waiting for the result to happen.

"During the past we have been a bit unlucky as well with injuries and had problems to deal with that.

"But we have learned from our mistakes and all the problems we had, now we are ready to win everything.

"We have not won anything for six years so it will be massive for the players, the fans and the club as well.

Despite their sustained Premier League title challenge every season, Sagna has admitted the lack of a tangible reward has been difficult to accept as an Arsenal player.

"Every year we have been really disappointed and it is hard to start the season knowing you could have won something in the past,” said the 28-year-old.

"But we have grown up as a team, we are wiser and now in the final. It has taken time, but we are on a good way to being successful.

"This is not the good way, you have to look forwards and to act. I hope Sunday will be a good way to show people we can win and go on to even more, to show we are very hungry."

Sagna has admitted he is now targeting trophies but has expressed his caution ahead of the tie against Alex McLeish’s side.

"This progression has come naturally because as a professional you always want to win something and be successful.

"Also, at the end of your career you want to be able to look back on your achievements. At the moment, there is not that much."

"Unfortunately, we have been so close to winning something but we didn't.

"Now we have the opportunity to win on Sunday, but it will not be easy because Birmingham want it as much as we do.

"Wembley is one of the most amazing stadiums in Europe and now we have the opportunity to show what we can do, that we can win trophies."

Samir Nasri: I don't intend to leave Arsenal without winning anything

Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri insists that he intends to win something before he makes a move to further his career away from the club.

The 23-year-old has put in strong performances this campaign, and has been linked with a move to Barcelona. And it appears that he intends to first fulfil his dream of winning the title with the Gunners before considering his options.

"All I can say is that I am enjoying my time at Arsenal and in London, and I feel there’s still a lot for me to contribute," Nasri told Sport magazine.

"One of the reasons I came to Arsenal was to win titles, and I’m not expecting to leave this club without one."

With only 16 months left on his current contract with the club, the former Marseille man admitted that talks concerning a new deal are set to take place during the summer.

"We promised each other to speak about this subject after the season ends," he said. "For now all my focus is on winning the league title and also getting as far as possible in the Champions League."

Djourou - I'm not scared of Lionel Messi

Johan Djourou is not scared of Lionel Messi.

The Swiss defender issued a rally cry ahead of arguably the biggest test of his career when Barcelona visit Emirates Stadium for the first leg of an eagerly-awaited Champions League tie on Wednesday night.

Messi is by common consent the world's finest footballer: he has 35 goals in 28 games this season and, in case you'd forgotten, he scored four times to dump Arsenal out of Europe last April. But Djourou won't be driven to distraction by the Argentine.

"Barcelona are a great team but it is not just about Messi," he said. 

"He has great, great service from players like Xavi and [Andres] Iniesta so we have to be focused as a group. We have to get behind the back and be together. It is how we can block the space for him to run into.

"You do not get scared [of facing Messi]. If I was scared, I wouldn't be playing tomorrow. You have to be excited not scared. It is true Messi is good one versus one but, as cover, we can be hard to beat.

"We know they are a great team going forward and we will have to defend well and be focused for 90 minutes. But do not forget we have great players as well. It will be interesting."

Djourou played no part in Arsenal's 6-3 aggregate defeat to the Catalan giants in last year's Quarter-Finals - indeed he spent virtually the entire campaign sidelined by a knee injury.

Arsène Wenger made a point of not overloading Djourou with games in the first half of this season but, since the turn of the year, the 24-year-old has been a virtual ever-present at the back. The Swiss international believes he has proved his worth.

"Everything has gone well," he said. "I was injured and it has taken time to come back. I have worked hard and have the confidence of the manager. I am working hard and am showing everyone what I can do. I am happy everyone is doing well.

"I don't think there were doubts [when I came back]. You have doubts when you are out and you don't know how long you will be out for. I had no doubt I would come back to my best.

"For me, it [playing regularly] was a good point to prove that my knee was fine and that my injury was in the past. It was a difficult time for me."