Toure: Young Gunners will learn from loss

ARSENAL 1-2 CHELSEA
FA Cup Semi Final

Kolo Toure believes Arsenal's youngsters can only get stronger from the experiences of their Wembley FA Cup semi-final heartbreak against Chelsea.


The Gunners - forced to field a makeshift defence - came off second best against a determined Blues side, driven on by England midfielder Frank Lampard who turned in a man-of-the-match display.

It had, though, been a positive start from Arsene Wenger's side, who took the lead through Theo Walcott's strike on 18 minutes.

However, that was as good as it got for Arsenal, with Florent Malouda equalising before half-time and then, just six minutes from time, Didier Drogba sealing a return to Wembley for Chelsea on May 30 as he capitalised on a rush of blood from Poland keeper Lukasz Fabianski, who endured a 24th birthday to forget.

Toure, however, believes such trials can serve to galvanise players for the challenges ahead.

"You can only learn from these types of games, because they are so intense," said the 28-year-old centre-back.

"When you make some mistakes, they can cost you, which is what happened against Chelsea.

"We will just have to try not to do that again."

Toure is the last remaining regular from Wenger's Invincibles side which went undefeated for the entire 2003/2004 campaign.

The Ivory Coast defender, though, feels the latest generation of promising talent can go on to fulfil their undoubted potential.

"This can be just the start for this team, because there are some really good players coming through," said Toure.

"The season started really badly, but we have come back very well.

"We hope to keep going now and improve the way we are playing."

Arsenal still have plenty to focus on during the closing weeks of the campaign.

Wenger takes his men to Anfield on Tuesday looking to extend their unbeaten Premier League run from 18 matches with a victory which would both dent Liverpool's title hopes and cement Arsenal's place in the top four.

Toure believes having such an important match so quickly in what is a hectic month ahead will help quickly consign their Wembley defeat to history.

"The good thing is that we only have a couple of days to get this loss off our back," he said.

"We will head to Liverpool on Tuesday and look to get the three points.

"Our target is now the league and Europe. We will stay focused for that.

"We just have to put all this to the back now and focus on the next game."

Arsenal will hope full-back Bacary Sagna can have shaken off the virus which ruled him out of the last two matches to be fit to travel to Liverpool.

However, leading scorer Robin van Persie, replaced in the second half at Wembley, will be assessed after appearing to aggravate his groin problem.

Wenger ready for "tricky" Cardiff FA Cup test

Arsene Wenger will not take the ''tricky'' trip to Cardiff City lightly on Sunday as Arsenal aim to keep themselves on course in the FA Cup.

The Gunners, who continue to track Zenit St Petersburg playmaker Andrei Arshavin, are expected to take a strong squad to Ninian Park, where former Bluebirds midfielder Aaron Ramsey looks set to face his old club.

Wenger will stick with his policy of rotation, mindful of already missing injured key men like captain Cesc Fabregas and England winger Theo Walcott.

However, as in the last round, the Gunners boss will show the competition the respect he feels it deserves rather than field a team of teenagers, as he does in the Carling Cup.

''[Goalkeeper] Lukasz Fabianski will play because it is the FA Cup, maybe one or two others will come in too,'' Wenger said.

''The team will be comparable to the side which played against Plymouth.''

The Gunners boss declared: ''It is a tricky cup tie and we want to come out on top.''

Ramsey admits he will have ''mixed emotions'' when he returns to Ninian Park, but the Wales midfielder is fully focused on helping Arsenal get to Wembley.

The 18-year-old came through the Bluebirds' youth ranks and was part of the team beaten by Portsmouth in last season's final.

It was his last appearance in Cardiff colours before joining Arsenal in a £5million move during the summer.

Ramsey made his debut in the Champions League qualifier away to Steve McClaren's FC Twente, and Wenger is delighted with the youngster's progress, with some 15 appearances now under his belt.

''Cardiff was a big part of my life. I was there for a long time,'' Ramsey said.

''I came through the youth system there and went on to get into the first team, so it will be mixed emotions for me on Sunday - but I am an Arsenal player now and I want to win the game.''

Defender William Gallas (hamstring) is not yet in contention, while full-back Gael Clichy must serve a one-match ban.

