Wenger hails Bould impact

The Gunners have yet to concede a goal in their opening three games, and registered their first win at Liverpool with goals from summer signings Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla.

Captain Thomas Vermaelen feels a lot of the Gunners' new-found defensive solidarity is down to the work put in by former centre-half Bould, who joined Wenger's first-team coaching staff after the retirement of Pat Rice.

Wenger believes signs are positive for the bigger challenges which lie ahead.

Speaking at the UEFA elite club coaches forum in Nyon, Switzerland, the Arsenal manager said: "We have played two teams who didn't really attack, but he [Bould] is doing a good job.

"We continue our training regime. He has taken over from Pat Rice for the defensive job where he is doing very well.

"Will we finish with the best defence in the league? I hope so."

Wenger, however, maintained it would not be a case of the days of '1-0 to the Arsenal' once again.< /p>

He added: "No, no, we want to score goals, but Steve Bould is doing very well and I am confident we have a good defensive record at the end of the season."

Podolski was deployed as alongside fellow summer signing Olivier Giroud at Anfield, where Cazorla again caught the eye with an all-action display.

The Germany international, signed from Cologne in a reported 11million deal, feels it is a combination which can prove electric.

"I like Arsenal's style of football and Santi's as well - I love his style of football, with one or two touches," he said.

"We play [well] together and you could see it here - he passed for me for the first goal, I passed to him for the second goal.

"But we are only three matches in. We have 35 matches more so we must keep going."

Podolski added: "At Arsenal, I not only play on the line, but I can go in the middle and play with Santi and Abou Diaby and Mikel Arteta.

"This is my style of football. I like this, but it is not only about one match - I want to play more of these matches."

Defender Bacary Sagna is currently recovering from a broken leg suffered at the end of last season, and could be in contention to return by the start of next month.

The France international, however, has been left disillusioned by the departures of former captain Robin van Persie and midfielder Alex Song during the transfer window.

Speaking to L'Equipe, Sagna said: "Everyone was expecting Robin Van Persie to leave, but Alex Song, that was a surprise. I don't understand that at all. It is a big loss for the club.

"When you see two of the best players from last season leave, you ask a lot of questions.

"On the street, sometimes the fans come to see me. I understand they are upset. I am like them, I do not quite understand."

Sagna, 29, signed from Auxerre four years ago, and in that time has seen several of his team-mates leave - including France d uo Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri, who went on to win the Barclays Premier League title with Manchester City last season.

He continued: "It is not disturbing, but annoying.

"In May, I watched City's parade on TV. I saw Samir and Gael lift the trophy. I want that."

The France defender will be heading into the final year of his current deal at the end of the season, and maintains as yet there has been no talk over an extension.

He said: "I just want to play again and be good again with Arsenal so far. Then, we will see. Each person has his own destiny."

Midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong could also be back in contention shortly after the international break, having suffered cruciate knee ligament injury while on loan at Wolves last season.

Meanwhile, winger Andrey Arshavin has been linked with a move back to Russia with Dynamo Moscow ahead of their transfer deadline, but is understood to be determined to force his way into the Arsenal first tea m again.