LONDON (AFP) – Robin van Persie believes Arsenal can use Tuesday's testing Champions League trip to Fenerbahce to prove they have the mental strength needed to end their trophy drought.
Arsene Wenger's young side have found their desire questioned in recent weeks after a spluttering start to the season. But they showed plenty of character to go with their undoubted quality in Saturday's come from behind win over Everton.
After conceding an early goal to Leon Osman, the Gunners found some urgency and Samir Nasri equalised before van Persie and Theo Walcott wrapped up the points.
Van Persie knows Arsenal will need that resilience again over the next seven months if they are to win silverware for the first time in four years.
So Tuesday's Group G trip to Istanbul provides Arsenal with an ideal opportunity to test their mettle again.
The intimidating Sukru Saracoglu stadium has seen many famous names fall in the past and, although Luis Aragones' side aren't in top form, this is exactly the kind of game Arsenal have often slipped up in.
Dutch international van Persie insists Wenger's squad can cope with any environment.
"At this time in football, the mental aspect is really important, maybe more than 30 or 40 percent," he said. "If you look at the games we have played, like against Bolton and Blackburn, the mental aspect is more important than the way we want to play.
"I do not think it is a real big problem for us, but every single time we have to prove it again. Last season we played fantastic for three-quarters of the season and then suddenly everything fell down.
"I do not know if the reason is mentally, maybe it was a bit of everything, but we learned a lot from last year as well.
"The season is long, we lost some points, but we won some as well so we just have to stay positive.
"The whole squad realise that because we still have to play against the big teams and lots of big tests for us are on the way."
After the shock of losing for only the second time at the Emirates when Hull beat Arsenal earlier this month, Wenger knew the Gunners desperately needed a win over Everton to restore their confidence.
Like van Persie, he sees the 3-1 victory on Saturday as proof of their will to win.
"You don't want your team to lose confidence and after the shock against Hull, not to win against Everton would have been difficult for the confidence for the team," Wenger said.
"I believe in this team 100 percent. They have shown not only quality in the game, but they have shown also mental strength and personality - it is that personality which will be needed in the season where we have so many strong teams to face.
"We deserve a lot of respect for last season, but we want to move on and we will be stronger this year."
Defender Kolo Toure, who went off at half-time with a shoulder problem, will miss Tuesday night's Champions League clash with Fenerbahce in Istanbul.
However, Johan Djourou, who suffered concussion while away with Switzerland, could return and Nasri is expected to shake off a minor thigh problem. But captain William Gallas and full-back Bacary Sagna remain sidelined and will not travel to Turkey.
Source- Yahoo News
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