Benayoun patient but eager to impress

Posted Thursday, December 08, 2011 by ESPN

Yossi Benayoun hopes Arsenal fans will soon see the best of him as the on-loan Chelsea midfielder presses for a regular place in Arsene Wenger's side.

The 31-year-old made only his fifth start as one of the few experienced players in Tuesday night's team which went down 3-1 away to Olympiacos in their final Champions League Group F game.

While the European tie had little riding on it for the Gunners, who had already qualified for the knockout stages in first place, the victory was not enough to see the Greeks join them in the last 16 following a late rally by Marseille away to Borussia Dortmund.

Benayoun, a deadline-day signing in August, has yet to break into the first XI for a Barclays Premier League game. While the veteran accepts he can have few complaints given the form of the current Gunners midfield , the Israeli is also not just about to sit back and relax on the bench.

He said: "I didn't start many games, but every time when I have a chance to start I try to do my best.

"The team is playing well. They say you don't change a winning team and we are on a good run so it is very difficult to get into the team.

"The only thing I can do is to wait for any chance I get - it doesn't matter if it is 15 minutes or I get to start, I have to prove myself any chance I get and I am sure I can do it."

Benayoun, who caught the eye at West Ham before heading to Anfield in a £5million move in July 2007, added: "I was lucky to be in midfield for the biggest teams in England - especially Liverpool where I had three great years and proved myself.

"I played for a big club like Liverpool so I think I can play for any club.

"Hopefully when I get the chance I will show it but like I said it is not easy. There is a lot of quality in the team and I will have to be patient.

"Maybe it is a good chance with Christmas coming as we have a lot of games. Even if you don't want to you have to do rotation in some games so hopefully when I get the chance I will prove that I deserve to play more."

Benayoun is not looking any further ahead than enjoying a successful second half of the season with the Gunners.

"I enjoy every moment in Arsenal but at the moment I can only concentrate on the year loan.

"We will see at the end of the season. Arsenal have the option to take the rest of my contract with Chelsea, which is another two years," he said.

"But it is too early to speak about it. I need to play more and prove myself and maybe have the chance."

The Gunners have won six of their last seven Barclays Premier League games to close back up on the top four following a terrible start, and will be looking to maintain that momentum when Everton come to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Benayoun said: "We are on a good run and are very close to the top four. This is the main thing after the bad start at the beginning of the season and we believe we can do it.

"We beat Chelsea away - if you beat Chelsea away you can beat any team and we showed our quality.

"We just need to keep working in every game."

Arsenal will be without left-back Andre Santos this weekend, after the Brazilian hobbled off on Tuesday night with an ankle injury which could see him sidelined for some time.

However, with Kieran Gibbs close to a return from his hernia, Wenger is confident there will be enough cover.

Reserve goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is also set for a spell out, after suffering a gashed knee, so understudy Vito Mannone - whose howler gifted Olympiacos their second goal - could be on the bench again this weekend.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are understood to be set to unveil statues of former manager Herbert Chapman, as well as past skippers Tony Adams and Thierry Henry outside the Emirates Stadium to mark the club's 125th anniversary on Friday.

Chapman led the club to their first league titles in 1931 and 1933, Adams captained Arsenal to five league titles across three decades and Henry is the club's record goalscorer with 226.