Manuel Almunia maintains Arsenal cannot afford a slow start to the new campaign and must focus right from kick-off if they are to make an impact on the Premier League title race. "Overall we needed to be more focused at the start of the season," the 32-year-old keeper said in the July edition of the official Arsenal magazine.

"If we had all been more involved with the mission at the start of the season, it could have been a better year for us. In the last half of the season I think everyone realised what was required and you could see the results.

"I think sometimes something has to be said to make things work right and when certain things were spoken about, it proved to make people focus on things.

"The second half of the season showed what we can do, but you have to be fit mentally and physically from the start and be fully involved with the project of the boss."

Almunia added: "That is what we need to do from July this year, from the minute we get back for pre-season.

"We need to make sure the group is together and focused after the break and to show our total commitment.

"I am sure that because we have the quality, next season will be much better than the one we have just finished."