Eduardo has claimed he is ''ready for the first team'' after stepping up his rehabilitation following another run-out with the reserves, when he completed a full 90 minutes at Stoke.

However, Wenger may not rush to recall the striker, whose leg was broken horrifically at Birmingham last season.

The end of the Gunners' drawn-out chase of Arshavin, meanwhile, could soon draw to a successful conclusion as the clubs move closer to agreeing a fee.

''We are certainly conducting negotiations directly with the Arsenal chief executive,'' Zenit general director Maksim Mitrofanov said.

''It is not simple, but it is moving and we hope that it will lead to its logical conclusion.''

FA Cup: Skipper Van Persie on song for Gunners

Arsenal 3 - 1 Plymouth Argyle

Stand-in captain Robin van Persie scored two goals as Arsenal finally saw off the brave challenge of Coca-Cola Championship Plymouth 3-1 in their FA Cup third-round tie at Emirates Stadium.

The Dutchman struck at the start and the end of the second half to secure safe passage into Sunday's draw after Argyle captain Karl Duguid had grabbed a lifeline for the West Country side and their superb 9,000-strong support.

Arsenal have not made the final of the FA Cup since they won it in 2005 - the last trophy lifted by Wenger's men.

Given their current 10-point deficit in the Barclays Premier League, this famous old competition could now represent the most likely avenue to more silverware in 2009 - and as such Wenger named a strong side, led by van Persie in the absence of injured skipper Cesc Fabregas.

Arsenal saw plenty of the ball as the hosts dominated the opening exchanges.

There was a half chance on five minutes when Aaron Ramsey's scuffed shot found its way through to van Persie in the six-yard box. But the angle was tight and Plymouth keeper Romain Larrieu made a smart double block at the near post.

The home side remained patient in their build-up, and in the 15th minute they carved open the Plymouth defence.

Wales youngster Ramsey charged into the penalty box before laying the ball off to Emmanuel Eboue - and it took a brilliant reaction save from Larrieu to deny the much-maligned Ivory Coast midfielder.

Van Persie glanced a header just wide at the far post from Samir Nasri's cross as the Gunners pressed again.

Abou Diaby's quick turn in from the right corner saw him flash the ball across goal, but Nicklas Bendtner was unable to make contact.

William Gallas' angled effort was blocked first by Chris Baker and then the goalkeeper as the Plymouth goal continued to lead a charmed life.

Larrieu beat away a 20-yard strike from Ramsey before Arsenal were forced into a change on the half-hour when Mikael Silvestre limped off, to be replaced by Kieran Gibbs.

It was then Lukasz Fabianski's turn to take centre stage when the Pole, making a rare start, acrobatically tipped over Paul Gallagher's chip from the edge of the penalty area which was dropping in under the bar.

Arsenal finally grabbed the lead just 53 seconds after the restart through van Persie.

The Dutchman was left unmarked in the six-yard box at a corner, taken by Samir Nasri on the left, and promptly crashed a bullet header into the roof of the net.

Before the Championship side had time to regroup, it was 2-0.

This time van Persie turned provider, spinning his marker down the right side of the box and sending a low centre across goal.

With Bendtner lurking, David Gray - the on-loan Manchester United defender making his debut - could only manage to divert the ball past the goalkeeper on 50 minutes.

Arsenal, though, were themselves then guilty of poor defending to immediately allow Argyle back into the match.

A deep free-kick from the left was punched only half clear by Fabianski. Gray, on the overlap down the right, picked up the loose ball and whipped it across a crowded six-yard box, where skipper Duguid arrived at the far post to volley into the net - and send the massed ranks of green behind the goal into delirium.

The Premier League side were clearly rattled and for a spell lost their composure.

Plymouth continued to press for an equaliser, testing the resolve of the Arsenal backline with several high balls deep into the danger area.

Midfielder Rory Fallon tried his luck with a 20-yard curling effort, which was just wide of the top corner.

Arsenal fans sensed they would need a third goal to make the tie safe - and Ramsey was just off-target with his angled shot on the turn before Marcel Seip cleared Nasri's effort off the line after the keeper had raced out of his area.

It was finally 3-1 with six minutes left when Nasri chipped the ball through to van Persie. His lob was well saved by Larrieu, but the Dutchman was first to the rebound, which he smashed into the empty net.

# Wenger praise for professional Gunners