Nice goal, shame about the hair: Looks like Arsene Wenger's 1000th goal scorer Alex Song (celebrating above and scoring below) was inspired by former Middlesbrough trend-setter Abel XavierThe time has come to consign to history the mantra of the George Graham era. 'Now it's 1000-0 to the Arsenal,' said Arsene Wenger on Saturday. Not quite, but the Frenchman is allowed some licence after the club reached 1001 Premier League goals under his management, spanning 14 years and 528 games.
Where Graham's tenure was defined by the chant '1-0 to the Arsenal' and the image of a dutiful back four appealing for offside as one, Wenger's team have become famous for their attacking flair.
'I'm proud our supporters saw 1000 goals,' said Wenger, after the 4-1 win over Bolton. 'That's what people want.'
Asked to pick a favourite goal, he quipped: 'How long do you want me to stay here? 'I've seen some great goals - from Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell against Chelsea and even Tony Adams against Everton.' Arsenal's recent problem has been a lack of Graham's toughness to ally to their flair, but back-to-back wins over Blackburn and Bolton suggest the maturing side may be rediscovering the blend needed to win titles.
Alex Song, who scored the 1000th goal of Wenger's reign, is a notable example of Arsenal's efforts to get stuck in, and the Cameroon midfielder rejects suggestions they are a soft touch.'We can fight when we need to fight and we can play good football when we get the chance,' he insisted. 'At home, we play to our strengths, move the ball, pass it and no-one can do anything about it when we play at our best. Now we know we can also go away and be ready for every team.'
source: dailymail
