Saturday, January 17, 2004
Wenger impressed with Toure progress
Arsene Wenger has tipped Kolo Toure to prove the huge strides he has made in the past eight months when Arsenal visit Villa Park tomorrow.
Arsene Wenger: Toure's a star (TonyMarshall/Empics)
It was towards the end of last season that Toure, who was then still a fringe player in the Arsenal ranks, scored an own goal to hand Aston Villa an equaliser in the corresponding fixture.
Even Wenger admits that the two dropped points were a significant factor in Arsenal's ensuing loss of the title.
'We still have painful memories of last season as we were 1-0 up and scored an own goal without being under pressure. That's one of the games that cost us the title,' he declared.
Tomorrow, however, Toure is expected be given the chance to make amends when Arsenal return to the Midlands to take on David O'Leary's side.
The Ivory Coast international has recovered from a foot injury that ruled him out of last weekend's victory against Middlesbrough.
And that means Wenger looks set to recall him at the expense of either centre-back Pascal Cygan or right-back Lauren.
'Kolo's one of the five or six players that you put first on the team sheet,' confirmed the Arsenal boss. It certainly marks a remarkable step forward in Toure's career over the intervening months as he has progressed into a consistent first-team performer.
Wenger said: 'After that game at Villa Park, who would have said he would have had a season like this? This is a big opportunity for him to show he has made a big step forward in these kind of games.'
Toure's development has also ensured that Wenger felt confident enough in his existing squad to allow right-back Moritz Volz to join Fulham.
'Although we know he can play in the Premier League, we have Kolo Toure, Lauren and Justin Hoyte,' explained the Arsenal boss.
'Rather than putting unneeded competition in there, it's better to let him go there and play. He has a good opportunity to play at Fulham and it was his choice to go there.'
Wenger also maintains that he is happy enough with his existing squad to have no need of entering the January transfer window for a new striker.
That is even though Sylvain Wiltord, Dennis Bergkamp and Jeremie Aliadiere are all ruled out of tomorrow's game through injury, while Kanu is set to leave for the African Nations Cup next week.
'We could spend ?0million but, at the moment, it's very difficult to find players at the right price as there's no transfer market,' revealed Wenger. 'I'm trying to make ?0million in June with the ?0million now. We're saving the money until then.
'I like Juan Pablo Angel and I like Jermain Defoe, with whom I've been linked as well, but I've not been in for anyone and not made a bid for anyone.'
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