Fabregas & Wenger shun 100-goal target for Arsenal

Nineteen games, 55 goals scored - it's no wonder that people are beginning to ask if Arsenal will become the first club since their north London rivals Tottenham in 1962-63 to score more than 100 goals in a season.

Their latest win, a 4-1 thumping of Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday that seemed more routine than ruthless, displayed their effervescent attacking style and also saw club captain Cesc Fabregas notch up his ninth goal of the season to become outright top scorer for the Gunners.

Manager Arsene Wenger was non-committal about the century mark, telling the Daily Mail that "I don’t know if it’s possible [to score 100 goals]. What is possible is to continue playing the way we play and even to play better." The Spanish midfielder chipped in too, warning that "you are always cautious in football because it’s a very fragile sport."

He also dismissed comparisons with the all-conquering Arsenal side of 2003-04. "We don't look at what the 'Invincibles' achieved, or whatever the name of that team was," Fabregas said. "We are Arsenal. We are young and trying to do our best. There will come a time when we cannot score. So we just have to keep going."

But few observers would bet against such an achievement. On plain mathematics, the club looks highly likely to hit a century sooner rather than later, as they are currently scoring just under three goals a game, and seventeen members of the club squad have scored during the campaign to date. With 27 Premier League games to go, and a minimum of four cup and European games, the Gunners could score just a goal a game and still hit three figures.

Meanwhile off-the-pitch speculation continues about what Stan Kroenke's intentions towards Arsenal are. Last week he upped his stake in the club to 29.9 per cent with two purchases of shares, and the American appears to have the support of the board, since £1.7m worth of those shares came from the club chairman Peter Hill-Wood. It seems unlikely that a Kroenke takeover would affect matters on the pitch either, although Arsene Wenger admitted to reporters last week that he was in the dark about any plans the billionaire has for the club.

"I have spoken with Stan and all the shareholders, but I have never asked him about his plans," the Frenchman said. "I care and worry about my plans. The board are on the floor above me, and I look downwards towards the team. I don't own any shares in Arsenal. I have thought about it but I felt always that I try to do the job with a good work ethic and not to be accused of any decision being taken for any personal interest. I decided not to be involved at all."