Pro Eleven Headline News
Arsenal hand Nicklas Bendtner chance to prove himself against Hull in FA Cup
The big Dane squandered a catalogue of chances during Arsenal's 4-0 demolition of Blackburn but is set to continue in the FA Cup sixth round tie after impressing Arsene Wenger with his application and attitude.
And Wenger believes Bendtner can take inspiration from Emmanuel Eboue as Arsenal look to confirm a Wembley FA Cup semi-final.
Bendtner, 21, has an impressive record this season, scoring 11 goals in 22 starts, his goal every other game matching exactly the return of Emmanuel Adebayor (12 in 24 starts) and leading scorer Robin van Persie (15 in 30 starts).
Eboue, like Bendtner, had been criticised by fans for his failures, but on Saturday, the Ivory Coast midfielder responded with two goals - one a penalty. Wenger believes Bendtner can follow suit.
"Of course Eboue is an example for Bendtner," said Wenger. "Bendtner will turn it around, I am not worried about that. I was more worried about Eboue at one stage. Fans want performances and that is the only way we have to respond.
"I am pleased that Eboue starts to score because it looked to us that he could never score goals. It shows as well the importance of a psychological factor because he scored last week, again this week and could have scored another one. Before that he never looked like scoring so it's more in their heads sometimes.
"If he had not scored his goal, and not scored last week, he would not have taken the penalty against Blackburn -- and that tells you the importance of confidence."
Of Bendtner's 11 goals, six have come in cup competitions, and Arsenal will be looking to make amends for the 2-1 home defeat in the Premier League, when Hull created one of the shocks of the season so far, in September.
Lukasz Fabianski will play in goal while Manuel Almunia rests a sprained ankle, and Gael Clichy will be rested with Kieran Gibbs coming in at left-back. Carlos Vela could also feature.
Tonight's winners will face Chelsea and, for Arsenal, that could mean meeting their London rivals up to four times before the season's end. They clash in the Premier League at the Emirates on May 9, but in addition, they could play each other in the semi-final and twice more in the Champions League.
The draw for the quarter-finals is on Friday, and the potential is there for an all-London battle, or the possibility of a semi-final or final meeting if both teams progress. Telegraph
Sagna Hails Arshavin, AC Milan To Bid For Arsenal's Clichy
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger usually maintains that it takes a minimum of six months for a foreign player to settle in both England, and the Premier League.
In the space of five games for the Gunners, winter window recruit Andrey Arshavin has contributed to five goals. As well as assisting four times, he opened his goal-scoring for the north London outfit against Blackburn Rovers by driving a well-struck finish into the roof of Paul Robinson's net from an acute angle.
Bacary Sagna, 26, has paid tribute to Arshavin's immediate impact, and is quoted by This Is London as saying, "It is great to have him for this game because every time he has played, he has been really good for us.
"He has everything - he can shoot well, pass the ball, arrive in different positions and also has great power. He is not very tall but he knows how to deal with physical stuff. And now he has shown he can score great goals as well," he concluded.
Meanwhile, Arsenal may be preparing themselves for a £14 million bid from AC Milan for their promising left-back Gael Clichy.
The People are reporting that the Milanese outfit deem Clichy as the perfect replacement for retiring legend Paolo Maldini.
Clichy, though, is fiercely loyal to Arsenal, and has often stated his unswerving affection for the red and white. It would therefore take a gargantuan contract offer to lure him from the club - and manager - that discovered, groomed, schooled, and turned him into the player he is today. Goal
