Gallas joins crowded treatment room

With the news that William Gallas will spend three weeks recovering from a hamstring injury keeping fellow centre back Silvestre company as he also spend three weeks recovering from a thigh problem Wengers earlier musings on the need to sharpen our defensive performance are given added weight.

'We have definitely become more solid over the last few weeks,' Wenger said. 'As a team we are better defensively and I also think that the creative spark will come back quickly, as confidence builds.

'When you can be consistent, the confidence returns and with that the creative side of the game will come.

'We have made a small change to the structure of the team lately, which has helped us to be more solid defensively.

'We have included more defensive players in the team, which I felt was needed especially away from home.

'However, the other side of that is, inevitably, you create less.

'There is always a balance to be achieved, but I think we are getting it because with just one up front at Villa Park, we scored twice and could have had more.'

Conveniently, as it appears problematic to have them both fit together, while Gallas is injured Kolo Toure has recovered from his groin injury and will be fit for the game against Bolton at the weekend. Presumably he will partner Djourou with Song next in line if our physio`s are further challenged.

No wonder long term physio Gary Lewin has defected to England. Colin Lewin, now the clubs physio, must be wondering how his cousin managed to get his timing so right.

At least with 3 weeks to go to the closing of the transfer window any suggestions that Kolo would leave the club this month have probably been ended - haven't they?

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