Arsene Wenger has called on Arsenal to stand up and be counted ahead of Saturday's Barclays Premier League encounter with West Ham United.
The Gunners battled to a 2-1 victory at Manchester United on Monday to book their place in the FA Cup semifinals, but face the daunting task of coming from 3-1 down at Monaco in the second leg of their Uefa Champions League last-16 tie next Tuesday.
With his side sitting third in the top flight, Wenger recognises the pressures that come with fighting for silverware on three fronts, but says it is now time for his players to make a name for themselves.
"We can only help so much, 99 percent is down to the individual," he told www.arsenal.com. "We can push them over the line with the one percent we can give, but 99 percent is them having the responsibility to make their own life.
"You have to stand up to be strong enough, to fight, to show that you have the courage and that you're not inhibited because you're under pressure, and that's the difficulty of the modern player.
"That has increased and the resistance to stress from the young players is immense today because everything is analysed. Every pass you make, every first touch, how far you run, how much you fight, everything."
Arsenal remain without the services of Gabriel Paulista (hamstring), Jack Wilshere (ankle), Mikel Arteta (ankle), Mathieu Debuchy (shoulder) and Serge Gnabry (knee). Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who injured a hamstring against United, is also expected to be out for up to a month, but Mathieu Flamini is back in the squad.
The Gunners, aiming for a fifth successive BPL win, received plenty of plaudits for their performance at Old Trafford on Monday and West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is braced for a tricky encounter at Emirates Stadium.
"I watched Arsenal's game away at Manchester United and everyone could see the quality they have," said, Allardyce, whose 10th-placed side have won just once in their last 11 league matches. "We know how difficult it is at the Emirates, where we've actually gone in front a few times but not managed to hold on.
"We'll go there and give it our best shot and see what happens. I think they have different threats from all over the team, which is why they are so difficult to beat, especially at home.
"We conceded two goals very quickly in the reverse fixture [Arsenal were 2-1 winners at the Boleyn Ground in December] which was the only difference between the two teams on the day."
As he seeks to end the Hammers' poor record against Arsenal, Allardyce must contend with mounting injury problems. The latest blow is the news that central defender James Tomkins has dislocated a shoulder and could struggle to play again this season. With Winston Reid already out with a hamstring injury Allardyce may again be forced to move midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate back into the heart of defence alongside James Collins. There are also doubts over striker Enner Valencia, who this week cut his toe on a broken cup in an accident at home, and faces a late fitness test, while Alex Song, the former Arsenal midfielder is struggling with a knee issue. Carl Jenkinson is ineligible to face his parent club.
Match Facts
Arsenal's Theo Walcott has scored five goals and set up three more in his last four Barclays Premier League matches against West Ham United.
West Ham have won none of the last 13 Barclays Premier League fixtures against Arsenal (W0 D2 L11), losing the last eight in a row.
The Hammers have scored the first goal in four of the last five BPL meetings with Arsenal but the Gunners have come back to win on each occasion.
Arsenal have won seven consecutive home league matches. They last won eight in a row in November 2005 (13).
Arsenal (from): Martinez, Ospina, Szczesny, Bellerin, Chambers, Gibbs, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal, Cazorla, Coquelin, Flamini, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Ramsey, Rosicky, Akpom, Giroud, Sanchez, Walcott, Welbeck.
West Ham (from): Adrian, Jaaskelainen, Collins, Cresswell, Demel, O'Brien, Potts, Reid, Tomkins, Amalfitano, Downing, Jarvis, Kouyate, Lletget, Noble, Nolan, Poyet, Song, Sakho, Valencia.
Match Appointments
Referee: Chris Foy Assistants: A Garratt, D Bryan Fourth Official: A Taylor
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