Tonight:
8°c
Bacary Sagna: We showed that we're best team in Premier League by beating Spurs
James Olley03.11.09
Bacary Sagna believes Arsenal's victory over Tottenham proves the Gunners are the best team in the Premier League.
Arsene Wenger's side dominated Saturday's north London derby to maintain their 100 per cent record at Emirates Stadium this season and move up to third in the table.
Qualification for the latter stages of the Champions League will be all but secured with victory over AZ Alkmaar tomorrow night and Sagna claims the squad are in high spirits after erasing the memory of last year's 4-4 draw against their fiercest rivals.
"It was a great win against Tottenham," said the French defender. "Last year we deserved to win but it finished 4-4 and that was disappointing. On Saturday we showed our fans we are better than them.
"There was no extra pressure - we worked very hard in training to stay focused until the end of the game. We know if we are focused, we are the best team in the Premier League and we have to keep going that way.
"We know we have to win everything at home to be competitive in the League. We are on the way to winning something and lifting a trophy.
"In the Champions League, it would be nice to qualify straight away. We can then go through to the second stage and show what we can do.
"We have a strong squad and we have showed that so far in the Carling Cup - everyone is able to play."
Although Arsenal only managed a 1-1 draw against Alkmaar in Holland two weeks ago, the Gunners were much the better side for extended periods but striker Mounir El Hamdaoui believes his side are capable of causing an upset.
Alkmaar are experiencing Champions League football for the first time in their 42-year history this season and the 25-year-old insists qualification is still within their grasp as they continue to adapt to the big stage.
"It's going to be very difficult in London," said the Moroccan. "We still have a chance to get a result there, however, and we will certainly work hard.
"In Holland, we played well in the first half although Arsenal scored. But when they scored we kept playing well and had good possession. They dominated the second half but it was good for us to score at the end.
"You learn to play for the whole 90 or 93 minutes. You have to concentrate because one chance or one mistake can lead to a goal against you or a goal for you - that's what we have learned.
"In the first game against Olympiakos we played well but they scored in the last minute and we lost 1-0. There is a very fine line between winning and losing.
"It's going to be difficult to qualify but nothing is impossible - if we defeat Liege and Olympiakos we can do it. We have a chance. It's still in our hands."
Reader views (13)
Ramalamadingdong - Thank you for your generous words! I think Arsenal's squad is far more balanced than most and our players are extremely versatile, which helps cover up deficiencies injuries can bring. Against Tottenham we were without Walcott, Denilson, Rosicky, Wilshere, Traore, Fabianski,Djourou & Bentner who was injured early on in the match. We have now lost Clichy to injury, but have adequate cover in Gibbs & the fit again Traore. The notable & worrying exceptions at Arsenal are if we lose Gallas, Song or Vermaelen, as the cover is poor. However, Wenger may rectify this in January. Tottenham on the other hand do not have players, of a similar type, to cover the injuries to players such as Modric, Lennon & Defoe. King & Woodgate are injury prone and Dawson & Bassong are hardly adequate cover, both look to lack true Premiership quality & would look more at home in the Championship with their respective former clubs. If you analyse Tottenham's squad very few players mirror their respective possible replacements in their postions. Eg Assou-Ekkoto & Bale are very different in style. To conclude, if Tottenham have their first eleven playing, they are a match for anyone, but when injuries & suspensions occur, they will struggle & thats in a season without the additonal burden of european football.
- Rob Gooner, North London
@ Ramalamadingdong, Broxbourne
You're neglecting our already lengthy injury list. If we had had Rosicky, Walcott and Denilson available, plus Nasri fully fit and Bendtner not limping off injured our squad makes yours look truly second rate.
If we had been missing Fabregas and van Persie we could simply put Bendtner up front, Eduardo wide and Nasri in Fabs's place. Or, if everybody was fit, we'd have Rosicky, Walcott and Denilson to draft into the line-up too.
The only place where your injuries took a toll, and we would've suffered in similar circumstances, was at centre-back. With Woodgate available and King fully fit it might not have been so comfortable. But let's not kid ourselves that Fabregas and van Persie are our only key players.
Our squad has more genuine, like for like depth than yours ever will. And, most importantly, they all play in the same style. When Fabs and RVP are injured we bring in players who continue to play the same way, whereas with Defoe and Modric out you have to resort to launching long balls to Crouch.
Maybe when we come to your place, both teams will have fully fit squads and it will be a proper showdown, but you didn't lose this weekend because you were missing players and we weren't, you lost because despite us also having injuries we have the better squad, regardless of what Mr. Keane thinks.
- Steven, London
Anyone else find these debates dull?
Tottenham are not a top 4 club. Arsenal are but they are certainly not the best club in the country.
Get real!!!
- James, London, Maida Vale
Harry would have been better off picking the 1961 double side so Spurs fans can continue bleating on about the double side of 1961.Bill brown,Tony Marchi,Ron Henry,Dave Mackay,Maurice Norman,Peter Baker,Cliff Jones,Bobby Smith,Les Allen,Terry Medwin and Jimmy Greaves could play instead of the late John White.
- Peter, Essex
Well, I have something charitable to say to Rob Gooner for a change. I think your "colleague, Jonathan, should read your words and inwardly digest them.
Had Spurs been able to field Defoe, Modric and Lennon and lost 3 - 0 nil then there truly would be something to "crow" about. Put the other way, would Arsenal have won if they had not had van Persie, Fabregas and, say, Arshavin? We'll never know but L'Goons without Fibreglass and van Persil are far from the side who played last Saturday.
- Ramalamadingdong, Broxbourne
Get real!! You beat a Spurs team that didn't turn up and gifted you 3 points!! And I am allowed to say that as I am a Spurs fan and sat through 90 mins of suffering!!
Go beat the Chelsea's and Man Utd's and then claim you are the best!!
- Dimps, london
Finally someone on here talks sense. We had a bad game and got beaten end off story !
- Disko Fc, London
I love Arsenal thank you guys for beating Spurs lets get Alkmaar out of the way. I have a feeling this is our year, thanx Wenger the boys are doing great lets stay focussed. Go Gunners Go!
- Tavengwa Sangster, Beitbridge, Zimbabwe
'Think he has caught foot-in-mouthitis from Robbie Keane
- Coys Switz, switzerland
Does that make Chelsea, Man Utd and STOKE!!! also candidates for the best club.
This boy is only fooling himself. Once again they will be proved too lightweight and naive to win anything.
- Barry Chapman, Hertford England
Er, yes, they did as that was what Arry and Robbie were saying before the match that they had the best squad and Robbine Keane is still at Arsenal Grounds looking for their weak spot. Keep looking Robbie as you will have many more years to stay where you are and continue looking for the weak spot and the fourth spot. Ha ha
- Johnathan, ealing
It was a convincing win against a Tottenham side mssing arguably their 3 most influential & fast players in Defoe, Modric & Lennon. 'Harry', also messed up the tactics & should have played Woodgate alongside King, assuming he was fit & Kranjcar on the left, Bentley on the right, with Palacios & Jenas in the middle. Pavlyuchenko up front with Crouch might also have made a difference. However, Arsenal seem on par with a weakened Man Utd this season, but Chelsea are still superior. Things might level out in the New Year when Chelsea lose 4 players to the Afican Cup of Nations, especially if the transfer ban is upheld.
- Rob Gooner, North London
Er, no, you didn't. What you did was beat a Spurs team that was awful on the day.Hardly a ringing endorsement.
- Ramalamadingdong, Broxbourne
