LONDON (AFP) — Arsene Wenger believes the return of Cesc
Fabregas in Arsenal's 4-0 Champions League rout of FC Twente
signals the real start of his side's season.
Fabregas was badly missed during Arsenal's first three matches
as the Spanish midfielder recovered from a hamstring injury.
The Gunners laboured to a pair of unconvincing victories before
slumping to a dismal defeat at Fulham on Saturday, but it took just
66 minutes of Fabregas's elegant influence at the Emirates Stadium
on Wednesday to restore Wenger's belief that Arsenal can flourish
this year.
With Fabregas pulling the strings in his first competitive
appearance since Spain's Euro 2008 final triumph in June, Arsenal
were transformed and Steve McClaren's Twente had no answer to their
movement and penetration.
Goals from Samir Nasri, William Gallas, Theo Walcott and Nicklas
Bendtner sealed a 6-0 aggregate win in the third qualifying round
and booked Arsenal's place in Thursday's group stage draw.
When Wenger took Fabregas off midway through the second half to
save the midfield maestro for Saturday's clash against Newcastle,
he departed to a standing ovation and it was the Gunners boss who
led the applause.
"He brings calm and confidence to the side," Wenger said.
"Overall we had a good balance with him in the side.
"He could have stayed on, he was disappointed Twente didn't have
a go because he always wants to test himself.
"I took him off because he has only just come back from the
hamstring injury."
Fabregas is close to the finished article and his new team-mate
Nasri already looks like becoming another gem in Wenger's
midfield.
The French winger, who came off with a stomach bug after being
sick at half-time, has had no trouble settling in since his
pre-season move from Marseille and broke the deadlock with a fine
finish in the 27th minute.
Robin van Persie was the catalyst as he won possession on the
edge of the Twente penalty area. His tackle ran to Nasri, who
wrong-footed two defenders with a sublime turn before firing in a
low shot that took a slight deflection past Nicolay Mihaylov.
Gallas enjoyed a moment of redemption after his mistake at
Fulham when his rampaging run set up Bendtner in the 52nd minute.
The forward's shot was blocked by Mihaylov and rebounded for Gallas
to slot home.
Walcott got reward for a menacing display when he exchanged
passes with Bendtner and curled a low shot past Mihaylov in the
66th minute.
Bendtner's close-range strike from Denilson's backheel in the
89th minute capped the rout.
"It was a big game for us," Wenger said. "We want to play with
the best and that means qualifying for the group stage.
"I felt we were well organised, disciplined and focused. We were
never really under threat.
"I felt the whole team was sharp. Physically we were much better
than Saturday.
"We have been struggling for goals but I was never really
worried. It is difficult when you start the season with a Champions
League qualifier and an international."
McClaren admitted Twente caught the backlash from Arsenal's loss
at the weekend. "I was here on Tuesday and they were talking about
a crisis at Arsenal," he said. "Someone said it was the best time
to play them after they lost to Fulham but it was the worst
time.
"Fabregas is a big player. He makes Arsenal tick. Once you see
him on the teamsheet it's going to be hard.
"We played with belief and competed with them in the first leg.
We didn't do that here.
"We are hurt and disappointed. It's not how we expect Twente to
play. We must take that anger into Saturday's match when the season
starts."
Nothing could go wrong with Fabregas as our CM/playmaker and
with eboue in the subs proves that this is a winning
formula.
No eboue FTW!!!
watch the goals and highlights here:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6klmg_arsenal-vs-twente-40-highlights-cha_sport
