WENGER READY TO START AFRESH

Arsene Wenger would be happy to scrap the summer break and get on with the business of Arsenal challenging again for the Barclays Premiership title straight away.

The Gunners head to Portsmouth on Sunday looking to sign off from what has been an overall disappointing campaign with a victory, which could see them finish third ahead of Champions League finalists Liverpool.

Despite reaching the Carling Cup final with a youthful team, there is no doubt this year could have yielded so much more for Wenger's men.

Even though they beat champions Manchester United at home and away in the Premiership, and also scored three wins over Liverpool as well as drawing with Chelsea twice, performances against sides which they should have turned over comfortably proved their Achilles' heel.

An early exit from the FA Cup was swiftly followed by the end of their European campaign, and the sidelining of inspirational captain Thierry Henry for the remainder of the season through injury.

However, such disappointments spur Wenger on to come out fighting again in August - which cannot come soon enough for the Gunners boss.

He said: "We want to finish as quickly as possible and start again.

"I would be happy if you said to me tomorrow we start again straight away, cut out the holidays and let's go for it again, because it will be a long summer.

"But we have to adapt and use this period to go away and reflect on what has happened this year, make the right assessment and start again in a very efficient way.

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