The in-form Frenchman netted all three of his side’s goals – his first hat-trick for the Gunners – in a brilliant all-round performance.
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And although the Gunners have had to deal with a mounting injury crisis this season, missing key players such as Ramsey, Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla, he believes Arsene Wenger can take advantage of chaotic campaigns for the Premier League’s top clubs and lead Arsenal to a first league title since 2004. Who knows where they can go next?
For the Round of 16, winners are paired with runners-up, though they can’t come from the same league or Champions League group. “We all know that we have had a lot of injuries, but this year I think we still have a better team than in previous years in terms of both quality and quantity”.
ARSENE Wenger believes Arsenal’s 3-1 victory against Sunderland on Saturday will prove to be a “pivotal” point in their season.
“I think it’s a legal case, and as long as it has not been judged, you have to wait for the judgement”, Wenger told reporters. “We want him to be efficient but where he has improved is his link play with others”. “It makes players stronger and that is what happened”.
Olivier Giroud was magnificent in Greece but I still don’t get the feeling he is completely loved by everybody at the club.
“If you go on counter-attack of course he is not the kind of player that you want or select first”, the manager said. “For every team, in my opinion, they would play better if they stick with the same manager”. Wednesday night was one of his best performances on all fronts… Whoever we get in the draw, we will be confident, raring to go and I’m sure we will get players fit as well.
“Give me a couple more games to get back to 100 per cent”, he added.
“We wanted to stay in the Champions League, it was very unlikely”. Flamini’s concern about facing Barcelona in the last 16 also pointed to a continued lack of belief in the Champions League.
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Having been linked with moves to Bayer Leverkusen’s Lars Bender and Sporting Lisbon’s William Carvalho in recent weeks, it now seems that Wenger has set his sights on a Premier League midfielder.
