Arsenal are far easier to beat this season, Bale says

London: Gareth Bale believes Arsenal have gone backwards since last season and has contrasted the way they sold key players with Tottenham's success in improving their squad.

Arsenal have not finished below Tottenham since Arsene Wenger became manager in 1996, but they are already five points and nine places adrift of their fiercest rivals after beginning the season with four defeats in seven Premier League matches. "They have had a few players who have gone and that has damaged the way they play," Bale said.

Beatable

Asked if it was now less intimidating to play Arsenal, Bale said: "We are obviously used to playing Arsenal. They play fantastic football and keep the ball down on the floor. They have lost a few players, which has made them more beatable of late, and we definitely came out and exposed that. They are always up there, so if we finish above them we are going to be right up there."

While Arsenal sold Cesc Fabregas for £35 million (Dh199 million) and Samir Nasri for pounds £23 million during the summer, Tottenham turned down a series of bids between £25 million and £40 million from Chelsea for Croatian midfielder Luka Modric. Significantly, Harry Redknapp also successfully recruited in key areas, with Brad Friedel, Scott Parker and Emmanuel Adebayor all immediately strengthening their first team. "Keeping your best players is a massive thing," Bale said. "They are used to how you play and what you do and I think it is vitally important that you do that and build a team around them. It is important that we have kept them, they are obviously unlucky not to keep theirs.

"It was important that we got the new players in, especially Scott, who has been fantastic here. He covers every blade of grass and does a very important job for us. Ade is the same for us up front. We lost the first two games without them and since they came in we haven't lost."

While Arsenal are facing a massive challenge to retain their record of 15 consecutive top-four finishes, Bale believes that it is still realistic for Tottenham to compete with the two Manchester clubs at the top of the Premier League.

"I don't see why not," he said. "We have been playing great football for the last four games and want to push on." Tottenham's winner on Sunday was scored from 30 yards by Kyle Walker, with Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny admitting that he made the decisive mistake.

— The Telegraph Group Limited, London 2011