Arsenal seek to hammer home Euro form

One of Arsene Wenger's most dearly held tenets is that a domestic league, and not European competition, is the true litmus test of a team's talents.

There has always been a whiff of self-interest in that principle, given the Arsenal manager's failure to lift the Champions League is in painful contrast to his three English Premier League crowns, but do not be surprised to see Wenger revise his belief system as the season wears on.

It might still be October, but already Arsenal appear better placed to thrive on the continent than on their native turf.

The north Londoners have progressed serenely through their Champions League group, rattling in 10 goals in three matches and making light of the supposedly fearsome Sukru Saracoglu stadium on Tuesday by thrashing Fenerbahce 5-2.

Yet the club's swaggering confidence in Europe has not been replicated in the Premier League, where they travel across London to West Ham on Sunday.

They slumped to an abysmal defeat at Fulham in August, saw their proud home record crushed by newly-promoted Hull City and dropped crucial points at Sunderland.

There is no suggestion of panic yet, but it is not premature to suggest that Arsenal – with their fast, fluent attacking and porous defending – might be better suited to the inherently occasional nature of knock-out football rather than the long grind of an English league season.

That, combined with the unpalatable truth that Arsenal have failed to win any silverware of note since 2005, could just see a restructuring of the club's priorities this term, with the Champions League occupying centre-stage.

“I need to win something with the club. We have been playing great football and we all know it's the time to win something,” Emmanuel Adebayor, the striker, said.

“Playing good football is good, but winning something is even better. Now all of our hope is to win something. We know it's going to be tough but I believe in the squad that we can still do something.”

Winning the Champions League would appease the doubters who wrinkle their nose at Wenger's doggedly purist approach and certainly help convince the club's A-list talent, including Adebayor, Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie, that they would be better off remaining in the English capital.

“Things have gone well since the Hull game – you have slips some times during a season and we've dropped a couple of points here and there but hopefully that won't happen again,” Theo Walcott, the striker, added.

“We know that we can't be perfect every game but we need to keep strong and push on to make sure the results stay good.

Arsenal's hopes rest, partly, on which West Ham turn up at Upton Park. The Hammers have produced mixed performances this season, swashbuckling one week but inexplicably limp the next.

Confidence buoyed by a fine start to new manager Gianfranco Zola's reign has dissipated with consecutive defeats to Bolton and Hull and suddenly the talk in east London is of revised ambitions.

“But I will not lose any sleep about this game or the one against Manchester United on Sunday,” said Zola. “These are the games that made me want to come to England,” the former Italy striker added.

“I will tell my players that yes, these games are dangerous because you can lose at home. But your confidence is very high if you win because you have beaten a good team.

“You can use that for the rest of your season. You have got to have faith in your players and be brave enough to do things your way.”

West Ham will be without midfielder Mark Noble for Sunday's game after the England under-21 midfielder suffered a torn calf in training.

But Lee Bowyer and James Collins are available for selection.

Arsenal will have both captain William Gallas (thigh) and fellow centre-half Kolo Toure (shoulder) back in their squad.