Following a four-match winless streak, the Gunners were facing serious questions over their Barclays Premier League credentials after going behind to Carlton’s Cole’s strike.
But three second-half goals provided a perfect response, and Wenger said: ‘We’ve answered some big questions. If we hadn’t won we would have had to answer many questions. It was the kind of game that many people would have questioned us if we had not won and even more if we’d lost.
‘Does this performance prove you are genuine title contenders? Yes. The team wants to do well and the character is great.
‘Our concentration is top. We have had a difficult period but, honestly, that’s mainly down to the schedule we have had.
‘I completely think that the schedule was absolutely horrendous.
‘When you do not win for four games it is important to come back for the confidence level and win.’
But the victory came at a price with Aaron Ramsey – who has been one of the League’s most influential players this season – set to miss the busy festive schedule (at least) with a thigh injury.
The midfielder will undergo a scan today after limping off midway through the second half, but there are early fears that he could miss at least four weeks. ‘It looks serious,’ admitted Wenger. ‘I don’t know how serious it is but the Christmas period is certainly over for him.
‘It was his birthday (Ramsey turned 23 yesterday). I don’t know how long he will be out for.’
Yesterday’s defeat saw West Ham slump to second from bottom, enhancing the club’s relegation fears.
Wins for Fulham, Crystal Palace and Sunderland didn’t help the Hammers’ predicament, but manager Sam Allardyce said: ‘It is not about other results, it has always been about points per game. It has always been about the very least you have to achieve, which is the same number of points equal to the same number of games. It is that simple.
‘If you do that, then you are in a position when nobody has been relegated from that position, but you do that to be in a position to build on it, not to be doing catch-up like we are doing now.
‘Catch-up is getting a little wider and wider each game when you don’t pick up points.’
Written by Steve Milne – Have your say below 🙂
