Post by Salem6 on Oct 20, 2003 10:30:26 GMT
Arsene Wenger has admitted Arsenal's Champions League campaign could effectively be over if they fail to get at least a point in Kiev next week.
Wenger, who also revealed the club are in ``no-man's land'' in contract talks with record signing Sylvain Wiltord, knows the importance of their third group game away to Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday.
After all, they have taken just a point from their opening two fixtures against Inter Milan and Spartak Moscow, and the extra obstacles are already mounting ahead of his side.
Captain Patrick Vieira has been given just a ``40-60'' chance of starting the game due to injury, with a key fitness test planned tomorrow.
``It's difficult for me to be sure when going into a game of this intensity. Patrick would be a big loss if he doesn't play but, if he can play, then I will start with him,'' said Wenger.
The Arsenal boss is also unhappy at the 9.45pm kick-off in Ukraine due, presumably, to the demands of television in this country, as this will make the conditions even more unforgiving.
``It should be colder and I don't know why the game couldn't have been brought forward like it was in Moscow,'' he added.
However, whatever hurdles Arsenal must overcome, Wenger has left his side in no doubt that they simply must avoid defeat.
``If we don't get something out of this game, then it will make life very difficult for us. It's a massive game for us as we must get at least a point,'' he admitted.
``If we get a point there, then by winning our two home games we'd have a good chance to go through, but I wouldn't want to leave it to our last game in Milan so it's important that we get a result in Kiev.
``I was very disappointed by our result against Inter but I was more frustrated by the Moscow game as we felt afterwards that by pushing forward more, we could have won the game in the second half.''
While Vieira and Martin Keown are doubtful due to injury and Fredrik Ljungberg is touch and go with an ankle problem, Dennis Bergkamp will also be absent in Kiev due to his aversion to flying.
That places an even greater responsibility on the shoulders of Wiltord, who could leave Highbury on a free transfer next summer if he does not agree terms on a new contract.
Arsenal have offered the French international a two-year deal, taking him up to the age of 32, but he is apparently holding out for a three-year contract.
``We haven't agreed a contract with Sylvain and are a little bit in a no-man's land,'' revealed Wenger.
``We are in the situation where he can decide what he wants to do at the end of the season or he can back to us and say, okay, I will go for an extension of the contract.
``We have made an offer to him a year ago, he was one of the first we started negotiating with. The biggest problem though was the duration of the contract.
``We always have to plan for the future. We have many players in the last year of their contract but it's down to their ages.
``We have always given longer contracts up to the age of 32 and, from then on, it is year by year. At the end of this contract, Sylvain will be 30.
``We want him to stay but he's a big player so he has many proposals and we have to accept that we will fight with other clubs.''
Wiltord nevertheless told the club's website: ``We tried to sort it out at the start of the season. Now we're not even talking.
``We'll have a look at the situation in January or perhaps even as late as June, but right now in Europe, there are not many clubs who can offer me what Arsenal give me.
``As long as I'm happy, I will still be here.''
Source:-
www.football365.com/All_News/Premiership_News/story_86550.shtml
Wenger, who also revealed the club are in ``no-man's land'' in contract talks with record signing Sylvain Wiltord, knows the importance of their third group game away to Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday.
After all, they have taken just a point from their opening two fixtures against Inter Milan and Spartak Moscow, and the extra obstacles are already mounting ahead of his side.
Captain Patrick Vieira has been given just a ``40-60'' chance of starting the game due to injury, with a key fitness test planned tomorrow.
``It's difficult for me to be sure when going into a game of this intensity. Patrick would be a big loss if he doesn't play but, if he can play, then I will start with him,'' said Wenger.
The Arsenal boss is also unhappy at the 9.45pm kick-off in Ukraine due, presumably, to the demands of television in this country, as this will make the conditions even more unforgiving.
``It should be colder and I don't know why the game couldn't have been brought forward like it was in Moscow,'' he added.
However, whatever hurdles Arsenal must overcome, Wenger has left his side in no doubt that they simply must avoid defeat.
``If we don't get something out of this game, then it will make life very difficult for us. It's a massive game for us as we must get at least a point,'' he admitted.
``If we get a point there, then by winning our two home games we'd have a good chance to go through, but I wouldn't want to leave it to our last game in Milan so it's important that we get a result in Kiev.
``I was very disappointed by our result against Inter but I was more frustrated by the Moscow game as we felt afterwards that by pushing forward more, we could have won the game in the second half.''
While Vieira and Martin Keown are doubtful due to injury and Fredrik Ljungberg is touch and go with an ankle problem, Dennis Bergkamp will also be absent in Kiev due to his aversion to flying.
That places an even greater responsibility on the shoulders of Wiltord, who could leave Highbury on a free transfer next summer if he does not agree terms on a new contract.
Arsenal have offered the French international a two-year deal, taking him up to the age of 32, but he is apparently holding out for a three-year contract.
``We haven't agreed a contract with Sylvain and are a little bit in a no-man's land,'' revealed Wenger.
``We are in the situation where he can decide what he wants to do at the end of the season or he can back to us and say, okay, I will go for an extension of the contract.
``We have made an offer to him a year ago, he was one of the first we started negotiating with. The biggest problem though was the duration of the contract.
``We always have to plan for the future. We have many players in the last year of their contract but it's down to their ages.
``We have always given longer contracts up to the age of 32 and, from then on, it is year by year. At the end of this contract, Sylvain will be 30.
``We want him to stay but he's a big player so he has many proposals and we have to accept that we will fight with other clubs.''
Wiltord nevertheless told the club's website: ``We tried to sort it out at the start of the season. Now we're not even talking.
``We'll have a look at the situation in January or perhaps even as late as June, but right now in Europe, there are not many clubs who can offer me what Arsenal give me.
``As long as I'm happy, I will still be here.''
Source:-
www.football365.com/All_News/Premiership_News/story_86550.shtml
