Walcott going nowhere - Wenger - Sport in brief

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Wenger accepts Walcott, who turns 19 in March, is not where he was expected to be after two years with Arsenal - but maintains "he will get there" following what has been a rollercoaster ride after a big-money move from Southampton and subsequent controversial inclusion in Sven-Goran Eriksson's ill-fated 2006 World Cup squad.

"No, because we are very short," said Wenger when asked whether anyone would now be allowed to go on loan following the Carling Cup exit on Tuesday.

Wenger told Arsenal TV Online: "We have 17 players at the moment, and you could see with the players who were on the bench at Tottenham that they should not have been on the bench there."

Walcott started in the semi-final against Tottenham as Arsenal were hammered 5-1 but his manager maintains the Carling Cup experience, which last year took his young side to the final in Cardiff, was all part of the learning process, and accepts those youngsters may currently lack "maturity" in such situations.

However, Wenger insists he made the right decision not to gamble with the fitness of senior men.

He said: "My focus is on different targets now - it was never the main focus of the season.

"Our main targets are the championship and the Champions League. We prioritise that from now on."