http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?article=326931

Bold boss Wenger enters Song for Europe


Alexandre Song is expected to get another chance to impress when Arsenal
visit Thun on Tuesday.

The pressure is off Arsene Wenger’s side. Four straight victories have
put them through to the last 16 and two points from their final two games
would see them secure top spot. It allows the Frenchman some room to
experiment. Expect to see Song start and Emmanuel Eboue too if he recovers
from a groin injury. However Wenger will not make wholesale changes.

“I want to see one or two players but I do not want to play a Carling Cup
side,” he said. “I would like to see Song and, if I can, Eboue, but all
the others will be first-team players. It will be one or two, not more.”

Wenger says he sees Song as his fourth-choice central midfielder behind
Gilberto, Francesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini. It is some accolade for
a 17-year-old loanee who has only four minutes of Premiership/Champions
League football under his belt.

But the combative Cameroonian, who played for Bastia as a centre back,
has many qualities according to Wenger.

“He has sound tactical sense, he is good one-on-one and has great body
technique," said Wenger. "He uses the shoulder well [to shield the ball]
and that it something you can’t give to a player.

“He is a very mature analyser of the game. He sees things early and
executes them well.”

Song has been compared to Patrick Vieira but, if anything, his roots in
central defence smack of Emmanuel Petit.

“Alex was a centre back and I put him in the centre of midfield,” said
the manager. “He is less aggressive than Patrick and uses his eyes very
well. People forget he is only 17."

Tomorrow night will see Song’s first big chance to secure a permanent
move to Highbury.