Wenger's up for the Cup

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes the Gunners' campaign can only draw strength from an extended FA Cup run.

The Gunners have so far failed to mount a serious challenge for the Barclays Premier League title, and are currently outside the top four.

However, the battling goalless draw at Tottenham last weekend - where they played more than half the game with only 10 men following the dismissal of Emmanuel Eboue - extended an unbeaten run to 11 matches in all competitions.

Arsenal will be confident of another positive result at home to Coca-Cola Championship side Cardiff on Monday night, in their rescheduled fourth-round replay.

The FA Cup was the last trophy won by Wenger, in 2005, and could now present the best chance of silverware this season.

The Arsenal boss, though, maintains it is all about continuing momentum.
"We want to prepare well because we know it is a very important game for us and we need to focus," Wenger told Arsenal TV Online.

"We are unbeaten and want to keep that going in every competition - the longer that lasts, the stronger you will be."

The Arsenal boss added: "If the three draws put together don't look good, then you must put the whole 11 games together and that looks like we are on a run.

"We want to transform that bit of disappointment from a draw into a convincing victory, and the team is on a good way."

The original fixture at Emirates Stadium on February 3 had to be rearranged because of the snow which crippled London's transport network.
Arsenal have now been left a tie behind the rest of the competition, with a potential home fifth-round clash against Burnley pencilled in for March 7/8.

With a two-legged Champions League last-16 encounter against Roma also to come in the next three weeks, there seems little room for manoeuvre in terms of fixture scheduling.
Wenger, though, insisted: "It does not bother me too much. We have to deal with that and I do not think it is a big problem."

New signing Andrei Arshavin is ineligible for the replay, having only completed his protracted move from Zenit St Petersburg on transfer deadline day.
Striker Eduardo, who was on the bench at Spurs, played in midweek for Croatia and could feature against the Bluebirds.

However, young midfielder Aaron Ramsey is a doubt to face his former club having injured a knee while away with Wales.

Eboue is suspended, while Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor will miss the next three weeks with a hamstring problem. Full-back Gael Clichy has recovered from a badly-gashed head.
One player who has produced some consistent displays in recent matches has been centre-half William Gallas.

Wenger believes the Frenchman, who was replaced as captain earlier in the season following public criticism of the Arsenal squad, has shown his calibre.
"He is playing well," the Gunners boss noted.
"I have said many times that after a major incident he has responded like a real professional and has dealt well with the situation and that is what we want."

Arshavin, meanwhile, is expected to make his highly-anticipated debut when Premier League action resumes against Sunderland on February 21.

Nasik Tambah: Kesian Zahir.. tak dapat tengok Arshavin main.. tunggu 21 ni la Yeop baru dia leh turun.. 1st time turun dah injured... kot :)