Wenger aims to avoid Arsenal’s cruel November

The international break that sees Arsenal go a fortnight between games until November 21  couldn't have come at a better moment for the club – if recent history is anything to go by. Over Arsene Wenger's 14 seasons at the club, Arsenal have had some pretty shocking Novembers, often losing ground on the table-toppers as the winter weather begins to take hold and the manager's foreign legion have been monstered by no-nonsense Northern sides on unforgiving pitches.

With the club currently enjoying a 13-match unbeaten run and sitting pretty at second place in the Premier League, the benefits of a time to reflect are not lost on the manager. "Traditionally November has not been a good month for us," said Wenger, thinking perhaps of last season when the Gunners only racked up six out of a possible 15 points in the league.

"But I explain that by the fact we had more injuries, it is the first period when they kick in. It depends on the fixtures too - you can have two or three difficult games in November. You have decisive games in the Champions League and the players go on international duty."

With so many players on his books representing their nations, international breaks must be a time of much nail-biting for the 60-year-old. He lost Theo Walcott to an injury this time last year sustained while training for an England friendly against Germany, and he’ll be hoping that the 15 Arsenal players on duty - including French stars Abou Diaby, William Gallas and Bacary Sagna, and Russian Andrei Arshavin, who will be in competitive action in World Cup qualification play-offs - will return uninjured.

"Now we have that break and all the players fly away so let's hope they all fly back in good shape. After that we go to Sunderland and that is always a difficult place to go," says Wenger. Harder yet will be the top-of-the-table clash on November 29, when Chelsea visit the Emirates. The Gunners have a 100 per cent record at home this season, and have scored 33 goals in ten matches, but breaking down the resolute defence of Carlo Ancelotti's well-regimented outfit will be another thing entirely.

Meanwhile, the club announced that Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner would be out of action for up to a month after undergoing groin surgery. The 21-year-old, who was voted Danish Player of the Year this week, had the operation Germany yesterday and is expected to make a full recovery. The competition for places among attacking players at the Emirates is such that the giant forward - who was scored three times so far this season - could find himself supplanted in the attacking pecking order. ·