Arsene Wenger targets Arsenal quadruple
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Arsene Wenger believes the confidence his Arsenal side have taken from their Champions League first-leg triumph over Barcelona can inspire them to win four trophies this season.
He insists the Gunners will show exactly the same hunger and commitment against League One Leyton Orient in the FA Cup on Sunday that they demonstrated against the Spanish champions.
In stark contrast to recent seasons when Arsenal have prioritised the league and the Champions League, Wenger is set to field a virtual full-strength team against Orient.
He said: "We want to go for every single competition. How far will we go? I personally believe we can go in every competition to the end. But we can as well stop very quickly.
"It's just down to how much we believe and how much commitment we show. What I am convinced of is that we have the hunger and we have some talent and we are committed to going as far as we can."
Arsenal are already in the final of the Carling Cup later this month against Birmingham. They lie second in the Premier League, four points behind Manchester United and their home win against Barcelona gives them an opportunity of progressing to the quarter-finals of the Champions League next month.
Wenger added: "Our destiny will be made by how we focus every time, how much we can mobilise our resources in every single game.
"The intelligent attitude will be to just worry about the next game and the next game is Leyton Orient. We had tough games against Leeds, tough games against Ipswich, a tough game against Huddersfield. We have been warned how difficult it is.
"We can gain more respect from everybody if we turn up on Sunday with absolutely full commitment, then people will say this team is ready to have a real go and not choose the competition or the games.
"When you are a top level competitive man or team you go absolutely 100% committed into every game."
Theo Walcott is likely to have recovered from a slight hamstring strain and Johan Djourou is responding well to treatment on a back injury. Wenger is likely to rest centre back Laurent Koscielny who felt "very tired" after the Barcelona match.
But a full-house at Orient will be treated to most of the stars who just a few days earlier defeated the team universally recognised as the best in the world.
Almost certainly that will include 19-year-old Jack Wilshere in midfield who gave a supremely mature performance against Xavi and Andres Iniesta on Wednesday.
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas described Wilshere as having an "English heart with Spanish quality" and Wenger said: "Spanish technique certainly.
"He has an English heart because he is an English boy. He just loves to win like all the other players in my team.
"He takes everything at the moment with a cool head and that's what I like. When you are at his age, you want to play and to play again and show how good you are. What I like, he is not fazed by the occasion, he is not inhibited and just plays free. That is what is fantastic about him."
Wenger does not believe the FA Cup needs an overhaul and is against scrapping replays, despite Arsenal having a hectic fixture schedule.
He said: "There is an historic love story between people and the FA Cup and people are scared every time that this history goes out of the game. I don't believe (it will) because I believe that everybody likes to go to Wembley and the final of the FA Cup."
On replays, he added: "They sometimes give you a chance to get yourself out of a tricky game. Against Leeds we had to go to Leeds and we still qualified. It is fair financially for the smaller clubs to get something."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments