Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Gunners ace Clichy aims for top
Gael Clichy firmly believes he can be a long-term fixture at left-back for both Arsenal and France.
With Ashley Cole having departed the Gunners for Chelsea, the 22-year-old is hoping for an extended run in the first team after fully recovering from a broken foot, the latest in a long line of injury setbacks.
Clichy has slotted effortlessly into the Arsenal defence, and is set to continue against Hamburg in the Champions League, when the home side will be missing William Gallas.
Already capped at Under-21 level by France, the full-back hopes it will only be a matter of time before he is pressing Lyon's Eric Abidal for a starting place with Les Blues.
"When you play football at a great club like Arsenal, you want to be the best," Clichy declared.
"My first objective is to play my best football I can for the club, and the national team is a bonus. "If I could catch the first French team, that would be amazing for me, but for now it is just Arsenal."
Clichy added: "The Under-21s was a great experience for me, but now I am looking forward and maybe in a few months I will be called up for the first-team, which would make me really happy."
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is keen for his players to show a ruthlessness in front of goal against Hamburg, who are bottom of Group G, something which was distinctly missing during Arsenal's last European outing against CSKA Moscow.
It was a similar story in the Premiership on Saturday, when the Gunners had to be content with another 1-1 draw after struggling to break down a resolute Newcastle side.
Clichy believes it is only a matter of time before his team-mates are back to their clinical best in front of goal.
He said: "We have plenty of chances to score goals with the players we have got.
"Of course we cannot hide behind bad luck or say 'it is not our day'.
"Sometimes that is true - but we need to improve, all of us, to work harder to get more chances and to score and put the ball into the net.
"We have got the quality and it is just about confidence."
Victory is crucial if last season's Champions League runners-up are to remain on course for the knockout stages.
They are currently level on points with Porto, who they play away next month, and one behind leaders CSKA.
Midfielders Gilberto and Freddie Ljungberg are available again, along with forward Robin van Persie, who went off on Saturday with an ankle problem.
However, Gallas is set to be out for several weeks after he suffered a thigh injury at the end of yesterday morning's training session.
Switzerland duo Philippe Senderos and Johan Djourou are candidates to fill in at centre-back.
Wenger feels Gallas, 29, is not likely to return in time for the Premiership match against former club Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on December 10.
"It is a huge blow," Wenger said. "He has brought experience, winning mentality and communication.
"William wants us to win the game against Chelsea and now we will have to win without him."
Clichy has slotted effortlessly into the Arsenal defence, and is set to continue against Hamburg in the Champions League, when the home side will be missing William Gallas.
Already capped at Under-21 level by France, the full-back hopes it will only be a matter of time before he is pressing Lyon's Eric Abidal for a starting place with Les Blues.
"When you play football at a great club like Arsenal, you want to be the best," Clichy declared.
"My first objective is to play my best football I can for the club, and the national team is a bonus. "If I could catch the first French team, that would be amazing for me, but for now it is just Arsenal."
Clichy added: "The Under-21s was a great experience for me, but now I am looking forward and maybe in a few months I will be called up for the first-team, which would make me really happy."
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is keen for his players to show a ruthlessness in front of goal against Hamburg, who are bottom of Group G, something which was distinctly missing during Arsenal's last European outing against CSKA Moscow.
It was a similar story in the Premiership on Saturday, when the Gunners had to be content with another 1-1 draw after struggling to break down a resolute Newcastle side.
Clichy believes it is only a matter of time before his team-mates are back to their clinical best in front of goal.
He said: "We have plenty of chances to score goals with the players we have got.
"Of course we cannot hide behind bad luck or say 'it is not our day'.
"Sometimes that is true - but we need to improve, all of us, to work harder to get more chances and to score and put the ball into the net.
"We have got the quality and it is just about confidence."
Victory is crucial if last season's Champions League runners-up are to remain on course for the knockout stages.
They are currently level on points with Porto, who they play away next month, and one behind leaders CSKA.
Midfielders Gilberto and Freddie Ljungberg are available again, along with forward Robin van Persie, who went off on Saturday with an ankle problem.
However, Gallas is set to be out for several weeks after he suffered a thigh injury at the end of yesterday morning's training session.
Switzerland duo Philippe Senderos and Johan Djourou are candidates to fill in at centre-back.
Wenger feels Gallas, 29, is not likely to return in time for the Premiership match against former club Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on December 10.
"It is a huge blow," Wenger said. "He has brought experience, winning mentality and communication.
"William wants us to win the game against Chelsea and now we will have to win without him."
# posted by mojtaba @ 1:30 AM 
