Football: Wenger unruffled by talisman's absence

EVEN by his standards, Arsene Wenger looked impressively unruffled as he conducted what will probably be his last round of press conferences and television interviews before Arsenal are crowned champions.

The top flight's two longest-serving clubs meet for what promises to be a momentous occasion tomorrow at Highbury, where victory for Arsenal would complete the first leg of a remarkable double and send Everton perilously close to relegation for the first time in 47 years.

Wenger would have little time for Everton's plight even if Arsenal did not want the three points so badly. Anything less than a win might leave the Gunners facing awkward trips to Anfield and Villa Park in search of a result, before meeting Newcastle in the Cup final in a fortnight's time. But those who came yesterday seeking tell-tale signs of stress in the enigmatic French manager's make-up were sorely disappointed.

"It seems I still have a lot to learn about English tradition," he said with a smile after being informed that it is usual for the newly crowned Footballer of the Year to attend the Football Writers' dinner with his manager, even if it is less than 48 hours before being involved in the FA Cup final. Wenger originally had no intention of attending, far less Dennis Bergkamp if the architect of Arsenal's success on the field has recovered from injury in time to play a part at Wembley.

"He has a pulled hamstring," Wenger confirmed. "It looks quite superficial but some fibres have been torn and that means two weeks at least, maybe three. He's had such a great season but unfortunately we have to finish it without him. I would have loved to have him until the last day but now it looks as though the championship is over for him. I still have a small hope that he could be back for the final but it [the recovery time] would be very, very short."

Following a disappointingly early exit from Europe and an indifferent spell in mid-season, Wenger can be sure that his own achievements will be feted much further and wider than is customary for Arsenal managers. For while the results have been spectacular, the attractive style of their play has been revolutionary.

Criticised at first for importing a seemingly endless list of anonymous compatriots, Wenger can take great satisfaction from the way Emmanuel Petit, Nicolas Anelka and Christopher Wreh have blossomed alongside Patrick Vieira, while the signing of Marc Overmars proved a masterstroke.

But with Wright out injured for the past three months it has been Bergkamp's contribution that has really captured the imagination and his manager was more than happy to heap praise upon his talismanic Dutchman. "The beginning of the season was his biggest contribution because the team had no history at all," Wenger said. "They didn't know how well they could do, and he and Ian Wright were determined to help build the confidence up in the side. I think in the first 20 games they scored 18 or 19 goals together, which was tremendous.

"Dennis was unstoppable, not only because he scored goals but it looked so easy for him to run at people and through defences. He looked physically very strong. His third goal at Leicester, when he chipped the ball over the goalkeeper, was world class, and I also loved the goal he scored at Southampton because it's a part of Dennis you don't often see. It was done with great determination, where he pulled the defender and went through and finished it with a very hard shot into the angle.

"He's a creative thinker, and I would say this kind of player needs a lot of freedom. One part of his brain is 'killer', because he waits for the right moment and tries to use it. He's also at the age when you perform best, between 28 and 32. You have the skill and the maturity. He can still improve in the next three years because it's in him to try. He loves perfection so there are no barriers for him."

If there is one criticism that can be levelled at Bergkamp it is his propensity for red and yellow cards, and Wenger was honest enough to admit: "I think his temperament will always be a problem because he has a provocative way of playing for the defenders. So he will always be fouled and when he's fouled he doesn't feel happy and lets the referee know. I think he has improved during the season and he's been man-marked many times, which creates more controversial situations than zonal marking."

Bergkamp's absence is a sad way for the English season to end for the Footballer of the Year, but maybe even greater glory lies around the corner for him in France this summer - when Arsenal fans will doubtless still be pinching themselves.