Gallas admits Gunners face uphill struggle for title

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Arsenal lost 2-1 at Stamford Bridge yesterday, as Chelsea came from behind to leapfrog them into second place, five points behind leaders Manchester United.

Arsene Wenger's side have now not won in the league for five games, picking up only four points - their worst run for nine seasons.

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Even though United have still to go to Chelsea and Arsenal travel to Old Trafford next month, it looks set to be an uphill battle in the Gunners' quest for a first championship since the 'Invincible' season of 2003/2004.

However, with the three sides also in the hunt for European glory, Gallas insists all is not yet lost.

"It will be difficult for us to come back, because Manchester United now have six points (lead) - but we have to," he said, having received less than a warm welcome on his return to his former club.

"We must play until the end of the season and then see. Maybe they can drop some points because of the Champions League - they can be tired, Chelsea too.

"We have to give everything until the end. Why do we have to be down? Football is like this. You never know. You can be back. They can lose some points. We have to be ready for the next game and do not give up."

Gallas, speaking on Arsenal TV Online, added: "We can still win it. It is not finished yet, so we have to believe."

Wenger accepts his side must first start winning games again before they can "dream of the title".

However, the Arsenal boss was left less than impressed by what he saw as a distinct lapse of "defensive authority".

Gallas, 30, knows he and the rest of the Arsenal back line have to raise their game if the season is to finish on a high. He said: "We made some mistakes, and sometimes it is difficult to understand. Normally we do not do things like this.

"But if you do not have the luck, it is not easy. Maybe we deserved to win because before they scored we controlled the game, were very sharp on the Chelsea players. After their goal, we went down. From then on it was really difficult for us to be strong."

Gallas - signed as part of the deal which saw full-back Ashley Cole head in the opposite direction on transfer-deadline day in August 2006 - has found himself coming in for criticism following his reaction to the last-gasp defeat at Birmingham when he broke down in the centre-circle.

At Stamford Bridge, the veteran French centre-back went over to the travelling support and threw his shirt into the crowd. However, the Arsenal captain insists that was nothing unusual or any kind of statement.

"I was saying nothing," he said. "They had come here supporting us, and for them it was difficult to accept we lost - so I gave them my shirt. But it was nothing special. I did it before, did it on Sunday and maybe will do it in the next game.

"We know our supporters are there for us all the time, and that it is difficult for them to see us lose."

Defeat at Stamford Bridge - only Arsenal's second of the league campaign - came at a cost with injuries to full-backs Gael Clichy (hamstring) and Bacary Sagna(ankle), who had earlier put the Gunners ahead with his first goal for the club.

Sagna has been ruled out of Wednesday's friendly with England in Paris, and may struggle to be fit for the trip to Bolton on Saturday.

Wenger has already seen his attacking options hit by the loss of Croatia striker Eduardo for the rest of the season because of a broken leg. The 25-year-old is now beginning the long rehabilitation process, which is set to include a spell both in his native Brazil as well as his adopted homeland.

Croatia coach Slaven Bilic is likely to seek Arsenal's permission for Eduardo to spend some time with the international squad at the Euro 2008 finals.

"It is the players who wish to have him around the squad (at the Euros) and it is his wish as well," said Bilic.

"He and Dado Prso will be there as long as they want. Eduardo is Arsenal's player. We'll try and find some solution - because at that period he will be at the stage where he will be doing some running and he can do that with our physios. But Mr Wenger will decide."