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Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger - Source: Reuters -
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has warned his maturing team there can be no more age excuses if the club fail to land any honours for a fourth successive season.
"There is a period for any team to come out and show its strength. For my team this moment has come," the Frenchman told a news conference on Saturday ahead of Monday's (NZT) clash with Premier League leaders Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal's last trophy came in 2005 when the north London club beat Manchester United on penalties to win the FA Cup, but since then a succession of high-profile player departures and a stadium move have limited the funds available to Wenger.
The manager has instead set about moulding a free-flowing team of talented youngsters, who Wenger feels have matured considerably.
"We are not anymore a team that has to be considered to be young. I think we have the strength and we want to show that on Sunday that we are strong enough to beat them," Wenger said.
Arsenal are eight points behind Chelsea, though with a game in hand a win would put them in a good position to make up the ground on their London rivals.
Despite Chelsea's good form Wenger said there was nothing for his side to fear.
"I believe for us the most important thing is to stick to our game, do not focus on any special individual on the other side, because you win these kind of games by dominating the game.
"If we focus too much on Chelsea it won't help us," he said.
Frank fit
Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti, meanwhile faces a midfield conundrum ahead of the London derby, with five players, including the recently recovered Frank Lampard, fit and only three slots to fill.
The Italian, who has taken Chelsea five points clear at the top of the Premier League in his first season in charge, said he was also very wary of third-placed Arsenal's own talented midfield.
"I have five midfielders in very good condition - (Michael) Ballack, Lampard, (John Obi) Mikel, (Michael) Essien, (Florent) Malouda - and I have to put on the pitch only three players," he said after a session at the training ground near London.
Chelsea have comfortably won both their games, a 4-0 hammering of Wolverhampton Wanderers at home in the league and a 1-0 win at Porto in the Champions League, since midfield talisman Lampard was injured on England duty.
Ancelotti praised the work the 31-year-old had put in to heal his thigh muscle injury more quickly than expected. The treatment included a trip to Serbia for massage but a Chelsea spokesman said the midfielder stayed only an hour in Belgrade before deciding that treatment was not likely to help.
"Frank is fit. He trained yesterday and today very well. He's in good condition and he's ready to play. He's a fantastic professional player because he stayed behind in Cobham many hours to improve his condition.
"His recovery in time for a derby game is important not just for
his contribution on the pitch but also from a psychological point
of view," Ancelotti said.
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