Wenger salutes his charges

LONDON. — Arsene Wenger says he has the best attacking options he has ever had at Arsenal.

The Gunners’ boss hailed his group of goal-scorers after they put another five past Southampton in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Hat-trick hero Theo Walcott and two-goal Danny Welbeck did the damage at St Mary’s. Lucas Perez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also started, while Alexis Sanchez and Alex Iwobi were only called on from the bench as Wenger shuffled his pack.

Two more goal threats — Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil — weren’t needed at all.

Wenger’s claim about his current crop might be considered a big one by some given his best side, the 2004 Invincibles, were spearheaded by two of the club’s all-time greats Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp.

Behind them Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg, Sylvain Wiltord, Kanu and Jose Reyes were among the players providing further fire-power.

But, ahead of last night’s clash with Watford, Wenger said: “I think certainly numbers wise and quality wise, this is the best attacking unit. We had never so many players who could perform and score goals — certainly never.

“Bergkamp, Henry . . . and Van Persie (came) behind them. Wiltord, Pires, it was not bad. They had the quality, but (we have) the large number (now).”

“How I do manage them? That is a good question and I don’t know in fact,” Wenger laughed. “It is about making the decision for the next game that you think is the right one.

“Sometimes you consider the problem you face, sometimes you consider the fitness of the players, the fact that for example they have played three day before, have they recovered or not.

“You just try to be honest in your decision and keep everybody on board.”

And Wenger insisted Sanchez, who has thrown strops when he has been subbed, is not the only forward who gets upset when he is left out.