Wenger defiant Arsene Wenger

LONDON. — Arsène Wenger has confirmed that Arsenal are set to be without the midfielder Francis Coquelin for at least two months following his knee injury sustained at West Brom.

Coquelin was substituted during the first half of Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat at the Hawthorns on Saturday and now faces a period on the sidelines.

Wenger suggested that Calum Chambers or Mathieu Flamini could step into midfield, with Mikel Arteta also injured.

Arsenal play Dynamo Zagreb tonight in the Champions League, knowing that they must win both remaining matches in the group stage to advance and hope other results go their way.

“I’m always cautious. It will be at least two months but I don’t want to speculate more than that,” said Wenger when asked about Coquelin.

“I must say we have been hit very hard in November. We have lost a few players.”

While the January transfer window will give Wenger the chance to bring in another midfield recruit, he suggested he already has a number of options available to step into Coquelin’s place.

“It is of course a disappointment to lose him in the longer term but we have in the squad the players who can compensate. We have lost a player of quality for a while but we know that can happen,” he added.

“I will give myself time, we have players who play in this position like Mathieu Flamini and players who can play there like Calum Chambers.

“Sometimes this is a good opportunity for other players to turn up and do the job. I will do what is needed in January, knowing as well it is not an ideal transfer market.”

Wenger insists Arsenal can still salvage their calamitous Champions League soccer campaign as they prepare for tonight’s do-or-die showdown with Dinamo Zagreb.

Wenger’s side are on brink of a stunning failure to make the knockout stages for the first time in 16 years after three defeats from their four Group F fixtures.

The Gunners must beat Croatian side Dinamo at the Emirates Stadium to keep their hopes alive, but even that won’t be enough to avoid elimination if second placed Olympiakos, who sit six points ahead of Arsenal, draw or win at Bayern Munich.

Yet if results go Arsenal’s way in midweek, they will travel to Olympiakos for their final group match on December 9 knowing a win could send them through depending on the margin of victory.

And Wenger remains convinced Arsenal can find a way to stage one of the great European escape acts.

“We will give absolutely everything to stay in the Champions League,” Wenger said.

“I think we still have a strong chance but it will be very tight now.

“Even if we had beaten Bayern, we would be in a position where we have to beat Olympiakos, if we beat Zagreb at home. Unless Olympiakos make a result at Bayern, which is not impossible as well.”

While Wenger is optimistic about Arsenal’s chances, he admits Arsenal are in the midst of a “difficult moment” in the build-up to their crucial Champions League clash with Dinamo Zagreb.

The Gunners slipped to a 2-1 defeat at West Brom in the Premier League on Saturday after Santi Cazorla’s penalty miss.

“It is severe disappointment, we want to bounce back,” Wenger said.

“Now we cannot change it and the only thing we can do is bounce back on Tuesday night. It is a difficult moment for us, yes.

“In the last two games, we took one point out of six and that is very difficult and very disappointing when you are on such a great run. We have to come back quickly and focus.”

Wenger acknowledges the north Londoners have only themselves to blame for their precarious predicament.

While a heavy defeat at Bayern in their last European outing could be excused given the quality of the opposition, there was no explaining away lacklustre losses against Dinamo and Olympiakos.

“It is a reality that in two games, against Bayern, we took three points (but) we have created our own problems before that,” Wenger said. Adding to Arsenal’s desperation to qualify is the potential that they may otherwise finish third and have to compete in the Europa League.

Playing in Europe’s second tier competition, with its hectic schedule and Thursday night matches, could be a major obstacle to Wenger’s desire to challenge for the English Premier League title.

But for now he is just focused on giving Arsenal the best possible chance to advance. — AFP.

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