By PAT SHEEHAN
ARSENE WENGER has told his Arsenal players they are fighting for their futures.
The Gunners boss is considering an overhaul of his squad following a series of flops.
Wenger’s side could yet salvage their season and get into the Premier League top four.
And how the players perform in the final nine games of the season will determine who is part of the manager’s plans.
The Frenchman said: “What is important is we look at how we finish the season, how well we play and make the decisions who to buy and who to sell at the end of the season.
“This will be influenced by the way we play in our last nine games.
“We have five players for theEngland national team and 22 international players.
“So we have to analyse. What will decide our attitude, my attitude, is how we do now until the end of the season.”
Wojciech Szczesny appears most at risk after getting axed for the last two games — decisions which brought criticism of boss Wenger from the goalkeeper’s father.
The 22-year-old moved quickly to distance himself from that but Wenger insists no decision has been made on the Pole.
He said: “I haven’t spoken to him but I believe he responded very well.
“We are in a competitive world, he has played 100 games for this club and at his age that is absolutely fantastic.
“We have ups and downs in our form and we have to fight against that.
“Wojciech has a great future.”
Arsenal skipper Thomas Vermaelen, meanwhile, insists his workrate will remain the same, whether he is in the side or not.
The Belgian centre-back is another who has found himself watching from the sidelines, an unused substitute against both Bayern and Swansea.
Wenger must decide whether to stand by the pairing of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker when domestic action resumes today against Reading — or recall his skipper.
Writing in his captain’s column for today’s official Arsenal matchday magazine, Vermaelen said: “I am fighting to win my place back and nothing will change my mentality or the way I work.
“I will give everything every day, as I have throughout my career.
“It is just something that happens in football, especially when you play for a big club.
“I always want to play, of course, but the boss has big decisions to make and puts the team on the pitch that he thinks will win the game.
“It worked on both of those occasions and each time I was delighted that we won.
“I have played many games in my career and spending two on the bench does not mean the world is on fire.
“You can’t be surprised by these things, the only thing to do is keep going and make sure you come back strongly.”
