Model professional: Cesc Fabregas takes part in
Naomi Campbell's Fashion for Relief show in London.
Saturday, 20
February 2010
Cesc Fabregas last night admitted Arsenal make more
mistakes than their Premier League title rivals. But Fabregas has
given his support for error-prone keeper Lukasz Fabianski after his
double mistake gifted Porto a priceless first leg Champions League
win over Arsenal.
It leaves Arsenal's whole season in the balance as they are six
points behind leaders Chelsea in the title race and now have just
90 minutes to save their European campaign.
Fabregas admits it is make-or-break time for the Gunners but
confesses that a catalogue of errors in the reason behind their
faltering campaign as Arsenal look to end a five-year wait for a
trophy.
Gunners captain Fabregas, 22, said: "Sometimes we make mistakes
that at the top level you pay for and Porto was one of those nights
when it happened.
"It happened against Chelsea and Man United and now again so I
think we have to try to find the solution to these problems because
it is costing us many, many things.
"The other top teams don't make these mistakes as often as we
do. We can only change it by working and training I guess."
Fabregas was scathing about Arsenal's "schoolboy defending" at
Porto on Wednesday night and, after reflecting on another
disappointment, the Spanish midfielder was also more supportive
about under-pressure Fabianski.
Fabianski, 24, was at the centre of both Porto goals and his
blundering performance only heightens the pressure on Wenger to buy
a new, top class number one.
First choice Manuel Almunia has suffered an indifferent season
while Fabianski has also come unstuck in a string of big games as
Porto was his latest nightmare after last season's FA Cup semi
final defeat to Chelsea, the FA Cup exit at Stoke and the Carling
Cup loss at Manchester City.
But Wenger insists it is "completely out of the question" for
him to buy another keeper as Vito Mannone has signed a new long
term contract and youngster Wojciech Szczesny, 19, is earning rave
reiews on loan at Brentford.
Arsenal were offered keepers in January but Wenger has insisted
both publicly and privately that he is happy with his four
keepers.
Almunia is expected to be back to face Sunderland because the
Spanish keeper has bravely volunteered to play through the pain
barrier, even having pain killing injections for three recent
games.
That comes as a huge relief for Wenger who is spared a dilemma
over whether to stick with Fabianski who has been left shattered
after Porto while the defence is also lacking confidence in
him.
But Fabregas insists they are right behind the under-fire Polish
keeper and Fabianski has the squad's support. Fabregas said: "He is
strong and we have to be there for him. We have to be next to him.
Sometimes when you are young in a big game, these things happen to
you.
"You can be a little bit down but the team will be 100 per cent
behind him and help him in the next game to come back to his
best.
He is a very good keeper. He had his chance today and sometimes
it doesn't go your way. It didn't go his way but we will stand up
and support him until the end because he is a good character and I
am sure he will be back. Whenever he has to play, I am sure he will
do well."
Fabregas also insists that Arsenal can beat Porto in the return
leg and still reach the Champions League quarter finals.
Fabregas added: "There are no favourites in football. They are
winning so if you want to call someone favourites, they are because
they are winning 2-1. But we don't look at it that way, we just
want to play the game.
"We have to consider the Premier League again, then the national
team, the League again and then the Champions League. Then we will
talk about the second leg."
Arsenal have been dealt another injury blow after midfielder
Abou Diaby is out for tomorrow after hurting knee ligaments but
Alex Song returns. But William Gallas, Andrey Arshavin an Eduardo
are still out. Sol campbell is set to continue in defence.