Gunners hope to build on crucial Marseille victory
Source: Agencies |
October 21, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
ARSENAL hopes its last-gasp Champions League win at Olympique Marseille can kick-start its stuttering domestic season, but manager Arsene Wenger admitted the English Premier League club had been "lucky" to get the points.
Arsenal struggled in an uninspiring game but Welsh international Aaron Ramsey's strike two minutes into stoppage time from a Gervinho deflecion was enough for the visitors to prevail.
While the Londoners failed to impress at the Stade Velodrome, the 1-0 win - their first clean sheet in 18 Champions League away games - would still be something to build on, according to Wenger.
"We made a little step forward but we have to be humble because we are a team that has to continue to grow," Wenger told reporters. "We had our share of bad luck (earlier), notably with Borussia Dortmund equalizing late in the game (in Arsenal's first Champions League outing). Good for us we got lucky this time."
Arsenal tops the Group F table with seven points from three games, with Marseille in second place one point adrift two weeks before the two teams meet at the Emirates Stadium. Olympiakos and Borussia Dortmund are the other teams in the group
Arsenal, which takes on Stoke City on Sunday, lies 10th in the Premier League standings.
"If we look back at our last five or six games we only lost once," added Wenger. "We are slowly getting there and tonight will help."
Defensive woes, however, kept piling up for Arsenal when Carl Jenkinson was replaced by Johan Djourou in the second half with a possible knee injury.
"He has a knee problem, he stretched his knee," said Wenger. "We have to check that tomorrow."
Jenkinson was making up for the absence of France fullback Bacary Sagna, who was ruled out for three months with a broken leg.
Arsenal struggled in an uninspiring game but Welsh international Aaron Ramsey's strike two minutes into stoppage time from a Gervinho deflecion was enough for the visitors to prevail.
While the Londoners failed to impress at the Stade Velodrome, the 1-0 win - their first clean sheet in 18 Champions League away games - would still be something to build on, according to Wenger.
"We made a little step forward but we have to be humble because we are a team that has to continue to grow," Wenger told reporters. "We had our share of bad luck (earlier), notably with Borussia Dortmund equalizing late in the game (in Arsenal's first Champions League outing). Good for us we got lucky this time."
Arsenal tops the Group F table with seven points from three games, with Marseille in second place one point adrift two weeks before the two teams meet at the Emirates Stadium. Olympiakos and Borussia Dortmund are the other teams in the group
Arsenal, which takes on Stoke City on Sunday, lies 10th in the Premier League standings.
"If we look back at our last five or six games we only lost once," added Wenger. "We are slowly getting there and tonight will help."
Defensive woes, however, kept piling up for Arsenal when Carl Jenkinson was replaced by Johan Djourou in the second half with a possible knee injury.
"He has a knee problem, he stretched his knee," said Wenger. "We have to check that tomorrow."
Jenkinson was making up for the absence of France fullback Bacary Sagna, who was ruled out for three months with a broken leg.
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