Wenger: ´Captains´ will make all the difference

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger claims the club has enough ‘captains’ to make them contenders for silverware this season and beyond.

The Gunners have had a lacklustre start to the 2011-12 season and are currently placed 15th on the Premier League table.

However, their coach is certain that his experienced summer signings, such as Per Mertesacker and Mikel Arteta, will help propel the north London club to trophy-winning heights again soon.

“Sometimes we are reproached for not having enough captains in our squad, now we have plenty,” Wenger told Arsenal’s official website.

“Overall we have more experience and this could be important if we are in a strong position should we have interesting challenges in March or April. That could have a big part to play.”

“In every position you always have number one, two and three, knowing there is a not a lot between them.”

“But basically I’m very happy with the signings we made and my challenge now is to prove that I made the right decisions.

“I have great belief in the players I bought in and I am convinced they will prove me right.”

The Gunners fell just short in their challenge for the Premier League title last season, and Wenger believes they were maligned unfairly.

“We were criticised a lot last season for not getting over the line, but I believe that we were so close, so, so close that it was unbelievable to accept,” he said.

“But we have added more experience. Also last year we lost important players in March and April because we went for all the trophies, so hopefully we have the squad to do it and this time it will happen.”

With the international break over, Arsenal return to action in the Premier League when they host Sunderland on Sunday.