Fabregas admits Gunners need more midfield goals

The Gunners could yet secure third place in the Barclays Premiership after their draw with Chelsea yesterday moved them level with Champions League finalists Liverpool.

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However, there is a lingering sense of just how much better the campaign should have been for Arsene Wenger's men.

Having finally showing some consistent form following an indifferent start to life at their new Emirates Stadium home, Arsenal then lost first leading scorer Robin van Persie and soon inspirational captain Thierry Henry to injury as the season quickly unravelled shortly after defeat in the Carling Cup final.

Despite the best efforts of the rest of the attack-minded team, Arsenal found goals from other areas hard to come by.

Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor lead the line well and chalked up 12, but while penalty taker and stand-in captain Gilberto added 11, Fabregas knows more should have come from other areas.

The Spain midfielder has made more than 50 appearances this season - including some part in every Premiership match. However, Fabregas has managed only four goals, two of which came in the Champions League qualifiers back in August.

He said: "We have played fantastic football, but the most important things is goals.

"I am not going to use the excuse we have been missing such a key player like Thierry Henry, or Robin van Persie, who were both in great form, because that is football. You have to find other solutions.

"We had them, and it is not just about the strikers.

"The only midfielder who scored the goals he should have is Gilberto, because he scored 10.

"That is good, but we should have scored more goals from midfield as well.

"Hopefully we can improve on that next season." Fabregas added: "When you are young, you can always improve.

"We can mature as footballers and grow up together. That is very important."

Dutchman van Persie, who broke a metatarsal bone when equalising against Manchester United at Emirates in late January, and Henry - along with crocked winger Theo Walcott - hope to be fully fit again for the pre-season build-up.

'United deserve title'

Chelsea saw their title hopes ended with the 1-1 draw, and it has been suggested they would have pressed United harder had there not been injuries to their key defensive duo of Petr Cech and John Terry.

Fabregas, 20, however, feels coping with the loss of such important men is all part and parcel of life at the Premiership's "big" clubs.

He said: "You have to accept it.

"In football, that happens, so you have to have another solution, that is why you have a big squad, like Chelsea, Manchester United.

"If you are a big team you have to have other players who can take their chance and try to play the same way the others do. That is why you are a big team."

Although Chelsea rallied and levelled through Michael Essien after falling behind to a penalty from Gilberto three minutes before half-time - which saw defender Khalid Boulahrouz sent off for a foul on Julio Baptista - their draw was not enough to keep alive hopes of chasing United down.

It did, though, need a couple of decent saves by veteran keeper Jens Lehmann - particularly from a fine strike by substitute Salomon Kalou during stoppage time - to ensure joyous celebrations at Old Trafford.

Fabregas, however, maintains yesterday was not about denying Chelsea, but purely proving their own worth as a team.

He said: "We played our own game, like we always do. We tried to win it, but could not do it.

"But Manchester United won the league because they deserve it, not because Chelsea did not win against Arsenal.

"I think they [United] would have won it anyway. United have been consistent all year, and I think they deserve it."

Consistency is certainly a problem Wenger must iron out if his men are to again challenge for the title.

In fact, the Gunners only lost once against their fellow "big four" teams, and beat United both at home and away in the Premiership.

The major frustration, though, was dropping so many points against sides they should have comfortably beaten.

Wenger said: "The problem for us is to win at Sheffield United and Manchester City, where we lost last year. I am confident that we have matured well and progressed well and we can achieve that."