Cesc Fabregas playing it cool as scoring run continues

It was during this international break last year that Gallas launched a scathing attack on his fellow Gunners, prompting manager Arsene Wenger to make Fabregas his new skipper at the tender age of 21 years old.

Gallas claimed there were players at the club who were "not brave enough" and that he had to step in to break up arguments in the dressing room on matchdays.

But Saturday's 4-1 victory at Wolves extended Arsenal's unbeaten run to 13 matches in all competitions and as they close in on Premier League leaders Chelsea, Fabregas insists the camp is in high spirits.

"The issue with William is gone for us," said the Spaniard. "We don't think about it any more and are happy with the way things are going at the moment. The dressing room has always been really together and kept believing.

"Even if we didn't win anything last year, we were really close and in all the competitions right until the end. So the mood in the dressing room is always really positive.

"The captaincy hasn't changed me at all. My team-mates have done a great job for me as well, to be honest. They showed me they believe and help me with everything. There has never been any trouble so I am very happy with how things are going."

Wenger will now not see the majority of his squad again until 19 November - just two days before visiting Sunderland - and the 60-year-old admits this month has historically proved a difficult one to negotiate.

"In November, you have decisive games in the Champions League and the players go on international duty and that is the first period where injuries kick in," he said.

"Now we have an international break and they all fly away so lets hope they all fly back in good shape. Traditionally, November has not been a good month for us, but I explain that by the fact we have had more injuries then.

"It depends on the fixtures too - you can have two or three difficult games in November.

"We go now to Sunderland and that is a difficult place to go. But I feel we have learned a lot because many of the players who played two years ago are in the squad today. I believe something that is very important is that we have built the team together for a few years. Players arrived at the age of 16 and so I enjoy it more because you are not allowed to do that any more in the modern game. That's why I am really happy when we play as a real team."

After negotiating a tricky opening period, Arsenal produced some sublime football on Saturday as two own goals, Fabregas and Andrey Arshavin took the team's tally to 31 from 11 League matches so far this season.

The Gunners' impressive form has drawn comparisons with the 200¾ side, nicknamed 'the Invincibles' after completing a League season undefeated, but Fabregas said: "We don't look at 'the Invicibles' or whatever the name was. We are Arsenal and a young team who are trying to do our best.

"There will be a time when we cannot score goals and everyone will say there is a crisis. We just have to keep going being ourselves and play at 100 per cent. We are scoring goals but we have to be ready because one day it will not happen like that and be not so easy. We will have to patient and it is in that moment where we have to be strong."