Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy believes it’s time for Arsenal to stop hiding behind excuses and show what they are really capable of.

Speaking before yesterday’s 4-0 win against SC Neusiedl 1919, the Frenchman explained how the Gunners always end the season saying how they are not far behind but it’s still a season ended with nothing to show for. The 25-year old also said how it’s now time to show the Arsenal fans that the players believe they can go on and win something.

The Gunners had no trouble in winning their last pre-season friendly in Austria on Tuesday and according to Clichy, this year could be the one.

He concluded by echoing what the likes of Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas said before him and that’s how Arsenal can no longer hide behind the fact that they are young or inexperienced, they just need to step it up and win.

Clichy said:

It is always at the end of season that we are not that far [behind] and Arsenal had a good season but we didn’t win anything.

We have to ask ourselves the right questions: do we want to be a good team or to win trophies? To win trophies we have to be the best and that is what we are trying to do from now on. We want to show the fans that we believe in ourselves.

I remember a few years ago saying it was a time for Arsenal to win and still nothing happened.

I really hope this year can be a good one and now we cannot hide behind anything – the age or the experience. We have everything to do it – so let’s do it.